Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1244

 112*2 t*ARAGtrAY

joined the postal union in 1881 ; in 1910 the nilmbel- of post offices was 385. Jn 1909-1910 total number of pieces of mail matter handled was 5,456,776, and the number of packages received by parcel post 10,518 ; number of telegraph messages, 191,571.

Money and Credit.

The banks in Paraguay are the Bank of the Republic, opened in June, 1908 (capital, 6,000,000 dollars gold) ; the Agricultural Bank, with a capital of 14,531,238 currency dollars advanced by Government; the Territorial Bank; the Mercantile Bank, with a capital of 20,000,000 dollars paper. A Conversion Fund has been accumulating for some four years, and is deposited at the Bank of the Republic. The deposit was (Dec. 31, 1912) 996,355 dollars gold (199,271/.).

There is no gold and silver current and paper is the only circulating medium with the exception of a few small nickel coins. The average rate of exchange in 1912 has been 75 dollars to 11. The exchange fluctuates greatly and consequently transactions are fnquently made in dollars goJ'l at the nominal fixed rate of 5*04 dollar^ to the 11. Icr gold coin and 5 dollars per 11. for cheques or drafts.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

Money. — The Peso, or Dollar = 100 Centavos. Nominal value, 45.

The Qiuntal. ,, Arroba. ,, Fanega. ,, Sino (land measure) ,, Legua cuadrada

101 "40 lbs. avoirdupois.

^0 00, , , ,

1^ imperial bushel. 69 g Engl. sq. yards. 12^ Engl. sq. miles.

The weights and measures of the metric system are also in general use.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. Of Paraguay in Great Britain.

Oonsiil-Generalin Great Britain. — Alfred James. Appointed 1897. There are Consuls at Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Liver- pool, and Southampton.

2. Of Great Britain in Paraguay.

Eyivoy and Minister.— ^\v R. T. Tower, K.C.M.G., C.V.O. (residing at Buenos Aires).

Consul at Asuncion {Local rank of Secretary of Legation a7id Charge d^ Affaires in absence of Minister). — Francis A. Oliver.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Paraguay.

Mensage del Presidente de la Republlca, prcsentado al Congreso Legislative de la Nacioii Annual. Asuncion.

Foreign Office Reports. Annual Series. London.

Report of the Council of the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders. Annual. London.

Ahtrsi (C. E.), Histoiy of South America, li:54-1904. London, 1904.

Arostvuna (J.), Constituciones Politicas de la America Meridional. Paris, 1878.

Ai.dihtrt (A.), Question de Limites entre el Paraguay y Bolivia. Asuncion, 1901.