MONEY AND CREDIT
95
Year ending March 31
1879 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898
England and Wales
Scotland
Ireland
United Kingdom
20,422,918 59,631,752 60,216,708 66,436,549 66,950,409 69,961,350
2,477,003 7,279,894 7,334,094 8,095,581 8,094,360 8,463,393
1,559,854 3,987,852 4,038,262 4,307,480 4,378,787 4,605,256
24,459,775 70,899,498 71,589,064 78,839,610 79,423,556 83,029,999
The total number of telegraph offices at post offices was (March 31, 1898), 8,172, at railway stations, 2,311 ; total, 10,483.
The telegraph department has 44 telephone exchanges, of which 40 afford connection with the trunk wires. In 1897-98 there were open for telephone business 264 post offices, served by 53,526 miles of trunk wire ; 5,898,247 trunk conversations were held. There are now 58 miles of pneumatic tubes in London, connecting the Central Office with others.
The revenue and expenditure of the Post Office in respect of the postal and telegraph departments respectively, have been as follows in five years, ending March 31 : —
1894
1895
1896
1897
1898
Postal receipts . . . Total receipts . . . Expenditure . . .
Net postal rev. . . .
Telegraph receipts . . Total receipts . . . I.Jpenditure ....
Net telegr. rev. . . . Net post & telegr. rev.
£ 10,472,876 10,734,885 7,759,712
£
10,748,074
11,025,460
7,955,344
£ 11.465,370 11,759,945 8,086,272
£ 11,876,656 12,146,935 8,246,356
£
12,206,694
12,420,376
8,689,713
2,975,173
2,534,264 2.579,206 2,757,645
3,070,116
2,598,985 2,646,414 2,788,052
3,673,673
2,835,749 2,879,794 2,920,341
3,900,579
2,922,449 2,967,353 3,111,810
3,730,663
3,030,352 3,071,723 3,381,261
- 178,439 2,796,734
-141,638
2,928,478
-40,547 3,633,026
-144,456 3,756,123
-309,538 .3,421,125
In the total receipts is included the estimated value of services to othe departments (postal, 213,682^., and telegraph 41, 371 Z. in 1897-98), and in the expenditure the cost of sites and buildings (postal, 187, 951Z., and tele- ^apli, 90,054Z. in 1897-98). Not included in the telegraph expenditure is the sum of 298,888Z. interest paid on stock created for tlie purchase of the telegraphs.
Money and Credit.
The following table shows the value of the money issued from the Royal Mint in the years named, and of the imports and exports of British gold and silver coin : —
