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Naples ransoms all of hers that she can, Genoa now and then, Malta almost always; but religion sometimes makes exchanges, by which Tunis is invariably a gainer, never releasing a Maltese but for two, three, or even four Mussulmans.

The ransom of the slaves belonging to the Bey, who are most numerous, is fixed at two hundred and thirty Venetian sequins for the seamen, and four hundred and sixty for the captains and women, of whatever age they may be*. Private individuals nearly follow these prices, from which, however, they at times make some abatement, either on account of the age of the slave, or his want of talents. It may be asserted, that the condition of slaves at Tunis is in general very easy; many remain or return after they have been ransomed ; and some obtain their liberty at the death, or even during the life-time of their masters.

VIII. What number of troops are kept by the Bey, and of what nation are they? How much do they cost? Are they at all disciplined, and inured to war? Where are they stationed?

The Bey keeps about 20,000 ment: 5,000 Turks, Mamelukes, or Krougoulis, the latter of whom are natives of the country, but sons or descendants of Turks or Mamelukes; 2,000 Moorish spahis, under the command of the four agas of Tunis, Kairouant, Ref, and Bejea; 400 Moorish Ambas, commanded by the Bachictenba, their chief; 2,000, or 2,500 Moorish Zouavas, of all countries, under the command of their Hodgia. There are about 20,000 men enrolled in the corps of Zouavas, but the government pays no more than 2,000, or 2,500 at most: the others enjoy certain privileges, and are only called out on extraordinary occasions.

-Eleven or twelve thousand Arabs, of the tribes of Berdes, Auled, Seid, Auled Hassan, &c. &c. comprehended collectively

Since the time of the Prince of Paterno, the ordinary ransom has been fixed at three hundred Venetian sequins, and the double ransom at six hundred piastres.

+ At the time of the expedition against Tripoli, the Bey made a considerable addition to his troops. He enrolled, as it were, all the young Krougoulis in his dominions, to the number of more than 1,200; on which account the regular troops now cost the government about 700,000 piastres per annum.

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under the name of Mazerguis, accompany the camps and the regular troops to watch the motions of the tributary Arabs, and especially some chiefs of independent Arabs encamped on the confines of Tunis and Constantine.

The Turks, Mamelukes, and Krougoulis, who represent the old militia, cost the government of Tunis 700,000 piastres and more per annum.

The greater part of the Mamelukes, divided into four com. panies of 25 each*, are more particularly designed for a guard for the Bey. These are allowed, besides their pay, a gratuity of 20 piastres every half-year, and some small fees in stuffs and other articles. They are likewise the bearers of all orders sent by the Bey to the governors and shieks. When these orders relate to disputes between individuals, the latter are obliged to maintain them during their mission.

Some Turks and Krougoulis are likewise employed as guards to the Bey, and enjoy nearly the same advantages as the Mamelukes. They are not sent by government upon any business but what is of a military nature.

Moorish Ambas and Spahis.

It is the same with respect to the

Nearly half the soldiers are at Tunis, either acting as a garrison to the city or in camp. The rest are distributed upon the frontiers, viz.

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There are at present but two companies of Mamelukes of about 25 each.

There are about 800 Zouavas employed in garrisons, viz.

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The government employs the rest of the Zouavas, to which it allows pay, in the camp which it forms every year on the frontiers of Tripoli.

IX. Are there any caravans in the kingdom? Whither do they travel? Is the trade carried on by them considerable? What articles do they barter? Do they pay any tribute to the government?

Two caravans travel regularly to Tunis, the one from Constantine and the other from Godemes. The former makes eight or ten journies in a year; purchases mercery, jewellery, drugs, grocery, linen and woollen cloth, hardware, and hats, manufactured at Tunis; paying for these articles in cattle and hard piastres. That from Godemes rarely performs more than three journies; bringing negroes, and buying the same commodities as the other, and in general whatever is necessary for the supply of the trade which it carries on with the interior of Africa. No direct impost is levied by the government on

these caravans.

X. Has the government reserved any branch of commerce for itself?

The branches of commerce which the government has reserved for itself, are: leather; wax, which it relinquishes annually to a company of Jews, or Moors, for a certain quantity of woollen cloth, stuffs, or money; soda, or barilla, which is sold to the highest bidder; the tunny fishery, for the monopoly of which the sum of 20,000 francs is annually paid; and the coral fishery, for which the African company yearly pays nearly the same sum.

XI. What was the amount, in the year 1787, of the exports from Tunis to the Levant, and of the imports from the Levant into Tunis ?

It is impossible to calculate with any degree of certainty the exports from Tunis to the Levant. The registers kept by the custom-houses established in the different ports of the kingdom are very imperfect: besides which a brisk smuggling trade is carried on, and connived at by the officers of the customs, because the first profit from it goes into their pockets.

XII. During the same period what was the amount of the exports from Tunis to Europe, and of the imports from Europe into Tunis ?

XIII. In what ports were the exports shipped, and by the ships of what nation of Europe or of the Levant was this commerce carried on?

The subjoined statement, as concise and as faithful as possible, will completely answer these two questions.

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Total amount of the commerce, active and passive,

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5,225,844

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4,634,531

591,313

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9,860,375

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TONS.

There is the same proportion between the respective

tonnages, ours amounting to

That of foreigners

Surplus in favor of ours

12,806

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Foreigners themselves freighted part of our vessels. The goods were shipped at Tunis, Bizerta, Porto Farina, Sousse, and Gerbis. As to imports, they all enter the kingdom by the port of la Goletta. According to the note put at the foot of the abbé Raynal's questions, the imports from Marseilles to Tunis in 1787 amounted to no more than 1,009,963 livres ; whereas, by the above statement, they appear to have been 5,225,844 livres. The prodigious difference which exists between these two calcu lations proceeds from this circumstance, that the former includes nothing but goods; whereas, in the second, the amount of the money received from Marseilles, and the bills drawn directly on that place or by way of Leghorn, is added. These two articles. amount to 4,215,881 livres : and this is as nearly as possible the surplus given by this calculation over the statement of the abbé Raynal.

XIV. Are there many proprietors of lands? Are their possessions considerable and secure? Is not the government the heir of all who die without children, as it is of all its agents?

It is impossible to ascertain the amount of property in lands or the proportion which may exist between the domains, the private possessions, and the general mass. The government is proprietor of great part of the lands, but no register of those which are private property is kept. It collects one-tenth on the produce, so that, while the fields of an individual lie fallow, they yield absolutely nothing to the government. Here are not seen such great landed properties as in Europe; but all landed property is under the safeguard of the law, and very rarely sub, ject to oppression from the treasury. The government has for some time, and particularly since the latter part of Ali Bey's

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