The army is composed of about 1,500 men. The staple articles of export are cacao, Peruvian bark, copper, India-rubber, dye-stuffs, jipijapa (commonly, but improperly, called Panama) hats, nuts, pearl-shell, sarsaparilla, coffee, cotton, tobacco, wool, vegetable ivory, etc. The chief imports are cotton, linen, woolen, and silk fabrics, hardware, machinery, agricultural and other implements, cordage and cables, etc.

In the year 1872 there were shipped from the port of Guayaquil 181,973 quintals of cacao, the total crop of which commodity was 187,238 quintals; 22,851 of India-rubber; 58,451 of pearl-shell; 22,531 of vegetable ivory; 6,600 of coffee; and 39,728 pounds of sarsaparilla.

Although the foregoing statement has been copied from an official report, it is evidently inaccurate in the quantity of India-rubber said to have been shipped, for 56,946 quintals were shipped to the United States alone in the course of the year alluded to.

It may be proper to remark here that the India-rubber from Ecuador via Panama and Aspinwall, and which is known in the United States as Central-American India-rubber, now figures in the first line as regards the quantity imported into the latter country; and yet in 1870 the amount received was but 27,612 quintals; in 1871 it had increased to 34,032 quintals; which, compared with the figures given above for 1872, will show a regular annual augmentation of 10,500 quintals, on the average. The coffee of Ecuador is of good quality, and will, it is hoped, be imported before long in large quantities into the United States.

The following table shows the exports to Great Britain in the five years from 1868 to 1872 inclusive:

The greater part of the passengers and cargoes between Ecuador and the other South American republics is carried by the British steamers of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. There is also a French company, the "Compagnie Générale Transatlantique," whose steamers call at Guayaquil twice monthly, on their way from Panama to Valparaiso, and vice versa.

The high duties upon imports in foreign bottoms render it impossible for vessels of other nationalities to compete with the French flag in carrying South American produce generally into the various ports of France.

The onerous dues of 4 reals per ton register, formerly levied on vessels entering ports of the republic, have been abolished. Sailing-vessels, however, still pay 63 cents per ton register for each light in the ports; steamers pay but one-half that rate. Vessels touching at Manta Bay, where a light-house has been constructed, have to pay light-dues of 6 cents per ton register.

In Guayaquil there are now two light-houses, one on the Island of Santa Clara, and the other on Punta Mandinga, on the Island of Puná. Two others are projected, one of which, for Punta Arenas, was to have been built in 1873.

The national income is mainly derived from the customs receipts, which amounted to $708,991 in 1868; they reached $829,126 in 1869; $1,271,539 in 1870; $1,871,439 in 1871; and have since been steadily increasing from year to year, with the increased facilities for internal communication, and a larger number of steamers calling at the different ports.

The net income of the republic in 1870. was as follows:

The expenditure rarely falls short of $2,000,000. The foreign debt amounted, in 1865, to $9,390,554; and the home debt to $3,692,955. The Bank of Ecuador paid 12 per cent. on the paid capital; the Hypothecary Bank, 10 per cent.; the Guayas Steam Navigation Company, 12 per cent.; and the Gas Company, 12 per cent. In reply to certain observations of a Colombian journal, concerning the dissatisfaction of British bondholders with the Government of Ecuador, for its unwillingness to meet its obligations, El Nacional, of Quito, in an article under date of March 19th, explained the prolonged insolvency of the republic on the grounds that "Ecuador, like Colombia, has, owing to inadequacy of the national revenue to meet the current expenses of the Government, been obliged to suspend the payment of even the interest on the national debt."

It may not, however, be improper to state that, in view of the energy and disinterestedness of President Moreno, it is confidently believed that, as soon as the pressing causes shall have ceased which rendered it necessary to suspend the application of the fourth part of the customs receipts upon the payment of the debt, an equitable arrangement will be made for the satisfactory settlement of the claims. It is true, to accomplish that, innumerable difficulties must be overcome, and immense sacrifices submitted to. In effect, notwithstanding that, from 1855 to 1869, more than $2,000,000 were paid to the foreign creditors, the original debt ($7,000,000, at 6 per cent.), far from being reduced, has increased by upward of $1,000,000; for the 24 per cent. of the customs receipts appropriated in favor of the creditors was not sufficient to cover the constantly-growing interest.

