$23,847,000 The receipts include (besides ordinary revenue) loans on current account and sums raised for special purposes, e. g., the money obtained by the issue of bonds for payment of railway subventions. The following are the budget estimates of revenue and expenditure for the years ending June 30, 1898-99: Revenue. Imports and export duties... Internal taxes in the States. 21,280,000 Executive power.. 80,969 Taxes in Federal district & Territories. 2,812,500 Judicial power.. 444,654 Foreign Affairs. 543,467 Home Department.. 3,685,273 Justice and Education.. 2,311,561 New tax on alcoholic beverages 400,000 Agriculture and Commerce.. 741,875 Public Works.. 5,627,544 Finance.. 6,121,229 Public debt.. 19,964,268 War and Marine.. 11,750,000 Total.... $52,109,500 Total... $52,289,484 In recent years about 50 per cent. of the revenue has been obtained from customs, 39 per cent. from internal taxes, and 11 per cent. from other sources. About 44 per cent. of the expenditure goes to Government administration, 46 per cent. to service of public debt, and 10 per cent. to railroad sub ventions. PUBLIC DEbt. The external debt in 1897 was $108,820,000 (gold), mostly at 6 per cent. There were 6 per cent. silver currency bonds outstanding to the amount of $223,000. The internal debt consists of the 3 per cent. consolidated-$51,676,425, and the 5 per cent. redeemable internal debt, $27,000,000. The capital of the debt is about $15, and its cost about $1 per head of the population. The fiscal value of property in Mexico in 1891 is given as follows: Urban, $260,552,200; rural, $237,312,996; total, $497,865,196'; the fiscal value being taken as one-third less than the actual value. Agriculture, Minerals, Etc. The chief agricultural products in 1895 were: Rice, 12,326 tons; maize, 25.339,417 hectolitres; wheat, 3,536,327 hectolitres; sugar, 143,578 tons; panocha, 69,083 tons; molasses, 57,825 tons: brandy, 3,213,885 hectolitres; henequen, 42,378 tons; cotton, 35,613 tons; logwood, 77,839 tons; coffee, 19,060 tons: tobacco, 56,632 tons; rum, 483,352 hectolitres. Large numbers of cattle are reared in Mexico for the United States. In 1883, in Northern Mexico alone, on an area of 300,000 square miles, there were 1,500,000 cattle, 2.500,000 goats, 1,000,000 horses, and 1,000,000 sheep. In the whole of Mexico in 1883 there were 20,574 cattle ranches, valued at $515,000,000. The principal mineral exports in 1895 amounted to about $57,000,000, of which gold and silver formed $52.500,000; copper, $2,148,000, and lead, $1,807,000. The production of silver amounted to 1,582,901 kilos in 1895. In 1893, there were in Mexico 2.899 factories for sugar and brandy, 123 for woolen and cotton yarns and textiles, and 41 for tobacco; the total number of factories being 3,844. Foreign Commerce. The following table shows the imports and exports of merchandise and the precious metals during the years named: The trade of Mexico, including precious metals, is chiefly with the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Spain. The following table shows the principal articles exported in the years named: 1891. 1892. 1893. 1894. 1896. 1897. Exports from Mexico........ $27.295,992 $29,107,525 $33,555,099 $28,727,006 $15,635,788 $17,456,177 $18,511,572 Imports into Mexico.......... 14,969,620 14,293,999 19,568,634 12,842,149 15,005,906 19,450,256 23,421,064 1895. The values of the principal exports from Mexico to the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Animals, $1,510,044; chemicals, drugs, and dyes, $2,172,577, of which $1,104,901 was dyewoods and $876,368 was vanilla beans; coffee, $4,040,443; copper, pigs, etc., $452,712; hides and skins, not furs, $1,519,301; lead, and manufactures of, $1,350,713; textile grasses, etc., $4,239,478, of which $3,339,180 was Sisal grass; gold, $4,271,896; silver, $24,894,345. Imports into Mexico were: Animals, $349,863; breadstuffs, $925,315; carriages, cars, etc.. $687,425; chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc., $469,193; coal and coke. $724,143: cotton, unmanufactured, $1,643,183; manufactured, 8817,094; gunpowder and explosives, $662,511; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $5,340,236; oils, mineral, $535,329, vegetable, $365,289; provisions, $415,681; quicksilver, $466,259; wood, and manufactures of, $1,611,467; gold, $71,169; silver, $215,391. Shipping, Railroads, Telegraphs, Post-Office. (See Index.) Coinage, Banking, and Money. COINAGE.-There are four mints in the Republic, coining on an average $25,000,000 annually. Most of the silver exported is shipped in the shape of dollars, which find their way chiefly to China and the smaller communities in Indo-China and the Eastern Archipelago. The following table shows the coinage by Mexican mints for six years: Years. 