SHIPPING AND COMMUNICATIONS — BANKING, ETC. 1079
The principal articles of commerce between the United Kingdom and Mexico tor 1919 (according to Board of Trade returns) were as follows : — Imports: petroleum spirit, 1,443,6812.; fuel oil, 2,129,156/.; lamp oil, 811,794/.; lubricating oil, 469,118/. Exports: cotton piece goods, 295,410/. ; oiher cotton goods, 348,757/. ; sodium, 132,120/. ; machinery, 140,295/.
Total trade between Mexico and the United Kingdom for 5 tears (according to Board of Trade returns) : —
— 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920
£ * £
Imports from Mexico to D. Kingdom 2,573,291 2,316.317 5,115,844 Exports to Mexico from U. Kingdom 847.^7 &17.051 1,093,931
t *
7,173/40 13,465,544 1,311,77 4,327,129
Shipping and Communications.
The most important ports are Vera Cruz and Tampico, both on the Gulf of Mexico.
In 1909 the main railway lines of Mexico were united in one corporation — The National Railways of Mexico. Since 1914 this system and practically all the private lines have been taken over and worked by the government under the name ot the Constitutionalist Railways of Mexico. The National Railways of Mexico own 6,818 miles of track and control an additional 1.220 miles. The Mexican Railway has 520 miles of track. The Tehuan- tepec Railway owns the line (184 miles of track) between Puerto Mexico on the Atlantic to Salina Cruz on the Pacific. The Mexico North Western Railway owns 512 miles of track. The Southern Pacific Railway of Mexico has about 1.000 miles of track. The United Railways of Yucatan have a length of 500 miles. A railway between Tuluca and Zitacuaro (81 miles) has been commenced.
On December 31, 1918, the Federal telegraph and telephone lines were 110,530 miles. There were other lines belonging to individual State* and private persons totalling 5,199 miles in length. There were on December 31, 1918, 528 telegraph offices. 12 telephone offices and 21 wireless stations. Number of messages, 108,024,029.
In 1919 there were 2,463 post-offices. The post carried in 1919 60,027,536 inland and 12,496,678 international letters, postcards and packets. Post office receipts 1919, 11,590,854 pesos ; expenditure, 11,343,675 pesos.
A new wireless station has been established on the Island ot Lobos, off the coast of Tampico, largely for the purpose of affording the various petroleum companies facilities for communicating with vessels while it sea. It is provided with powerful apparatus and is able to communicate with the wireless stations at Mexico City, Tuxpam, Tampico, Vera Cruz, Progreso, Frontera, Mazatlan, Santa Rosalia, La Paz, Queretaro, Monterrey, Saltillo, Torreon, and by way of Habana with various stations in the United States.
Banking and Credit. An executive decree of January 31, 1921, provided for the return to their owners of the banks declared in liquidation by the decree of December 14, 1916.
On December 31, 1919, the liabilities of all the banks in the Republic amounted to 410,763,459 pesos, including notes in circulation of 129,984,148 pesos.
It is proposed to set up a Central Bank of issue with a capital of 200 million pesos and the right to issue paper currency to the amount of 30 million pesos.
