In France, the three most important banks (Credit Lyonnais, the Comptoir National d'Escompte de Paris and the Soci rale) extended their operations and their network of branches in the following manner: In order to show the 'connections' of a big modern bank, Riesser gives the following figures of the number of letters dispatched and received by the Disconto Gesellschaft, one of the most important banks in Germany and in the world, the capital of which amounted to marks in Year Letters received Letters dispatched In the big Paris bank, the Cr dit Lyonnais, had accounts.