ENGLAND AS A MONEY LENDER.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 June 1901, Page 4

ENGLAND AS A MONEY LENDER.

England has advanced money from time to time tojiot many short of a hundred nations, states, or cities, and there aro to-day about half *her number of loans still due. Tho gentle Abdul has more than one reason to seek friendship with England. He owes something like one hundred millions of money. Egypt owes rather less-a good many times her annual incamo; and even America, though Uncle Sam will hardly like to reminded of it, owes twenty millions. Spain's debt is likely to be unpaid for many years to como; it is about thirty-three millions. Italy has borrowed from time to time sums which have now reached £20,000,000. Russia owes fifty millions, tut it is probably in England's interests not to insist on the payment of it. It cannot be said, however, that British advances have been confined to countries from which the nation may reasonably expect favours in return. Mexico, for instance, owes some ; thirteon and a-half millions, while the city of Cordova, in southern Spain, owes a modest half-million. The little negro republic of Liberia has a bill to pay England of a trifle over a shilling a head of its population, and every Eoumanian, on the average, owes four shillings. Japan is satisfied with a debt of three millions, only half Cuba's debt, but Portugal, more extravagent in its borrowings, owes twonty five millions. The French papers, when they refer to England in unpleasant terms, forget that France owe 3 the Old Country thirty millions sterling. Austria's debt is not quite so heavy, but Holland has a heavy British debt which works out at £6 for every Hollander.