1889-90. 1890-91. 1891-92.. ..... Silver. Gold. Copper. Total. Years. 1892-93.. 1893-94.. 1894-95... Silver. Gold. Copper. Total. $27,132,376 $361,672 $74,460 $27,568,508 30,185,611 553,978 30,739,589 27,628,981 545,237 32,957 28.207,175 BANKING.-There are 12 banks in Mexico. The most important is the Banco Nacional, with a paid-up capital of $20,000,000 and a note issue of $22,400,000. The Banco Hipotecario has a paid-up capital of $5,000,000, and the Banco de Londres has a paid-up capital of $5,299,050 and note issue of $9,900,000. Concessions have been granted to a number of new banks in several of the States for the purpose of advancing loans for agricultural and mining purposes. MONEY.-The silver peso, or dollar, of 100 centavos, is of the nominal value of 100 cents; actual value variable (average for 1898, 53.5 cents). For gold and silver coins, see Index. CENTRAL AMERICA. Guatemala. The area of Guatemala is estimated at 63,400 English square miles. According to census of 1893, there were at that date 1,364,678 inhabitants, and in 1895 the population was estimated at 1,800,000. About 60 per cent. are pure Indians, most of the remainder being half-caste, there being very few descendants of Europeans. Guatemala is administratively divided into 22 departments. Seven-tenths of the expenditure is for public debt, instruction, and war. The revenue and expenditure are given as follows: Estimated revenue for 1897-98, $15,250,000; expenditure, $12,445,107. At the beginning of 1897 the outstanding amount of the external debt was 4 per cent. external consolidated, $7,749,000 (United States currency), other debts making a total of $10,045,000 (U. S.). The internal debt amounted to 7,319,955 pesos. At end of 1895 a new railroad loan of £658,500 was issued, to be paid off by May 31, 1898. The internal debt (including 1,758,340 pesos of internal bonds and 820,593 pesos of floating debt) amounted to 5,209,253 pesos. The soil in general is exceedingly fertile. In 1893, there were under coffee 124,771 acres, yielding 75,863,200 lbs.; under sugar cane, 35,708 acres; under tobacco, 821 acres, yielding 305,085 lbs.; under maize, 235,000 acres, yielding 1,185,370 bushels; under bananas, 11,272 acres, yielding 948,250 bunches; pulse, wheat, and oats are also cultivated; forest covers 1,316,482 acres. Coffee-growing is extending, about 10 per cent. of the owners of coffee estates being Germans. The following are the statistics of trade, in dollars, for the years indicated, including bullion and specie: 1890. 7,639,833 14,401,534 1892. 6,010,233 14,869,324 1893. 6,383,835 19,087,000 1894. 6,937,000 20,324,000 1895. 7,782,325 26,534,394 1896. 11,429,200 23,085,544 In 1895, of the imports the value of $1,530,439 came from Great Britain, $2,627,045 from the United States, $1,643,209 from Germany, and $856,634 from France. The chief exports are: Coffee, $25,584,779 in 1896; silver coin. $748,819; bananas, $52,750; hides, $58,018; rubber, $49,089. Of the coffee exported in 1895, 403,005 quintals went to Germany, 166,926 to the United States, 15,812 to France, 3,033 to South America. The trade with the United States appears as follows, years ending June 30: The principal imports from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Animals, $114,679: breadstuffs, $368,240; carriages, cars, etc., $171,721; cotton, manufactures of, $209,375; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $719,253; provisions, $208,851; wood, and manufactures of, $375,815; gold, $18,000; silver, $696,175. The principal exports to the United States were: Coffee, $1,910,528; bananas, $88,268; gold, $2,416; silver, $74,875. The banks of issue are: Banco Internacional, Banco Columbiano, Banco de Guatemala, Banco Agricola Hipotecario, Banco Americano, and Banco de Occidente. Total paid-up capital in 1895 was $10,684,000; reserve fund, $4,194,300. The unit coin is the dollar, or peso, of 100 centavos, weight 25 grammes .300 fine; value on January 1, 1897, 47.4 cents. The currency is mostly paper money. For RAILROADS, POST-OFFICE, TELEGRAPHS, see Index. San Salvador. The area of Republica del Salvador is estimated at 7,225 English square miles, divided into 14 departments. The population, according to a census of January 1, 1886, was 651,130, giving an average of 89 inhabitants to the square mile, being twenty times that of the average of the other States of Central America. An official estimate for the end of 1894 makes the population 803,534. Aboriginal and mixed races constitute the bulk of the population, among whom live about 20,000 whites or descendants of Europeans. The