February. It includes the output from 22 places on Illinois river. This represents only a portion of the fish taken from that river and used commercially. The report includes only such fish as have been handled by members of the association. The fish included in this report have nearly all gone to Eastern markets, and the showing is a substantial increase over the last report. The total weight of the year's catch was 11,205,516 pounds, valued at $362,246.77.

Insurance. In February the State Insurance Superintendent reported: Companies doing a general fire, marine, and inland navigation insurance business in this State at this date are as follow: Illinois joint stock fire and marine companies, 6; Illinois mutual fire insurance companies, 11; joint stock fire and marine insurance companies of other States, 126; foreign fire and marine insurance companies, 48; mutual fire insurance companies of other States, 12; total, 203. This shows a net gain of 2 companies, compared with the number at the date of the last report.

The result of the past year shows a large addition to the volume of business written and carried by fidelity, surety, and casualty companies in this State. Exclusive of the industrial business transacted by the a companies, the new business written during 1899 in this State exceeded that written during 1898 by 9,929 policies and $15,348,281 of insurance. There is shown a net increase of insurance in force of $54,664,212 on $95,387,490 of new insurance written during the year. This net increase is 57 per cent. of the new business written, against 47 per cent. in 1898 and 28 per cent. in 1897.

In the entire industrial business of the companies carrying on this branch of business 536,987 more policies and $88,670,430 more insurance were written in 1899 than in 1898. The net increase in insurance in force at the end of the year was $175,600,322.

The total business of all companies for 1899, compared with the business of 1898, shows an increase in total income of $37,998,853.61, an increase in total expenditures of $24,345,208.25, an increase in total admitted assets of $130,328,487.26, an increase in total liabilities of $119,981,221.03, and an increase in total surplus of $10,347,266.23. At the date of the last report 40 life and 10 accident-assessment companies were authorized to transact business in Illinois. One company has since been organized in the State. The last report

showed 82 fraternal societies in the State.

Building and Loan Associations.-Official reports show the total assets of 599 associations, in 1899, as $54,104,602.06.

Railroads. From the report of the Railroad and Warehouse Commission for the year ending June 30, 1899, made public in February, 1900, it appears that the total mileage in Illinois, including all tracks of steam railroads, is 16,417.87, an increase over 1898 of 288.11. The total mileage of elevated and interurban lines reported to the commission is 97.06 miles. The total capital of the steam railroads at the close of the fiscal year, June 30, 1899, was $3,038,929,990, which shows an increase over that of 1898 of $319,318,144. The total railway capital of the elevated and interurban lines for the year ending June 30, 1899, reporting to the commission is $75,926,852.

The gross earnings from operation of all steam roads entering Illinois for the fiscal year 1899 is $408,580,535, which is an increase over the fiscal year of 1898 of $67,248,805. The total increase in the gross earnings of the steam, elevated, and interurban lines over the fiscal year 1898 was $67,832,632.

The operating expenses of the steam roads were $44,393,463 more than for 1898. The number of passengers carried by the roads reporting was 37,329,824, and the passenger earnings per mile were $1,963. The number of tons carried by the steam roads reporting was 73,335,755; freight earnings per mile of road, $5,012.

Mining. The coal mining statistics for 1899, published in May, 1900, show that 36,991 men were employed, the tonnage product being 23,434,445, and the number of days of actual operation 205.7. The price paid per ton for mining is given as 47.1 cents; value of coal per ton at the mine, 91.86 cents.

Military. The report of the Adjutant General, made public in January, says that the militia consists of 7 regiments of infantry, 1 battalion of colored infantry, 1 regiment of cavalry, 3 batteries of artillery, 1 engineer company, 1 signal corps, and 1 hospital corps.

Political. The canvass of the vote at the election held on Nov. 6 shows McKinley's plurality over Bryan in the State to be 94,924, and his majority over all the candidates 64,073. Yates's plurality over Alschuler for Governor was 61,233, and his majority over all the gubernatorial candidates 33,570.

