446 



BELGIUM. 



not exceed 98,000 acres. These common lands, however, are being perpetually 

 encroached vipon by rich capitalists. The towns of Belgium now enjoy the advan- 

 tage resulting from a total abolition of all octroi duties. Up to 1860, when these 

 objectionable imposts were done away with, every town formed a state within the 

 State, anxious to "protect" its own industry by levying heavy dues upon every 

 article imported from beyond. The octroi yielded about half a million sterling 

 annually, whilst the share of the indirect taxes paid to the communes instead 

 amounts to more than a million a year — so great has been the increase of national 

 wealth.* 



The following table gives the political divisions of Belgium and their popula- 

 tion : — 



* In 1870 the " communes " had an income of £4,539,000, and a debt of £8,221,300 ; the provinces, 

 in 1874, had an income of £407,500. 