following are the official figures of the revenue and expenditure for five years: 1894. $8,818,000 8,569,000 In 1895, the public debt was stated to be, internal, $11,000,000, and external, £254,000. The chief products are: Coffee, indigo, sugar, tobacco. The mineral wealth of the Republic includes gold, silver, copper, iron, mercury. The mines and quarries in operation number 180. The imports and exports were as follows: The principal exports in 1895 were: Coffee, $11,754,795; indigo, $1,284,325: sugar, $97,197; tobacco, $120,225. The trade with the United States appears as follows, years ending June 30: The principal imports from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Breadstuffs, $258,733; cotton manufactures, 189,018; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $395,485; wood, and manufactures of, $158,730. The principal exports to the United States were coffee, $1,126,895. The money unit is the dollar, of 100 centavos; value on January 1, 1897, 47.4 cents. The gold coins of England, Germany, the Latin Union, Spain, several South American republics, and Mexico, by decree, are received at par; those of the United States generally at 5 per cent. premium. A law passed September 30, 1892, adopting the gold standard, and requiring taxes to be paid in gold or its equivalent, is still in abeyance. For RAILROADS, POST-OFFICE, AND TELEGRAPH, see Index. Honduras. The area of the Republic of Honduras is calculated to embrace about 43,000 English square miles, with a population, in 1889, of 396,048. The bulk of the inhabitants consists of aboriginal "Indians," and the sparse European-descended population, mainly of Spanish origin. The capital of the Republic is the ancient town of Tegucigalpa, with 12,600 inhabitants. The main ports are Amapala, on the Pacific; Puerto Cortes, Trujillo, Roatan, Utilla, and La Ceiba, on the Atlantic. The revenue for 1889 was $1,432,522; 1891, $1,850,163; 1892, $1,764,137, and 1895, $2,172,760. For 1891, the expenditure was $2.983,570; 1892, $2,603,650. For the year 1894-95 the estimated revenue amounted to $1,544,785; expenditure, $1,542,917. In July, 1896, the external debt of Honduras consisted of four loans, contracted from 1867 to 1870, amounting to £5,398,570, with arrears of interest amounting to £11,046,229; total, £16,444,799. No interest has been paid since 1872. The internal debt in 1892 amounted to $2,742,574. The chief products are tobacco, sugar, maize, bananas, and coffee. Cattle-breeding is carried on extensively. The mineral resources of Honduras are very rich-gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, antimony being found in almost every department. Deposits of brown and other coal have also been found. There are about 17 important mining companies at work, but statistics of their operations are not procurable. For the year 1892, the imports are given at $1,368,310. The chief imports were: Ironware, $60,703; cotton goods, $238,732. The chief exports were: Live stock, $636,277; bananas, $211,940; cocoanuts, $91,990; coffee, $36,393; silver, $652,500. The trade with the United States is shown below, year ending June 30: Exports to United States... The principal imports from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Breadstuffs, 864,202; cotton manufactures, $139,265; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $72,471; silver. $1,262, The principal exports to the United States were: Bananas, $479,588; chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc.. $51,779; india-rubber, crude, $57,497; gold, $94,573; silver, $387,061, The unit of money is the silver dollar of 100 cents (value on January 1, 1897, 47.7 cents), weighs 25 grammes .900 fine. There are also 20, 5, and 1 peso gold pieces, of the weight and fineness of the corresponding French coins. In November, 1894, the adoption of a gold standard equal to the American gold dollar was announced; the existing gold coinage having been demonetized. Nicaragua. The area of the Nicaragua Republic is estimated at 49,200 English square miles, and the population in 1895, 380,000, or including uncivilized Indians, 420,000. The population consists chiefly of aboriginal Indians," mulattoes, negroes, and mixed races, and the number of Europeans and their descendants is very small but on the increase. Their number is about 1,200. There are 14 towns with from 2,000 to 30,000 inhabitants. The chief occupation of the inhabitants is the rearing of cattle and raising of coffee. In 1892, the revenue was $1,764,037, and the expenditure, $2,983,576. The expenditure is principally for the maintenance of an army of 2,000 men, and the payment of interest on the public debt. The public debt consists