The total vote for electors, reckoned by the highest on each ticket, was: Herbert, Republican, 597,985; Schubert, Democrat, 503,061; Bannen, Prohibitionist, 17,626; Randolph, People's, 1,141; Louis, Socialist-Labor, 1,373; Wullner, SocialistDemocratic, 9,587; Struble, United Christian, 352; Dean, Union Reform for Direct Legislation, 672. The total vote on Governor was: Yates, Republican, 580,199; Alschuler, Democrat, 518,966; Barnes, Prohibitionist, 15,643; Van Tine, People's. 1,106; Hoffman, Socialist-Labor, 1,319; Perry, Socialist-Democratic, 8,611; Cordingly, United Christian, 334; Spencer, Union Reform, 650; total, 1,126,828.

INDIA, an empire in southern Asia, under the sovereignty of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, who bears the title of Emperor of India, on the basis of a personal union, and governed under general acts of the British Parliament by a Governor General in consultation with and under instructions from the Secretary of State for India, a member of the British Cabinet. The Governor General, popularly called the Viceroy, is advised by a Council of 5 ordinary members, besides the commander in chief of the forces, who are appointed for five years. The Legislative Council, composed of the members of the Governor General's Council and 16 additional members appointed by him on the recommendation of certain public bodies, has power to make laws subject to the approval of the Governor General and the Secretary of State, for all persons within British India, for all British subjects in the native states, and for native Indian subjects of the King in foreign countries. British India is divided for purposes of administration into the presidencies of Madras and Bombay, each of which has a governor, the lieutenant governorships of Bengal, the Northwest Provinces and Oudh, the Punjab, and Burmah, and the chief commissionerships of Coorg, Assam, and the Central Provinces. Each governor and lieutenant governor has a legislative council. The nine provinces are subdivided into about 250 districts. More than 600 feudatory native states are subject to the control of the Governor General.

George Nathaniel Curzon, created Baron Curzon of Kedleston, succeeded the Earl of Elgin as Governor General in 1898. The members of the Council in the beginning of 1900 were Major-Gen. Sir

E. H. H. Collen, Sir A. C. Trevor, C. M. Rivaz, Sir Edward Fitzgerald Law, and Thomas Raleigh. Gen. Sir W. S. A. Lockhart was commander in chief of the forces. The Governor of Bombay was Sir Henry Stafford Northcote; Governor of Madras, Sir A. E. Havelock; Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, Sir John Woodburn; Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Provinces and Oudh, Sir A. P. Macdonnell; Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab, Sir W. M. Young; Lieutenant Governor of Burmah, Sir F. W. R. Fryer; Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces, D. C. Ibbetson; Chief Commissioner of Assam, H. J. S. Cotton; Chief Commissioner of Coorg and Resident of Mysore, Col. D. Robertson; Resident at Hyderabad, Sir T. J. C. Plowden.

Area and Population.-The area of British India is 965,005 square miles, and the population in 1891 was 221,289,445, of whom 71,346,987 were in Bengal, 46,905,085 in the Northwest Provinces and Oudh, 20,866,847 in the Punjab, 5,476,833 in Assam, 542,358 in Ajmere and Merwara, 35,630,440 in Madras, including the Laccadive Islands, 18,857,044 in Bombay and Sind, 44,079 in Aden and Perim, 10,784,294 in the Central Provinces, 2,897,491 in Berar, 173,055 in Coorg, 4,658,627 in Lower Burmah, 3,063,426 in Upper Burmah, 15,609 in the Andaman Islands, and 27,270 in the district of Quettah. The feudatory states had a total area of 992,000 square miles, with 69,286,000 inhabitants, making the total area of the Indian Empire 1,957,000 square miles and the total population at the last census 290,575,445.

