Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/712

 660 ABYSSINIA

(1908) for 10 years, then subject to one year's notice ; with Germany and Austria-Hungary (1905) for 10 years, then subject to one year's notice ; with France (1908) for 10 years, and then subject to a year's notice.

Communications.

Roads in Abyssinia are mere tracks, and transport is effected by means of mules, pack-horses, donkeys, and, in some places, camels. In the capital and its vicinity a few miles of metalled road have been constructed. There is a railway of a metre gauge from the port of Jibuti in French Somaliland to Dire Dawa (about 25 miles from Harar) in the south-east of Abyssinia, 187 miles.. In January, 1909, a new company was formed to complete the line to Addis Abbaba, taking over the portion complete*! on French territory, and the section to the Hawash River, 150 miles from Dire" Dawa, and the same distance from Addis Abbaba, reached the capital in 1917.

There are telegraph lines (1,056 miles) connecting Addis Abbaba with Harar, withSidamo, with Jibuti in French Somaliland, and with Massawa in Eritrea. Telephone lines connect Addis Abbaba with Harar, also with Gore and Gambela (in the west), Jimma and Sharada (south-west), Dessie (north), and Debra Tabor and Gojam, and with Ankober, and Asmara with Adua and Barromeida.

Money and Credit.

The Bank of Abyssinia, with authorised capital of 500.000Z. and paid-up capital of 125,0002., has its head office at Addis Abbaba and agencies at Harar, Dire Dawa, Gore, Gambela and Dessie. By its constitution the Governor of the National Bank of Egypt is its President, and its governing body sits at Cairo. The current coin of Abyssinia is the Maria Theresa dollar, but a new coinage (coined at Paris) has been put in circulation, with the Menelik dollar for the standard coin. This new coin, the talari, or dollar, worth about 2s., weighs 28 '075 grammes, "835 fine. It has nomin- ally the same value as the Maria Theresa dollar, but in the capital is dis- liked, and in some places is not taken at all. The Bank of Abyssinia has introduced a large stock of Menelik piastres (16 to the dollar) ; the amount of the bank-note issue on December 31, 1917, was 214,765 dollars, of which 149,140 dollars were in circulation and 65,625 dollars at the bank. Other silver coins are the half, quarter, and sixteenth (girsh or piastre) of a talari. Copper coins are the besa ( = one-hundredth of a dollar) and the half and quarter girsh found only at Harar. Various articles, how- ever, are used as medium of exchange ; bars of salt are regularly accepted as money all over the country, in two sizes, and at a fluctuating rate accord- ing to supply and cost of transport. Cartridges are also currency, although there is a di-ad-letter edict against them ; and in most places barter prevails.

The Abyssinian ounce weighs about 430 grains (the weight of the Maria Theresa dollar) ; a pound of ivory contains 12 ounces ; of coffee, 18 oumes; the Abyssinian ferasla contains 37£ lbs. av., or 50 lbs. ATjyssinian (ivory). Grain measures are the kunna, about J bushel (the nieasuie varies in different localities) ; and the daula, 2\ bushels. The metre is largely used at Harar ; native measures are the sinzer, 9 inches, and the kend (cubit), 20 inches. A kalad contains in some places 60 acres, in others 96.

Minister.— C. H. W. Russell.

Acting Consul-Gcneral. — Major J. H. Dodds, T.D. British Vice-Consul at Addis Abbaba. Cyril Cane. There is a Consul also at Harar, Gondar, Gore and Mc.um.