Feb. 1, 18S9.] 475 [Phillips, 



The gold coinage consists of twenty-franc pieces ; the silver of 5, 2, 1 

 nnd ^ franc ; copper, 10, 5, 2 and 1 centime.* 



The gold and silver coins are manufactured in conformity willi the 

 regulations of the Latin Monetary Union, and are the finest specimens of 

 coinage of the present generation. 



PUBLIC DEBT. 



By edict of February 7, 1888, the public debt is to be 150,000,000 francs, 

 divided into 1,500,000 obligations of 100 francs each, in 60,000 series of 

 Iwenty-five each, bearing interest at five per cent. 



Ti\e debt has ninety-nine years to run, and six times a year a certain 

 number of bonds are redeemed. 



In the first eight years premiums are drawn for 1,000,000 of francs ; in 

 the second for 700,000 ; and in the next for 513,000 francs. In the last 

 seventy-five years the drawings will amount to 270,000 francs. 



A sinking fund is created for the redemption of the debt as it becomes 

 due. 



On February 14, 1888, 10,000,000 francs were issued, in bonds of 100 

 francs each. On the 7th of May last (1889), a second issue of 00,000,000 

 (rancs of the same bonds has taken place. 



The annual revenue derived from the State was (in 1886) 1,700,000 

 francs, which more than defrayed all expenses. 



AUTHORITIES CONSULTED. 



Bulletin ofBciel de I'Etat Independant du Congo. Anuees 1885 a 1889. 



Chemin de fer du Congo ; par A. J. Wauters. Bruxelles, 1887. 



Conferences de la Societe Beige des Ingenieurs et Industriels des 20 et 

 27 Janvier, 1886, et des 17 et 24 Fevrier, et des 10 et 17 Mars, 188G. 

 Bruxelles, 1886. 



Code Civil de I'Etat Independant du Congo. Bruxelles, 1888. 



Code Penal de I'Etat Independant du Congo. Bruxelles, 1888. 



Droits de Sortie de I'Etat Independant du Congo ; reglement de per- 

 ception. Bruxelles, 1886. 



Etude sur la legislation de I'Etat Independant du Congo, par G. van 

 Moorsel. Bruxelles, 1887. 



Leopold II, Roi des Beiges, chef de I'Etat Independant du Congo * * * 

 par Gustave Oppelt. Bruxelles, 1885. 



Memorial Diplomatique. Tome xxv, Nos. 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35. 

 Paris. 1888. 



Notice sur I'Etat Independant du Congo, par H. Droogmans. Bruxelles, 

 1888. 



Part de la Belgique dans le mouvement Africain. (s. 1 , s. a., ca. 

 1887.) 



* The writer has deposited in the U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C, a com- 

 plete series of the silver and copper coinage. 