Of the population of British India 112,542,739 were males and 108,630,213 females; of the population of the native states, 34,184,557 were males and 31,865,922 females. Of the total male population of India, amounting to 146,700,000, the number reported as married was 62,100,000, widowed 6,400,000, unmarried 65,100,000, and 13,100,000 were not reported; of the female population, 140,500,000 in number, 62,400,000 were married, 22,700,000 widowed, 43,600,000 unmarried, and 11,800,000 not reported. The birth rate in 1897 as near as the imperfect registration indicates was 36.94 per thousand and the death rate 32.94 in Bengal, the birth rate 31.10 and the death rate 40.46 in the Northwest Provinces and Oudh, the birth rate 42.60 and the death rate 31.05 in the Punjab, the birth rate 26.80 and the death rate 69.34 in the Central Provinces, the birth rate 31.82 and the death rate 26.26 in Lower Burmah, the birth rate 32.59 and the death rate 50.61 in Assam, the birth rate 28.70 and the death rate 25.40 in Madras, and the birth rate 33.46 and the death rate 39.84 in Bombay. The number of coolie emigrants from India was 17,185 in 1891, 13,751 in 1892, 12,636 in 1893, 17,932 in 1894, 13,103 in 1895, 12,148 in 1896, 10,712 in 1897, and 10,306 in 1898. The number of scholars receiving instruction in India in 1891 was 3,195,220, of whom 2,997,558 were males and 197,662 females; the number not under instruction who were able to read and write was 12.097,530, of whom 11,554,035 were males and 543,495 females; the number of those who were not able to read and write was returned as 246,546,176, of whom 118,819,408 were males and 127,726,768 were females, and 25,384,505, comprising 13,356,295 males and 12,028,210 females, were not reported. The expenditure on education in 1898 was Rx 3,554,026, having risen from Rx 67,100 in 1865. Of the amount expended in 1898 the sum of Rx 567,120 came from local rates, Rx 146.972 from municipalities, Rx 851,255 from subscriptions and endowments, Rx 1,058,214 from fees, and Rx 930,464 from provincial revenues. The Indian universities are examining bodies having supervision over

numerous colleges. In all the provinces are training schools for teachers. The following numbers of students were matriculated in the universities in 1898: Calcutta, 2,721; Madras, 1,515; Bombay, 1,042; Punjab, 1,082; Allahabad, 637. There were 160 colleges with 19,192 male students and 4 with 118 female students, 4,883 secondary schools with 509,125 male scholars and 450 with 42,016 female scholars, 388 training and special schools with 21,604 male scholars and 70 with 2,468 female scholars, 94,827 public primary schools with 2,788,367 male scholars and 5,680 with 316,216 female scholars, and 41,083 private schools with 536,521 male scholars and 1,284 with 38,648 female scholars, making the total number of 148,829 schools, with 4,274,275 scholars, 3,874,809 males and 399,466 females. The number of vernacular newspapers in 1897 was 758, printed in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telegu, Sanskrit, Tamil, Gujrathi, Sindhi, and twelve other languages.

Finances. The revenue in 1898 was Rx 96,442,004 and the expenditure Rx 101,801,215, of which Rx 76,481,391 were expended in India and Rx 25,319,824 in England. The revenue of the Government of India was Rx 17,249,537, and the expenditure of the General Government was Rx 25,088,712; the revenue of the Central Provinces was Rx 2,120,483, and expenditure Rx 2,932,356; the revenue of Burmah was Rx 6,368,294, and expenditure Rx 4,185,849; the revenue of Assam was Rx 1,341,107, and expenditure Rx 986,998; the revenue of Bengal was Rx 20,288,493, and expenditure Rx 10,324,105; the revenue of the Northwest Provinces and Oudh was Rx 11,183,480, and the expenditure Rx 6,702,003; the revenue of the Punjab was Rx 9,015,123, and expenditure Rx 5,069,422; the revenue of Madras was Rx 14,142,046, and expenditure Rx 10,209,315; the revenue of Bombay was Rx 14,430,724, and expenditure Rx 10,982,631; the receipts in England were Rx 193,662, and expenditure in England Rx 16,198.263; the gain by exchange on receipts in England was Rx 109,055, and loss by exchange on remittances to England Rx 9,121,561. The land revenue in 1898 was Rx 25,683,642, not reckoning the addition charged on account of irrigation; opium revenue, Rx 5,179,772; revenue from salt, Rx 8,594,225. The land revenue in the parts of India where it was fixed permanently a century ago, comprising most of Bengal, a quarter of the area of Madras, and certain districts in the Northwest Provinces, is about 20 per cent. of the renting value of the land, averaging two thirds of a rupee per acre. In the rest of India the assessment, readjusted at intervals of twelve to thirty years, averages 11 rupec per acre, amounting to half the rental.