It was announced in the official journal of Quito, March 12th, that by order of the Government the eighth dividend of the North American debt, say $10,333.28, was paid to the United States consul by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Charles Weile, a citizen of the United States, petitioned the Government of Ecuador for an exclusive privilege to extract Indiarubber, for a term of three years, from the forests of a certain territory comprised between the river Pescadillo on the south, the province of Esmeraldas on the north, the river Bulzar on the east, and the Cordillera of the Mono on the west. The contract, for

which he offered $1,000 per annum, was to be put up at auction, and given to the highest bidder.

The highways of the republic still continue to command a large share of attention. The carriage-road from Guayaquil to Quito is prosecuted with energy; and it has been determined to build a railway on the portion reaching from Sibamba to Pueblo Nuevo, a distance of 28 miles. Mr. H. G. McClellan was sent to the United States to study the narrow-gauge system of railways, purchase the necessary materials, and engage an assistant engineer and other employés required for the work.

In November, 14 miles of the Iguache Railway had been graded; and the works, on which 380 hands were employed, were progressing satisfactorily.

A Mr. F. de la Quadra, having received a steamer from the United States, offered to place it on the river to ply between Babahoyo and Savaneta. It was to carry the national flag, run from ten to twelve miles an hour, and take the mails. The only condition upon which the realization of the project depends is that the Government shall have the river cleared of the trunks of trees, aquatic plants, etc., which would obstruct the passage of the boat. The work on the Esmeraldas road was far advanced; and it was fully expected that it would be entirely finished by the end of the year.

Much and remarkable progress has been made in the development of the natural resources of the republic in the course of the year; light-houses in the harbors, dredging-machines, public roads, and even railways, have been projected, one at least-between Guayaquil and Quito, or at all events a portion of the distance-having been decided upon. Nor has public education been forgotten by Dr. Moreno, the instigator of the improvements referred to; primary instruction especially is one of his favorite objects, and occupies much of his thought; and the Government manifests a laudable spirit of liberality in its appropriations for multiplying schools throughout the country. Some friends of the cause of education, however, in the neighboring republics, and particularly in Colombia, exclaim against Dr. Moreno for persisting in leaving the school system almost completely in the hands of the clergy. An association for mutual instruction was organized at Guayaquil toward the end of 1872.

In February, 1873, the Government ordered the payment of $12,000 to the Bishop of Guayaquil, as a compensation for the trouble and expense he had been at consequent upon the erection of an orphan asylum, some free schools, etc., in that city.

Subscriptions for a statue of Bolivar had reached, in October, the sum of $10,891; and the statue was in process of erection.

Copper money was decreed to be a legal tender throughout the republic.

The privilege granted to Messrs. Jones & Raymundo Peiger, for the sinking an artesian well, was annulled by the Government, they being at the same time confirmed in the possession of the privilege for supplying Guayaquil with pure water by a system of pipes.

By order of the Government, a day was set apart in December, 1872, for thanksgiving for the benefits received during the year, and prayer for the Roman Catholic Church. On that occasion the Bishop of Ibarra congratulated the President, whom he designated as defender of the faith and of the holy doctrines of Christ crucified.

The pupils placed, in 1872, under Mr. L. Rivera, for instruction in the cultivation of the indigo-plant at the expense of the Government, having finished their course of studies, were sent back to their respective provinces. The specimens of indigo manufactured by them were considered as very satisfactory.

