Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1277

Rh {|
 * 1908
 * 1909
 * 1910
 * 1911
 * 1912
 * Imports from Portugal into U. Kingdom
 * 2,770
 * 2,873
 * 3,095
 * 2,874
 * Exports to Portugal from U. Kingdom 2,134
 * 2,834
 * 2,320 2,776
 * 2,802
 * 3,040
 * }
 * Imports from Portugal into U. Kingdom
 * 2,770
 * 2,873
 * 3,095
 * 2,874
 * Exports to Portugal from U. Kingdom 2,134
 * 2,834
 * 2,320 2,776
 * 2,802
 * 3,040
 * }
 * }

Shipping, Navigation, and Internal Communications.

The commercial navy of Portugal on January 1, 1911, contained 66 steamers of 70,193 tons in the aggregate, and 259 sailing vessels of 43,844 tons.

In 1911, 10,370 vessels of 19,154,239 tons, entered the ports of Portugal.

The length of railways open for traffic on December 31, 1911, was 1,780 miles, of which 665 miles belonged to the State. The railways have a gauge of 5ft. 5¾ in., except two lines, one of which has a 3ft. 3⅓in. gauge, and the other a 2ft. 11½ in. gauge.

The number of post-offices at the end of 1910 was 4,044; the number of letters, newspapers, &c., carried in the same year was internal, 87,437,641; international and colonial, 24,888,458. The number of telegraph offices at the end of 1910 was 536. There were at the same date 5,945 miles of line and 13,415 miles of wire. The number of telegrams in 1910 was: internal, 1,258,840; international, 623,888; transit, 2,793,789; service, 160,306; total, 4,836,823.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

On December 30, 1911, the situation of the Bank of Portugal was as follows:-Metallic stock, 12,700,924 milreis; note circulation, 82,421,472 milreis; deposits, 3,818,119 milreis; commercial account, 23,182,913 milreis ; advances, 1,536,083 milreis; balance against Treasury, 26,590,689 milreis. The capital of the bank is 13,500,000 milreis, and the reserve fund 3,273,400 milreis.

On December 31, 1911, the Monte Pio Geral had deposits amounting to 21,830,895 milreis. The monthly average of deposits in the banks of Lisbon and Oporto in 1909 was 23,653,000 milreis.

The gold coinage of Portugal issued since 1854 amounts to the nominal value of 7,967,002, and the silver coinage to 37,934,523.

The Decree of the Provisional Government of May 22, 1911, established a new monetary system, but the new coins are not yet in circulation. The unit is the gold escudo, of 100 centavos, which is equivalent to the 1-milreis gold piece. Gold coins are 2, 5, and 10-escudo pieces; silver coins are 1-escudo, and 50, 20, and 10-centavos pieces; there are bronze and nickel coins of 4, 2, 1, and -centavo. The gold coins and the silver escudos are 900 fine; the other silver coins are 835 fine. The English sovereign and half sovereign shall be legal tender for 4 and 21 escudos respectively. On January 1st, 1912, the legal time for Portugal was in accordance with the Greenwich meridian. The metric system of weights and measures is the legal standard. chief old measures still in use are :-

The Libra = 1.012 lb. avoirdupois.

Almude of Lisbon = 3.7 imperial gallons. Oporto = 5.6

Alqueire = 0.36  bushel.

Moto = 2.78 quarters. Rh