The revised estimates for the year ending March 31, 1899, made the total revenue Rx 101,566,100 for that year, the land revenue yielding according to the estimate Rx 27,679,400, opium Rx 5,679,400, salt Rx 9,047,200, stamps Rx 4,839,900, excise Rx 5,731,000, provincial rates Rx 3,952,100, customs Rx 4,898,400, assessed taxes Rx 1,930,100, forests Rx 1,838,000, registration Rx 454,000, tribute Rx 939,700, interest Rx 970,100, post office and telegraphs Rx 3,054,400, civil departments Rx 1,748,400, miscellaneous sources Rx 984,700, railroads Rx 22,736,400, irrigation Rx 3,461,700, buildings and roads Rx 696,400, military departments Rx 924,800. The total expenditure for 1899 according to the revised estimates was Rx 97,506,700; excluding Rx 1,417,900 of provincial balances it was Rx 96,088,800, of which interest took Rx 3,076,800, refunds and compensation Rx 1,853,400, charges of collection Rx 8.858.900, the post office, telegraphs, and mint Rx 2,890.900. civil salaries Rx 15,715,900, miscellaneous civil charges Rx 5,

774,200, famine relief and insurance Rx 1,176,100, railroad construction charged against revenue Rx 4,200, railroad revenue account Rx 23,614,500, irrigation Rx 3,222,100, buildings and roads Rx 5,842,100, the army Rx 24,051,300, and defense works Rx 8,400. The budget estimate of revenue for the year ending March 31, 1900, was Rx 101,961,500, and expenditure Rx 98,953,600, which was reduced to Rx 98,028,909 by receipts from provincial balances amounting to Rx 924,700. The provinces in 1899 received grants amounting to Rx 1,129,300 in aid of their resources, which had been exhausted by special expenditures occasioned by famine, plague, and earthquake. The deficit of Rx 5,359,211 in 1898 is attributable to these causes and to the war on the northwest frontier. The cessation of the war and the good harvests of 1897 came as a great relief to Indian finance, warranting the expectation of a considerable surplus in 1899 and 1900. The surplus realized in 1899, estimated at £2,700,000, counting 15 rupees to the pound sterling, was actually £2,640,000. For 1900 a surplus of £2,600,000 was looked for also before the failure of the monsoons deranged all calculations. The expenditure incurred in connection with the famine, together with remissions of revenue, amounted to nearly £3,500,000 up to March 31, 1900, of which £730,000 was available for direct famine relief out of the famine insurance fund, leaving the net cost of the famine £2,631,000. The revenue, however, was so much better than the estimate that this loss was balanced by gains and the year closed with a surplus of £2,800,000.

After the summer monsoon first broke in 1900 the Finance Minister, Clinton Dawkins, counted on a deficit of only £826,000 for the financial year 1901 notwithstanding the loss of revenue inflicted by drought. This estimate included an additional allowance of £1,200,000 for famine relief and remission of land revenues on account of the lateness and the intermission of the monsoon on the west coast. The Government had a balance of £9,000,000 unexpended of the loan authorized in 1897 and decided to raise a new loan of £3,000,000. A rupee loan of Rx 3,000,000 at 3 per cent. was subscribed in Bombay at the rate of 94. The cost to the Government of the famine of 1900 up to July was £6,189,000 for direct relief, £3,400,000 for remission of land revenue, £2,346,000 loaned to native states, and £1,100,000 for advances to individuals. The failure of the British public to respond to the Viceroy's appeal for contributions to supply seed and plow cattle and to succor the sick, orphaned, aged, and those who shrank from receiving the form of public relief offered drove the Government to include these objects in its scheme of relief. A motion made in the British House of Commons for a grant in aid of £5,000,000 to the Indian Government in its emergency was rejected by the ministry and voted down by a vote of 112 to 65.

The debt of British India on March 31, 1898, amounted to Rx 242,989,003, of which Rx 111, 695,634 was permanent debt in India, Rx 117,274,680 permanent debt in England, and Rx 14,018,689 unfunded debt in India.