In the month of February, 1873, extensive deposits of silver-ores near the city of Loja were discovered. The most important metalliferous specimens were sulphuret of silver in octahedral prisms of great brilliancy, and sulphuret of lead; a reddish-colored silver, with sexahedral prisms of a dull, dingy shade approaching to black; and bismuth, argentiferous lead, and sulphuret of copper. Varieties of coal, copper, and lead, also abound. An excellent mule-road leads from the mines to the sea-coast, the nearest port being at a distance of some 70 miles, and formed by the inlet of Yambelli to the southward of Guayaquil. Along the whole road from Loja, timber, water, and provisions, are plentiful, as is also the necessary fodder for animals. The climate is mild and salubrious. Laborers are paid at the rate of 30 cents per diem.

The journal La Prensa, published at Guayaquil, announced the discovery, in July last, of a quicksilver-mine in the vicinity of that city. Two young ladies, examined in obstetrics, gave evidence of considerable proficiency in that art.

The 9th of August was appointed for the celebration of the sixty-fourth anniversary of the independence of Ecuador.

By a decree issued in the month of February, amnesty was extended to all Ecuadorians absent from their country for political causes, and permitting their return upon their written application to the Minister of the Interior for a passport.

A German scientist, Prof. Weiss, who, together with his countryman, Prof. Stubel, was occupied, by appointment of the Government, in studying the volcanoes of that region, succeeded, early in 1873, in ascending to the top of Cotopaxi, and viewing the immense crater of that giant of the equatorial Andes, then first seen by human eye. On his way thither he visited the ruins of an Inca palace full of interest, as are all the relics of Inca architecture, but now, after having withstood for more than

three centuries the destroying hands of time, earthquakes, and volcanoes, converted into a shelter for swine and other animals.

EGYPT, a country of Northeastern Africa, nominally a pashalik of the Turkish Empire, but virtually an independent state since 1811. The ruler of Egypt, who has the name of Khedive, is Ismail Pasha, born at Cairo in 1830, second son of Ibrahim, the son of Mehemet Ali, succeeded to the government at the death of his uncle, Saïd Pasha, January 18, 1863; heir-apparent is the eldest son of the Khedive, Mechmed Tefwick. The territories under the rule of the Khedive are estimated at 659,100 square miles; the Egyptian statistician De Regny (in his work, "Statistique de l'Égypte d'après des Documents officiels," vol. iii., 1872) claims 927,000 square miles. Since then Sir Samuel Baker has proclaimed the annexation of a large portion of Central Africa, extending to the southward as far as the equator, to the dominions of the Khedive. For the present the Egyptian rule in these new dominions is entirely nominal. But, if it becomes permaDent, as is likely to be the case, since Egypt is without a rival in these regions, the area of the Egyptian Empire would by far exceed 1,000,000 square miles. At all events, it appears to be highly probable that Egypt may become more and more preeminent among the native states of Africa. The population of Egypt proper is given by Regny as 5,203,405 in 1871; that of the entire Egyptian Empire is estimated at about 8,000,000. The revenue of Egypt for the financial year, ending September 10, 1874, was calculated in the official budget estimates (published in the newspaper l'Egypte, of October 3, 1873) at 1,982,394 purses (1 purse=$25.79), the expenditures at 1,763,128; the surplus at 219,166. Accounts of the actual receipts and disbursements have not yet been published by the Government. The chief source of revenue, according to the budget estimates, was from a land-tax (810,000 purses). The expenditures embrace 138,635 purses as the amount of the yearly tribute to the Porte; the civil list of the Khedive is 60,000 purses; the appanage of the heir-apparent 6,000. The public debt in 1873 amounted to £44,204,000, of which £19,149,000 was consolidated, and £25,055,000 floating debt. The consolidated private debt of the Khedive was, in 1873, £8,910,000; and his floating debt was estimated by the Economist at £6,513,000.

The strength of the Egyptian army, which is raised by conscription, is about 14,000 men, 8,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry, artillery, and engineers, and 3,000 negro troops.

The imports of Egypt were, in 1871, valued at 560,000,000 piasters (1 piaster=5 cents); the exports at 999,000,000 piasters; 240,000,000 of the imports and 751,000,000 of the exports belonged to the trade with Great Britain. The chief articles of export are cotton (2,040,000 cwt., valued at 624,000,000 piasters),

cotton-seed (98,000,000 piasters), wheat (56;000,000 piasters), beans (73,000,000 piasters), sugar (380,000 cwt., valued at 37,000,000 piasters.)

