Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1168

 104C

MEXICO

Total trade between Mexico and the United Kingdom for 5 years (in thousands of pounds sterling) : —

1907 1908

Imports from Mexico to U. Kingdom Exports to Mexico from U. Kingdom

1909 1910 I 1911

&

2,552 2,894

£ 2,473 2,230

£ 2,206 2,100

&

2,296 2,399

£

2,238 2,300

Shipping and Communications.

Mercantile marine, 1911, 32 steamers of 16,648 net tons, and 50 sailing vessels of 8,712 net tons. In 1909-10 in the foreign trade there entered 3 160 vessels (steam and sail) of 8,031,296 tons, and cleared 2,854 vessels (steam and sail) of 7,275,348 tons. The most important ports arc Veracruz and Tampico, both on the Gulf of Mexico.

On September 16, 1912, there were 15,804 miles of railway open. The main trunk lines are merged in one corporation ("The National Lines of Mexico") controlled by government. About 6,000 had a gauge of 4 ft. 8^ in., and the remainder a gauge of 3 ft. or less. Lines under construction

' On June 30, 1911, the Federal telegraph lines were 46,437 miles. There were other lines belonging to individual States and private persons. There were on June 30, 1911, 526 Federal offices, including 8 wireless telegraph offices. 4.531,683 messages were sent on Federal lines from July 1, 1910 to June 30, 1911. The Federal telephone had a length of 919 miles.

In 1911 there were 2,858 post-offices. The post, inland and inter- national carried in 1910-11 200,000,000 letters, postcards and packets. Post office receipts 1910-11, 4,724,000 pesos; expenditure, 3,854,613 pesos.

Money and Credit.

Nominal value of the coinage of Mexican mint :—

Years

Silver

Gold

Copper or bronze

Nickel

Total

1907-8 1908-9 1909-10 1910-11

666,400 288,400 292,700

£

1,694,530 179,70 501,000

£

550 19,450

£

20,606 30,731

£ 4.250,290 840,070 810,556

342,881

There were on June 30, 1910, in Mexico 24 banks Avith note issue_ and 8 without note issue. The most important are the Banco Nacional with a capital of 32,000,000 dollars ; the Bank of London and Mexico, with capital of 21,500,000 dollars; the Banco Central, capital 30,000,000 dollars; the Mexican Bank of Commerce and Industry, capital 10,000,000 dollars ; the Banco Internacional e Hipotecario, capital 5,000,000 dollars ; the Banco de CrMito Territorial, capital 5,000,000 dollars ; and the Banco Peninsular, capital 16,500,000 dollars. The first 4 of these banks have unitedly received a concession as the ' Caja de Prestamos para obras de irrigacion y Fomento de la Agricultura.'