Defense. The military forces in India in 1898 numbered 5,194 European and 3,209 native officers and 206,525 noncommissioned officers and privates; total of all ranks, 214,928. The British army in India had a strength of 3,616 officers and 70,672 men, or 74,288 of all ranks, composed of 914 officers on the staff, 9 cavalry and 52 infantry generals and 29 general officers unemployed, 14 invalid and veteran officers and men, 491 officers and 12,916 men of the Royal Artillery, 261 cavalry officers and 5,409 men, 347 officers and 158 men of the Royal

Engineers, and 1,508 infantry officers and 52,180 men. The native army consisted of 1,578 European and 3,209 native officers and 135,853 noncommissioned officers and men, a total strength of 140,640, made up of 33 native and 54 European officers and 2,001 men in the artillery, 358 European and 619 native officers and 21,955 men in the cavalry, 65 European and 488 native officers and 3,142 men in the sappers and miners, and 1,122 European and 2,048 native officers and 108,755 men in the infantry. The estimates for 1900 provided for a total strength of 219,369 of all ranks, composed of 788 miscellaneous officers, 17,896 artillery, 28,975 cavalry, 4,462 engineers, and 167,248 infantry. The British army was depleted in 1900 by drafts of troops for service in South Africa and to replace garrisons that were sent to South Africa. In July the British Government ordered three new regiments of native infantry to be raised for the garrisoning of colonial stations like Mauritius and Singapore. A regiment of sepoys was sent to Mauritius to take the place of the Central African regiment that had come into conflict with the Indian inhabitants of that colony. Sepoys of the Bengal and Punjab commands were passed into the reserve in order to train new recruits.

The European and Eurasian volunteer bodies on March 31, 1899, had 30,749 men enrolled, of whom 28,346 were counted as efficient, 1,802 being in the Punjab, 12,230 in Bengal, 8,744 in Madras, and 5,570 in Bombay. The imperial service troops, consisting of picked corps from the armies of the feudatory princes, trained under the inspection of 18 British officers, numbered 17,987 men in 1899, consisting of 7,820 cavalry, 9,874 infantry, and 293 artillery. The contingent of Kashmir was 3,168; of Patiala, 1,799; of Alwar, 1,572; of Gwalior, 1,462; of Jodhpur, 1,190; of Bhartpur, 1,085; of Jaipur, 796; of Hyderabad, 786; of Kapurthala, 739; of Nabha, 736; of Bahawalpur, 573; of Jind, 649. Indore, Mysore, Bhopal, Rampur, and the Kathiawar states held small bodies of cavalry, and Bikanir, Maler Kotla, Faridkot, and Sirmur a company or battalion of infantry at the call of the India Government.

The naval force maintained by the Indian Government consists merely of two monitors, of 3,340 and 2,900 tons, armed with 4 14-ton guns, a dispatch boat, 2 torpedo gunboats, 7 small torpedo boats, and a mining flotilla. Bombay, Karachi, Rangoon, Madras, and the Hugli are defended by forts. The guns are said to be obsolete or defective, and black powder only is provided. The field artillery used black powder till 1899, and many of the guns are old muzzle-loaders. The cavalry are still armed with the Martini carbine and the Lee-Metford rifles furnished to the infantry are not of the best type. The native troops have till now been armed with the old Martinis discarded by the British regiments. These are now being passed on to the local militia organized for the defense of the northwest passes as fast as the native regulars can be rearmed with Lee-Metfords.

Commerce and Production. The survey department furnished returns in 1898 respecting 542,860,615 acres in British India out of 732,792,973 acres in British and native territory covered by the surveys. Of the net area for which returns were made 138,118,424 acres were not available for cultivation, 64,546,530 acres were covered with forests, 106,539,103 acres were waste lands capable of being utilized, 37,159,326 acres were cultivated lands left fallow, and 196,497,232 acres were under crops. Of the area cropped 70,781,408 acres were under rice, 19,946,164 acres under wheat, 92,017,559 acres under other food grains, 2,648,498 acres under sugar cane, 12,564,664 acres under oil seeds, 8,916,

229 acres under cotton, 1,366,513 acres under indigo, 465,593 acres under tea, 1,048,439 acres under tobacco, 2,159,908 acres under jute, 585,421 acres under other fiber plants, 5,750,080 acres under food crops other than grain or pulse, and 151,092 acres under coffee. Counting double 27,245,474 acres on which double crops were raised, the total area cropped was 223,243,566 acres. The irrigated area was 18,616,253 acres, of which 10,245,732 acres were served by minor works, paying Rx 3,799,946 for the service, and 8,370,521 acres by major works, paying Rx 2,072,880, making the gross revenue collected for irrigation Rx 5,872,826. The net profits from irrigation works for which capital accounts are kept were 7 per cent. The area cultivated, counting double for double crops, was 30,418,454 acres, and the value of the irrigated crops was estimated at Rx 45,000,000.