The commerce of Egypt continues to derive great advantages from the construction of the Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea, opened for navigation November 17, 1869. The income of the company was, in 1871, 13,276,000 francs; in 1872, 18,325,000; during the first nine months of the year 1873, 17,900,000. The expenditures were in 1871, 15,918,000, in 1872, 16,253,000. The number of vessels passing through the canal from 1870 to 1872 was as follows:

On January 1, 1872, the aggregate length of the railways which were in operation was 1,047 kilometres (1 kilometre=0.62 English mile). The telegraph-lines had an aggregate length of 6,297 kilometres, the telegraph-wires of 13,374.

A contract of marriage between the hereditary prince of Egypt and the daughter of Elhani Pasha was signed on January 16, 1873, in the presence of the Khedive, the cabinet, the highest officials of the viceregal court, and the representatives of the foreign powers, Each consul received the present of a Cashmere shawl and a dromedary. On the 18th, there were races, and in the evening a grand ball was given. The Sultan of Turkey sent congratulations and honors to the Khedive and the members of his family.

The difficulty between Egypt and Abyssinia, concerning the occupation of the Bogos country by the Egyptians, appears to have been settled, the Abyssinians having during the year 1873 made no resistance to the organization of the country by Werner Munzinger, the Egyptian Governor of Suakin and Massowah. Munzinger wrote on November 26, 1872, on the Egyptian occupation of these border districts, to the Geographische Mittheilungen of Gotha, as follows: "The districts which we have taken, or mostly retaken, are Mensa, Bo

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gos, Takue, and Bedjuk, for Marea has been paying tribute to us for thirty years. The newly-acquired territory is of small extent, but of great importance, because its occupation secures peace and order in Habab, Samhar, Baroa, and Bazen. Since I have been established at Tantarua, a profound peace has prevailed along the whole border. Here (at Massowah) I am occupied with the construction of an aqueduct, which is now finished from Molullu to the sea.'

Sir Samuel Baker safely returned from his expedition into the interior of Africa to Khartoum, on June 29th. According to his reports, made to the Egyptian Government, the country as far south as the equator has been annexed to Egypt. The slave-trade has been suppressed, and all rebellious movements and secret intrigues checked. The country is orderly and its government perfectly organized. A road has been opened to Zanzibar, free from interruption. He won a victory on the 6th of May, with only one hundred and five men, over the army of the African chief Onioso. His mission, he claims, has been perfectly successful. Baker made Fatiko the capital of the new territory, and appointed officers in other places. The natives expressed themselves entirely satisfied with the new order of things, and punctually paid the tribute imposed upon them. Gondocoro will be the second capital; and eight other places will be made chief stations, and form an uninterrupted chain leading from Nubia to the Albert Nyanza.

In June the Sultan issued a firman granting to the Khedive independent civil, military, and diplomatic rights. The firman confirms all the rights conceded to the Khedive by former firmans, and regulates the appointment of a regency, in case the successor of the Khedive should not be of age. The Khedive is to pay hereafter to the Sultan a tribute of 150,000 purses annually.

Protestanism is gaining a foothold in Egypt, chiefly by the efforts of the American missionaries of the United Presbyterian Church. Their missions constitute the "Presbytery of Egypt," which transacts its business and keeps its records in the Arabic language. At the meeting of the presbytery, held in 1873, there were present, as members of the presbytery, eight ministers (six of whom were missionaries and two natives) and five native elders. The committee appointed to translate the Book of Discipline reported the translation of the three parts known as "Form of Government," "General Administration," and "Book of Discipline," at the same time suggesting that a copy of the translation in writing would be given to each congregation, to be corrected and returned at the next annual meeting. A call from the Cairo congregation, for a native Egyptian (Copt), Ibrahim Yusef, to become their pastor, was presented to him, and, after considerable deliberation, was accepted.

EUROPE. At the beginning of the year,