Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1443

 FINANCE — AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE

1821

Christian primary schools, with 862 teachers and 38,642 pupils (27,878 boys and 10,764 girls), 19 Mohamcdan primary schools, with 71 teachers and, 1,917 pupils (1,420 boys and 497 girls). The secondary schools (7 pro- gymnasia, 4 high schools for girls, and 4 gymnasia), all Christian, numbered (1910) 15, with 45 teachers and 2,378 pupils (1,926 boys and 452 girls). The school enrolment averages about 1 pupil for 10 inhabitants. For Education Government grants (1910) about 1,056,066 drachmai annually. The judicial system, organised on the Greek pattern, comprises 2 courts of appeal, 5 courts of assize, 26 justice of peace courts. There is a police force of about 1,300 and 36 officers, and the militia 1,000 men, both commanded by 41 Greek officers.

Finance.

The revenue and expenditure for five years, ending August 31 (O.S.), were in drachmai or francs, as follows : —

—

1906-07

1907-08

190S-09

1909-10

1910-11

Revenue

Expenditure

5,026,350 4,379,184

5,930,333 5,905,980

5,930,332 5,905,980

6,083,297 8,876,337

6,083.297 8,567,251

Kevenue is derived from customs receipts (averaging about 2,500,000 drachmai per annum) from excise, tobacco, and salt monopolies, stamps, court fees, fines, and from taxes on articles of consumption. The expenditure in 1910-11 comprised : for public instruction 1,329,432 drachmai, for justice 798,660, for the home department 673,251, for finance 1,044,718, and for public security and public works 4,721,190.

The puUic debt in 1911 amounted to 5,317,226 francs, most of which was advanced by the four Powers at an annual interest and sinking fund (at 5 per cent.) of 200,000 drachmai, the service of which has been postponed until 1911. The Government has been authorized to contract a loan of 9,300,000 drachmai, mostly for public works. In 1901, Turkey conceded to the island her rights in the salt monopoly for a sum of 1,500,000 drachmai, of which, in September 1905, the amount outstanding was 1,310,599 drachmai.

Agriculture and Commerce.

Crete is mainly agricultural, and its chief product is olive oil, used partly in the manufacture of soap (annual produce about 3,155,000 kilos., worth about 17,600,000 drachmai), for which there are 18 factories. The annual yield of oil averages at about 33,000 tons, but good and bad years alternate. Other products are carob-beans (1,560,000 dr.), valonea, dry and fresh fruits, wine (1,110,000 dr. exported to Malta), chestnuts, hides and leather (from 10 tanneries), cheese, silk. There are about 400,000 sheep and 120,000 goats, besides horses (10,000), asses (40,000), oxen (70,000), and pigs (20,000) in the islands.

The commerce of the island is mainly with Greece and Turkey. In the last 5 years, the value of the imports and exports was as follows, in pounds sterling : —

Imports Exports

190^

750,061 478,680

1908

1909

842,858 734,928

699,067 530,920

1910

a:

786,012 665,871

1911

853,239 624,349