The reserved

forests cover nearly 76,500 square miles, the area in the Central Provinces being 19,206, in Burmah 14,706, in Madras 13,775, in Bombay 13,281, in Bengal 5,880, in the Northwest Provinces and Oudh 3,851, in Assam 3,590, in the Punjab 2,283, in Berar 4,175 square miles, besides which there are Government forests in Coorg, Ajmere, Baluchistan, and the Andamans.

The value of the sea-borne commerce of India in the financial year 1898-'99 was Rx 89,997,141 for imports and Rx 120,211,145 for exports, a decrease of 4.45 per cent. in the imports and an increase of 14.73 per cent. in the exports compared with 1897'98. Of the imports, Rx 72,101,528 consisted of merchandise and Rx 17,895,613 of treasure; of the exports, Rx 112,799,725 of merchandise and Rx 7,411,420 of treasure. Of the bullion and specie imported, Rx 8,840,054 represent gold and Rx 9,055,559 silver imports, while the exports of gold were Rx 2,336,646 and of silver Rx 5,074,774. The imports of merchandise, excluding Government stores, were Rx 68,380,341 in value and the imports of treasure not for the Government were Rx 17,883,957, making the total imports on private account Rx 86,264,298. Of the total exports of merchandise Rx 109,350,276 were products of the country and Rx 3,371,197 re-exports. Excluding Government stores and treasure, the imports and exports of the principal commercial divisions of India in the foreign commerce of 1898-'99 were as follow:

720; metals, hardware, and cutlery, Rx 6,609,369; sugar, refined. and raw, Rx 4,016,999; silk, raw and manufactured, Rx 2,159,450; liquors, Rx 1,647,520; woolen goods, Rx 1,523,731; provisions, Rx 1,531,667; chemicals and drugs, Rx 1,236,305; spices, Rx 889,054; dyes and tans, Rx 777,107; salt, Rx 661,227; coal, Rx 696,379; glass, Rx 662,293; paper, Rx 382,657; umbrellas, Rx 243,438; grain and pulse, Rx 31,265. The exports of rice were valued at Rx 15,813,954; oil seeds and other seeds, Rx 11,847,194; raw cotton, Rx 11,188,538; wheat, Rx 9,719,688; tea, Rx 8,044,804; cotton manufactures, Rx 7,788,470; hides and skins, Rx 7,449,218; opium, Rx 7,126,009; raw jute, Rx 6,941,245; jute manufactures, Rx 5,798,359; indigo, Rx 2,970,478; coffee, Rx 1,749,824; wool, Rx 1,253,483; timber, Rx 1,085,705; lac, Rx 871,394; oils, Rx 800,887; spices, Rx 618,596; provisions, Rx 609,729; dyes other than indigo, and tans, Rx 510,886; silk, raw, and cocoons, Rx 458,003; saltpeter, Rx 349,344; woolen manufactures, Rx 229,285; sugar, Rx 198,437; silk manufactures, Rx 128,189. Of the rice exported the value of Rx 9,582,038 came from Burmah, Rx 4,698,436 from Bengal, Rx 612,941 from Bombay, Rx 766,230 from Madras, and Rx 144,309 from Sind; of the wheat, Rx 3,399,587 from Bombay, Rx 4,700,047 from Sind, and Rx 1,620,015 from Bengal; of the opium, Rx 4,318,148 from Bengal and Rx 2,807,861 from Bombay; of the indigo, Rx 1,870,553 from Bengal, Rx 934,266 from Madras, and smaller amounts from Bombay and Sind; of the cotton, Rx 8,144,818 from Bombay, Rx 1,305,380 from Madras, Rx 917,859 from Sind, Rx 676,992 from Bengal, and Rx 143,489 from Burmah; of the seeds, Rx 5,864,868 from Bombay, Rx 4,114,756 from Bengal, Rx 1,455,451 from Sind, and Rx 409,028. from Madras. On rice is collected the only export duty, amounting in 1899 to Rx 1,006,651. Of the import duties, amounting to Rx 6,192,940, salt paid Rx 2,588,993. Of the total value of the imports of merchandise Rx 58,087,914, and of the exports Rx 68,011,394, passed through the Suez Canal. The export and import trade of the port of Calcutta was Rx 72,578,339; of Bombay, Rx 60,578,339; of Rangoon, Rx 14,044,212; of Karachi, Rx 12,896,636; of Madras, Rx 8,623,601; of Tuticorin, Rx 2,187,869.

