"There is a rumour that the Siamese Government intend setting two fast and powerful steamers to run between this port and Singapore, for the conveyance of mails and passengers, and to be in connection with the English and French mails from Europe. This would perhaps be a boon to the general public, but it is doubtful policy on the part of any Government to engage in private business, The route in question also is already fully occupied by private steamers, and it would be unjust to the owners of these, and injurious to trade, if the Government were to compete with them."
In the report of the Bank of France for 1888, condensed in the Economist, there are several very interesting facts, The total turnover of the year, on which a profit was made, was 12,005 millions of francs, equal to 480 millions sterling, besides which over 41,000 millions business were done gratuitously. The cash on Slat December consisted of 1,006 millions of and 1,228 millions of silver. It is when we come to the figures of bills discounted, see what an enormous assistance the Bank of France gives to the petty commerce of the country. The total amount of bills discounted in 1888 was 8,685 millions of franes, and the average value of the bills was Fr.759.90. Of the 5,423,916 bills discounted in Paris, nearly two millions were for sums not exceeding 100 francs (£4), and 17,842 were for 10 francs (8s.) and under. ' During the whole year, as in 1887, not a single Paris bill remained unpaid, and a sum of 1,118,346 francs was recovered of bills dishonoured in previous years. The Bank has 94 branches in the provinces, and the total dividend for the year was 142 francs net per share of 1,000 francs. The 182,500 shares in the Bank were held by 26,712 proprietors; 120,393 by persons having the free disposal of their property, and 62,107 in trust for minors, married women, public establishments, etc. The quotation for the shares on the 21st February was francs 3,725,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.