FRANCE. 



309 



centime for iron ships. Vessels of foreign build 

 will have only half this premium, save those 

 already registered as French, which will have 

 the full allowance, and steamers built on a 

 plan previously approved by the Government 

 will have 15 per cent extra. Fishing and pleas- 

 ure craft and all vessels of subsidized lines are 

 excluded from the premium. In the event of 

 war, merchant-vessels may be called by requi- 

 sition to the service of the State, and every 

 ship receiving a premium on navigation will 

 be bound to carry mails gratuitously, and a post- 

 office official if required. Foreign ships wholly 

 or partially changing hands are henceforth to 

 pay 3 francs for admission to registration, in- 

 stead of only 2 francs as before. 



The number of authorized savings-banks on 

 December 31, 1878, was 526, with 794 branch- 

 es; the total number of books out being 3,- 

 173,721, representing an aggregate of 1,275,- 

 606,395 francs to the credit of depositors. 



The area and the population of the French 

 colonies and protected countries, according to 

 the most recent official returns, are shown in 

 the following tabular statement : 



As observed in the foregoing table, Tunis 

 now figures as one of the countries under the 

 protection of France. Notwithstanding the 

 protest of the Sublime Porte, France, after 

 occupying the regency, concluded with Tunis, 

 on May 12, 1881, a treaty comprising the fol- 

 lowing articles : 



* One square kilometre equals (V8<56 square mile, 

 t The population in 1879 was 276,649. 



ARTICLE I. The treaties of friendship and commerce 

 existing between France and the regency are con- 

 firmed and renewed. 



ART. II. With the view to facilitating for the Gov- 

 ernment of the French Republic the means of guaran- 

 teeing the defense of its interests, the Bey's Govern- 

 ment accords the Government of the French Eepublic 

 every facility for assuring the security of the shore 

 and frontiers of the regency by an occupation, the 

 extent and conditions of which will be determined 

 hereafter. 



ART. III. This occupation will cease when the Bey- 

 lie authorities have shown that they can insure the 

 security of the frontiers. The Government of the 

 Republic, on its side, guarantees the Bey's states 

 against all external aggression. 



ART. IV. The Government of the French Eepublic 

 guarantees the execution of existing treaties. 



ART. V. The Government of the French Republic 

 is represented at Tunis by a minister resident, who 

 will watch over the execution of the above provisions. 



ART. VI. The diplomatic agents of the French Re- 

 public at foreign courts will protect Tunisian subiects 

 and defend their interests. In return, the Bey's Gov- 

 ernment engages not to conclude any international 

 treaty, convention, or act, without first giving notice 

 of it to the Government of the French Eepublic, and 

 without a previous understanding with it. 



ART. VII. The Government of the French Eepublic 

 and the Bey's Government will arrange the terms ot 

 the settlement of the public debt and of the rights of 

 the creditors of the regency. The conditions on which 

 that settlement will be made will be fixed hereafter. 



ART. VIII. A war contribution will be paid by the 

 frontier and coast tribes ; the amount of the imposi- 

 tions and the mode of recovery will be debated in 

 ulterior negotiations. 



ART. IX. In order to protect French interests against 

 the smuggling of arms and ammunition, the Bey's 

 Government engages to prevent all importation of 

 powder and arms. 



ART. X. The present treaty will be submitted for the 

 ratification of the President of the French Eepublic. 



Algeria, the most considerable, as it is the 

 most costly, of France's colonial possessions, 

 was under military rule until 1871, but the 

 affairs of the colony are now administered by 

 a civil governor-general, except in the unset- 

 tled districts, inhabited for the most part by 

 nomadic tribes. The governor-general is in- 

 vested with legislative powers in civil affairs, 

 but in all important cases he is advised by a 

 colonial council, established by the home gov- 

 ernment. The present governor-general is M. 

 Louis Tirman, Councilor of State. 



In the French financial estimates for 1882, 

 the revenue of Algeria was set down at 26,- 

 990,100 francs, and the expenditure at 29,974,- 

 599 francs. The normal monetary status of 

 the colony is a considerable excess of cost over 

 the yield. 



The commerce for the year 1879 was of the 

 total value of 391,800,000 francs, of which 

 amount 214,000,000 represented the exports. 

 The values of the exports to and imports from 

 the United States were $2,128,880 and $3,- 

 562,360 respectively. 



In the same year there were 3,013. vessels 

 entered, aggregating 1,127,731 tons; and 3,155 

 cleared, with a total of 1,154,525 tons. The 

 merchant navy comprised 133 vessels, of an 

 aggregate tonnage of 5,705. 



Of railways there were, on January 1, 1881, 