The shares of the principal commercial countries in the foreign commerce of India in 1898–99 are shown in the following table, giving the total imports and the exports of Indian produce:

The imports of live animals in 1899 were valued at Rx 329,306, and exports at Rx 159,979; imports of articles of food and drink at Rx 9,189,556, and exports at Rx 38,576,728; imports of chemicals, drugs, and colors at Rx 2,013,412, and exports at Rx 11,333,926; imports of oils at Rx 3,552,005, and exports at Rx 800,887; imports of raw materials at Rx 2,971,876, and exports at Rx 39,143,998; imports of hardware and cutlery at Rx 1,430,123, and exports at Rx 15,739; imports of metals at Rx 5,179,246, and exports at Rx 110,896; imports of machinery at Rx 3,055,931, and exports at Rx 882; imports of railroad material and rolling stock at Rx 2,824,815, and exports at Rx 8.832; imports of yarns and textile fabrics at Rx 30,325,847, and exports at Rx 13,945,656; imports of clothing at Rx 1,380,486, and exports at Rx 151,928; imports of all other articles at Rx 6,127,738, and exports at Rx 5,100,825. The value of cotton manufactures imported was Rx 27,229,

Great Britain
China
Germany
France.

Straits Settlements

United States.
Egypt
Belgium
Ceylon..
Japan

Imports.

Austria-Hungary

Italy.
Mauritius

Russia
Arabia.
Australia
East Africa.
South America
Persia....
Netherlands

Spain

The import and export trade over the land frontiers with Nepaul, the Shan States, Kashmir, Kandahar, Cabul, Bajaur, western China, Zimme, Khelat, Tibet, Siam, Lus Bela, and Karen amounted to Rx 10,142,000 in 1899, the imports be

ing valued at Rx 5,501,600 and exports at Rx 4,640,400. The value of the coasting trade, excluding Government stores and treasure, was Rx 68,701,877 for imports and exports. The trade with Afghanistan has fallen away in consequence of the restrictions imposed by the Ameer, who has forbidden the export of horses and the import of salt and created Government monopolies of several important articles.

The indigo plantations, the most important of which are in Behar, the most densely populated province of India, are threatened with the competition of artificially produced indigo, which is now made in Germany more cheaply than the natural indigo can be grown. The use of cheap chemical substitutes already interfered with the expansion of indigo cultivation before German chemists invented the process of manufacturing synthetic indigo on a commercial basis. The planters still hope to be able to compete with the German product by increasing the yield and improving the methods of preparation. The planters have applied to the Government for pecuniary aid to help them resuscitate the cultivation of sugar, which was once carried on by Europeans before they turned to indigo, and which might once more become profitable with modern methods and machinery, at least as an auxiliary or alternative crop. The food crops of India, except in famine years, are superabundant for the meager requirements of the population, and usually there is a large surplus for export. The variableness of rainfall causes great fluctuations from year to year in the quantities of the different agricultural products that are exported. Wheat is grown in almost every province, yet the main production is in the northern half, while two thirds of the cotton crop is raised in the southern half of India, though this plant also is cultivated everywhere. Rice is produced in Burmah, eastern Bengal, and Madras far in excess of the needs of those provinces. Maize is the staple food in many of the districts of central and southern India lately stricken with famine, and millet is the staff of life for a majority of the population of the empire. Nine tenths of the flax crop is grown in the Northwest Provinces, the Central Provinces, and Bengal. In 1900 the failure of rain over a great part of India caused a great deficiency in staple export crops, such as wheat, cotton, and oil seeds, but stocks remained for export from the abundant harvest of 1898. The imports for the year ending March 31, 1900, excluding treasure and Government stores, amounted to Rx 70,712,000, exceeding the total for 1899 and falling but little short of the average for the five years previous. The merchandise exports for private account, although less than in 1899, exceeded the average for the quinquennial period ending with 1898, amounting to the total of Rx 105,714,000, not including Rx 3,293,000 of re-exports. The exports of 1899 were swollen by abnormal shipments of rice and wheat, whereas in 1900 large quantities of food grains were diverted to the famine-stricken provinces. No less than 40 per cent. of the total imports consisted of cotton manufactures, nearly all of which came from England. The opium exports have increased in the last two years, owing to the adulteration of the Chinese drug and the increased purchasing power of the Chinese people, but it is probable that the downward tendency of opium exports is only temporarily suspended. The increased exports of raw hides and skins, of which two fifths went to the United States, bears witness to the heavy mortality among cattle consequent upon famine. The exports of raw cotton to Europe were less than in previous years, while the

