826
NETHERLANDS
length of wires 12,747 miles. The number of State oflEices was, on December 31, 1897, 549. The number of paid messages by State lines in 1897 was 4,672,142. The receipts of the State amounted in the same year to 1,674,944 guilders, and the ordinary expenses to 2,143,535 guilders.
Money and Credit.
The money in general circulation is chiefly silver. Before 1875 the Netherlands had the silver standard ; but a bill which passed the States - General in the session of 1875 allowed an unrestricted coinage of ten-guilder pieces in gold, whereas the coinage of silver was suspended for an unlimited time.
The total circulation was valued as follows in thousands of guilders : —
Jan. 1
Silver, &c.
Gold
Paper money issued
Paper money issued
Total
Gold, or covered by gold at the
by the State
by the Bank
Bank was in total
1894
58,153
23,594
14,347
201,809
297,903
68,625
1895
58,888
23,671
14,534
202,943
300,036
72,737
1896
57,420
23,654
14,579
209,817
305,470
59,764
1897
57,131
22,992
14,678
207,856
302,657
54,602
1898
57,762
23,009
14,662
211,578
307,011
54,551
Value of money minted guilders) : —
during the following years (in thousands of
Year
Gold
Silver
Copper
For the
East India
Colonies
Total value
Total number of pieces 1
1
1840-70
1871-80
1881-90
1896
1897
74,300 4,030
372,235
97,325
1,433
450
2,400
1,220
840
30
25
17,939
2,660 1,247 1,149
390,078
172,649
8,955
1,727
3,574
1,282,681 146,433
111,768 :
71,525 94,855
State Banks are unknown. The Bank of the Netherlands is a private institution, but it is the only one which has received the right of issuing 1)ank-notes, by a bill of 1863, for a period of 25 years, in 1888 prolonged for 15 years, with continuation for 10 years if the contract is not broken l)y one of the parties two years before the beginning of a new period. The Bank does the same business as other banks, only Avith more guarantees. Two-fifths of the paper money in circulation must be covered. It has agencies in all places of importance.
Year
Notes in Circulation
Total Exchanges
Stock of Gold
Stock of Silver
March 31
Marcli 31 1,000 guilders
in July 1,000 guilders
in July
1,000 guilders
1,000 guilders
1894
200,029
364,540
54,270
83,660
1895
203,683
374,018
51,390
84,320
1896
199,669
399,773
31,610
83,560
1897
201,597
423,254
31,560
83,890
1898
203,454
443,029
36,630
83,870
