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Chief sources of revenue: Customs duties (1919-20, 138,540l.); excise, licences, land-tax, &c.; also sale and letting of Crown lands. Expenditure mainly administrative and the various services. Debt 1919-20, 180,000l.

Chief imports, 1919: apparel, 28,8491.; boots and shoes, 34, 128l.; chicle gum, 115,864l.; cotton and silk piece goods, 75,402l.; flour, 51,621l.; haberdashery and millinery, 21,649l.; hardware and cutlery, 30,348l. ; manufactured articles unenumerated, 29,244l.; milk, preserved or condensed, 12,256l.; mess pork, 15,469l.; cattle, 13,232l.; drugs, chemicals and patent medicines, 14,373l.; food and drink supplies unenumerated, 16,3984.; lard and its compounds, 12,2122; oils, mineral gasoline, 8,135%.; kerosene, 17,6301,; rica, 18,9741.; sugar, unrefined, 12,5192. Chief exports, 1919: mahogany (9,648,700 superficial feet, 205, 118.), logwood (2,776 tons, 12,5671.); bananas (604,226 bunches), 29, 9321.; cedar (704,697 superficial feet, 17,0347.), coconuts (6,602,714 quantity, 51,5154), chiele (gum), 8,543,764 lbs., 436,3697.), Hawksbill shell (4,379 lbs., 7,1537.) The transit trade somewhat increases the traffic of the ports, especially in American manufactures, indiarubber, chicle, sarsaparilla, coffee, &c. Besides the staple products, mahogany and logwood, there are bananas, coffee, cacao, plantains, &c. The higher parts afford good pastarage for cattle. Exports to United Kingdom in 1919. 133,5761.; United States of America, 601,5914.; Mexico, 55,8574, Imports from the United Kingdom, 81,003; United States of America, 589,193.; Mexico, 114,9524; Guatemala, 86,3291; Spanish Honduras, 82,9362.

Tonnage entered and cleared, 1919, 304,541 tons, of which 83,066 was British. Registered shipping, 1919, 285 sailing vessels, 4060 tons, and 75 steamships, 832 tons. Steamships entered and cleared in 1919, 262 vessels, of 140,788 tons. In 1919, 346,721 letters and post-cards, and 151,591 books, newspapers, and parcels passed through the post office. Telegraph and telephone lines connect Belise with Corozal and Consejo on the coast, Orange Walk on New River, San Antonio on the Rio Hondo, and other stations in the north, El Cayo and Bengue Viejo in the west, Stann Creek and Punta Gorda in the south. Foreign telegrams are sent from Corozal to Payo Obispo, Yucatan (these two towns being connected by cable across the Hondo River), whence they are transmitted by the Mexican line. There is wireless communication with New Orleans and Jamaica. In 1919, 12,066 local and foreign telegrams were sent, and 4,086 telephonic conversations were held. There are 25 miles of railway. 2,276 Radio telegrams were transmitted.

The Royal Bank of Canada took over the business of the local bank in 1912. There are 6 Government savings banks; depositors, 1,000 (estimated); deposits, 158,341 dollars on March 31, 1920, United States gold is the standard of currency. The British sovereign and half-sovereign are legal tender for 4.86 dollars and 2.43 dollars respectively. There is (1919) a paper currency of 289,702 dollars in Government notes and a subsidiary silver coinage of 190,160 dollars in circulation. There is also a bronze cent piece and a nickel-bronze five-cent piece, whose issues amount to 5,650 dollars and 5,500 dollars respectively.

REFERENCES: Colonial Reports. Annual. London.

Bristowe (L, W.) and Wright (P. B.), Handbook of British Honduras. Edinburgh, 1892.

Gibbs (A. R.). History of British Honduras. London, 1888.

Morris (D.), The Colony of British Honduras. London, 1883.

Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Montserrat, Nevis. See WEST INDIES.