The area

The

Japanese requirements were larger. under cotton, jute, and oil seeds was smaller owing to the superior claims of food crops in consequence of the last famine, and short supplies entailed higher prices, which were further enhanced by the crop failures of 1899-1900. sugar imports from Germany have been replaced by the product of Mauritius, China, Java, and the Straits Settlements as the result of countervailing duties against bounty-fed sugar, and the imports from Austria from the same cause have declined. The imports of metals and metal manufactures declined, especially copper on account of its high price and machinery in consequence of the depression in the manufacturing industries of Bombay. The imports of petroleum, which came from the United States before 1894 and since then from Russia, were smaller in 1900, but still of great magnitude notwithstanding the development of the oil wells of Burmah. The exports of tea rose to 175,000,000 pounds in 1900, having doubled in twelve years. Of the total 90 per cent. went to England, constituting 50 per cent. of the English imports of tea. New plantings have begun to yield, increasing the annual production.

The chief effect of the unparalleled drought of 1900 on the foreign commerce of the financial year 1900 was to stimulate exports and to a certain extent imports. In 1901 there will be little to export of the staple products. The crop of oil seeds, usually worth Rx 27,000,000, failed utterly; the cotton crop, of the average value of Rx 18,000,000, amounted to not more than Rx 7,500,000; the wheat crop, in normal years worth Rx 36,000,000, was reduced to Rx 15,000,000. The loss of nine tenths of the cattle entails diminished production for years to come.

Navigation. The number of vessels entered during 1898-'99 at the ports of British India was 4,915, of 4,583,186 tons, of which 2,365, of 3,770,391 tons, were British; 775, of 108,641 tons, were British Indian; 1,181, of 66,305 tons, were native; and 594, of 637,849 tons, were foreign. The number cleared was 4,771, of 4,532,460 tons, of which 2,317, of 3,697,915 tons, were British; 762, of 108,062 tons, were British Indian; 1,121, of 66,728 tons, were native; and 571, of 659,755 tons, were foreign. Of the vessels entered 662, of 1,628,559 tons, were steamers that passed through the Suez Canal, and of those cleared 1,004, of 2,341,220 tons. The number of vessels entered with cargoes in the interportal trade was 100,865, of 11,097,652 tons; cleared, 91,861, of 11,210,614 tons. The number of vessels built in India during 1898-'99 was 67, of 3,409 tons; the number first registered, 105, of 7,668 tons.

Railroads, Posts, and Telegraphs.-The length of railroads in operation in India on March 31, 1899, was 22,491 miles, having increased from 18,500 miles in 1894, 15,242 miles in 1889, and 10,828 miles in 1884. Of the total length 11,078 miles were Government lines operated by companies, 5,566 miles were Government lines operated by the Government, 2,588 miles were lines of guaranteed companies, 1,102 miles were assisted lines, 922 miles were lines belonging to native states worked by companies, 146 miles were lines of the native states worked by the Indian Government, 1,016 miles were lines owned and operated by native states, and 73 miles were foreign lines. The total capital outlay was Rx 297,424,318 at the end of 1898, including unfinished lines and surveys, and of this Rx 174,868,574 was on the state railways, Rx 41,164,344 on state lines leased to companies, Rx 51,272,732 on guaranteed railways, Rx 13,636,605 on the lines of assisted companies, Rx 13,941,746 on the railways of the native states,