Steamers of the lines just named leave Colon or Aspinwall in the following way:

(1) For Plymouth, Cherbourg, and Southampton, via West Indies, every two weeks.

(2) For St. Nazaire on the 3d of each month; for Marseilles on the 12th, and for Havre and Bordeaux on the 22d.

(3) For Hamburg, Havre, and other ports on the 7th, the 15th, and the 26th of each month.

(4) For Santander and other ports on the 7th, the 15th, and the 26th.

(5) For Liverpool, via New Orleans, every Saturday; and for Liverpool, via Vera Cruz and New Orleans, every two weeks.

The steamers of the Pacific Mail make connection also at Panama with those of the South American Pacific Steamship Navigation Company, which touch at Guayaquil, Callao, Valparaiso, and other intermediate points.

The Pacific Mail is subsidized by the Government of Nicaragua with $8,000 per year, and is bound to carry the mails.

The steamers of the Cosmos German Line touch irregularly at Nicaragua. According to the arrangement made, the company is bound to send to Nicaragua at least five steamers during the year, some of which must touch at Corinto and some others at San Juan del Sur. They bring directly from Europe, or carry there from Nicaragua, cargoes of merchandise with the reduction of 10 per cent in the freight, such as is charged by the steamers of the Pacific Mail. The Government subsidizes the Cosmos Line with $300 for each round trip.

The steamers of the British Royal Mail touch at the port of San Juan del Norte, or Greytown, twice a month. An independent steamer of 250 tons burden does the service between San Juan del Norte, Bluefields, Boca del Rama, Rio Grande, Wuonanta and Princapulca, Cabo de Gracias á Dios, Corn Island, and Puerto Limon, making four round trips every month. This steamer re

ceives a subsidy of $24,000 per year and carries the mails. It charges $10 per each ton of cargo, except when taken to Corn Island, in which case the freight is $15. The fare for passengers varies from $8 in first class and $5 in second class to $20 and $10, respectively, according to the distances.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATLANTIC SLOPE.

Nicaragua presents the remarkable feature of a country having its best lands and navigable rivers on the Atlantic slope, overlooking that ocean which is the highway to all the great markets of the world, but having all its great towns, its cultivated soil and its commerce on the Pacific side, where it is practically debarred from all the advantages offered by its opposite coast. This is also the condition of the other Central American republics, and it has long been their hope and effort to change this anomalous state of things. The Government of Nicaragua is fully alive to the importance of utilizing the magnificent resources of its eastern slope. It has done all in its power to encourage immigration, but it has become convinced that immigration on any useful scale is impossible without improved means of communication, and is, therefore, wisely bending all its energies in that direction, and evincing the most praiseworthy spirit of liberality in dealing with all plans that promise to aid in solving this all important problem. The progress of events and the attention that is now being attracted towards Nicaragua are steadily tending toward a removal of the difficulties that have hitherto stood in the way, the chief of which has been the lack of capital to effect the necessary improvements, to build the railroads and open the ports and rivers that will give access to the inestimable wealth of forest, field, and mine that lie awaiting the awakening hand of labor. When once these improvements are effected, there will be no need of laws to encourage immigration; thousands of the surplus population of Europe will readily find their way to Nicaragua.

INTEROCEANIC CANAL AND INTERCONTINENTAL RAILROAD.

In addition to the plans of internal improvement, indicated there are two great enterprises now before the world which promise inestimable advantages to the Republic-the Nicaragua Interoceanic Canal, a work of such importance that a chapter in this work has been especially devoted to it, and the Intercontinental Railroad from North to South, connecting the three great divisions of America. The railroad has not yet taken shape, but surveying parties have located pathways for the locomotive.

Chapter VIII.

CONSTITUTION AND LAWS; FINANCE AND TAXATION; PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

Nicaragua is a Republic, sovereign, free, and independent. The form of government is popular and representative, and its powers are defined by a written constitution, which was adopted in 1858, and was based upon that originally formed in 1838 when the Central American federation was dissolved.

The Government is divided into three branches-legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative power is vested in a Congress, consisting of two bodies, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate is composed of two Senators from each department, who are elected for a term of six years, but one-third of their number is renewed by election every two years. No person can be elected to the Senate who is less than 30 years of age, or a minister of the church; he must be the father of a family, and the owner of property not less than $2,000 in value. The members of the lower House are called Deputies and are elected for four years, but one-half are renewed by election every two years. By virtue of the Constitution, there is one Deputy for every 20,000 inhabitants in each district; but if the population of the district shows an excess of 10,000 or more over and above that number, then one more Deputy may be elected. The necessary qualifications for a Deputy are that he must be not less than 25 years of age, and not a member of the priesthood. Congress meets on the 1st of January every second year. The session lasts for ninety days, but may be prorogued after thirty days. Neither

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chamber can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.

The executive power is vested in a President, whose term of office is four years and who can not be reëlected for the term immediately following; he must be a native and resident of the Republic, not less than 30 years of age, not a member of the priesthood, must be the father of a family, and the owner of property worth not less than $4,000. But a native of any of the other Central American Republics may be chosen, provided that he is a naturalized citizen and has resided in the Republic of Nicaragua not less than fifteen years. He is inaugurated and enters upon his administration on the 1st of March.

The President is assisted by a Cabinet, which on November 30, 1892, consisted of four Secretaries or Ministers (Ministros). One of these secretaries was the head of the Department of Foreign Relations and Fomento or Promotion of Public Welfare. Another presided over the Department of War, the Navy and Public Instruction. The third Secretary was the head of a Department of the Interior, Police and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and the fourth was the head of the Department of the Treasury and Public Credit. The Ministers may take part in the deliberations of Congress, but without the power of voting.

The judicial power is exercised by a Supreme Court, divided into two sections, one of which is located in Leon and the other in Granada. Each section is composed of at least four judges and two alternates. There is also a well-organized system of subordinate courts and tribunals throughout the country, and justice is well administered.

The Constitution is wisely framed and liberal in its provisions, and the laws are as just and well adapted for the needs of a civilized community as can be found in any nation of the world.

By virtue of the Constitution, all persons born on the soil are free, and slavery and traffic in slaves is prohibited. No person