28 



GEOGRAPHICAL STATISTICS OF THE 



France {Continued).— Q,o\on\&s and Dependencies. 



The Army on a peace footing consists of 587,286 officers and men ; but taking into 

 account the reserves, France has a war-force of about 2^ millions of men ; and, in- 

 cluding the various classes of able-bodied men whose services have been dispensed 

 with, the total number amounts to 4,350,000. Military service is compulsory. 



The effective War Navy of France consists of 414 vessels of all kinds, and 59,875 

 officers and men, including naval engineers, constructors, surgeons, &c. The sub- 

 marine has been largely adopted by the French navy. 



The French mercantile navy consists of 14,393 sailing ships of 564,447 tons, with 

 crews 71,375, and 1299 steamers of 546,541 tons, with crews 14,423 ; in all, 15,692 

 vessels of 1,110,988 tons. 



The Chief Pi-oducts are silks, dress-stuffs, leather goods, jewellery, wines and 

 spirits, sugar, cereals, perfumes, chemicals, &c. 



The imports from French colonies and dependencies (inclusive of Algeria and 

 Tunis) into Great Britain in 1900 amounted to £1,601,301 ; in 1901 to £1,536,162 ; 

 the exports of British produce and manufactures from Great Britain to these 

 colonies amounted in 1900 to £1,839,490: in 1901 to £1,494,587. 



There is little French emigration to the French colonies, 

 to whom free passages were given was 629. 



The Bank of France has the monopoly of issuing bank-notes. 



In 1901 the total number 