of the internal debt, amounting in 1894 to $7,000,000, and a loan raised in London, in 1886, for £285,000, in 6 per cent. bonds, with a mortgage on the 93 miles of railway controlled by the State, and the customs. The culture of coffee and bananas is extending; about 75,000 acres is now under coffee. Five years ago, there were in the Republic 109 mines, worked by American companies. In nearly all, gold is found mixed with silver; in a few, silver mixed with copper. In the year 1889, the total imports amounted (in currency) to 2,536,820 pesos; 1890, 3,327,007 pesos: 1891, 2,738,500 pesos; 1892, 6,006,806 pesos; exports, 1889, 3,162.683 pesos; 1890, 3,834,137 pesos; 1891, 2,376,500 pesos. The chief article of export is coffee-113,719 quintals in 1890, valued at 2,487,646 pesos; in 1893, 130,000 quintals; in 1894, 123,180 quintals. In 1894, England exported to Nicaragua £131,938 of cotton goods. The chief imports from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Breadstuffs, $159,366; chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc., $51,661: cotton manufactures, $102,148; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $216,237; leather, and manufactures of, $52,254; provisions, $108,013: silver, $2,425. Chief exports to United States were: Coffee, $286,749; bananas, $399,938; hides and skins, not furs, $79,800; india-rubber, crude, $355,845; wood, unmanufactured, $80,923; gold, $200,032; silver, $190,669. The system of money is the same as in Honduras; though Mexican, Chilian, Peruvian, and other South and Central American dollars are issued as well by the Bank of London and Central America as by the Government; there is also a paper currency. For RAILROADS, POST-OFFICE, TELEGRAPHS, see Index. Costa Rica. The area of the Republic is estimated at 23,000 English square miles. According to the census of February 18, 1892, the population was 243,205, besides 19,456 unenumerated and about 3,500 aborigines. The enumerated population gives on an average 10.5 inhabitants to the square mile. The revenue and expenditure for six years have been, in pesos: The foreign debt of the Republic consisted of a six per cent. loan of the nominal amount of £1,000,000, contracted in England in 1871, and a 7 per cent. loan of the nominal amount of £2,400,000— issued at 82-contracted in 1872. The amount outstanding in January, 1887, was £2,691,300, and the accumulated interest amounted to £2,119,512. The principal of the debt has been converted into a total amount of £2,000,000 sterling at 5 per cent. from January 1, 1888, and for the arrears of interest fully paid-up shares in the Costa Rica Railway Company were given, £22 10s. of shares for the arrears on each £100 old bond. In 1895, the Government again went into default, and negotiations are now in progress for a settlement. The internal debt on March 31, 1896, amounted to 1,381,591 pesos. It is being rapidly redeemed. The soil and climate of Costa Rica are very productive. The principal agricultural products are coffee (15,160,878 kilogrammes in 1893), bananas (1,576,650 bunches), sugar (162,804 quintals in 1891). The production of bananas and of coffee is rapidly increasing. Gold and silver mines are worked; the annual value of the produce being about 128,000 pesos. The following are the values in pesos (1890-93 gold, 1894-95 paper) of the imports and exports: The most important export is coffee, the quantity exported in 1895 being 188,766 bags, valued at 11,200,283 pesos. Other exports were bananas, 784,257 pesos; hides and skins, cedar, and various woods. The trade with the United States is shown as follows, years ending June 30: The principal imports from the United States for the year ending June 30, 1896, were: Breadstuffs, $194,301; chemicals, drugs, dyes, etc., $48,750; cotton manufactures, $128,973; iron and steel, and manufactures of, $181,184; provisions, $124,204; tobacco, and manufactures of, $59,737; gold, $10,400. Exports to United States were: Coffee, $3,157,025; bananas, $574,782; hides and skins, not furs, $67,640; gold, $28,465; silver, $275. There are two banks in Costa Rica, the Anglo-Costa Rican Bank, and the Bank of Costa Rica, with a capital of 1,000,000 pesos and 1,500,000 pesos respectively. The Bank of Costa Rica has a monop oly of the note issue. The paper in circulation in 1895 amounted to 3,107,000 pesos, the specie reserve being 1,155,000 pesos. The silver in circulation amounts to 1,000,000 pesos. The Government has issued a decree withdrawing its present system of currency and adopting a gold standard. The unit is the peso, or dollar, of 100 centavos; value January 1, 1897, 47.4 cents. For RAILROADS, POST-OFFICE, TELEGRAPHS, see Index, |