The exports of Honduras consist chiefly of mahogany, hides, tobacco, cattle, and indigo, the total value estimated at about 1,000,000 dollars, or 200,000l. per annum, while the imports comprise cotton goods, silks, and hardware. The resources of the country are at present wholly undeveloped. There are no official returns of the value of either the imports or exports, owing partly to the customs at the principal ports being farmed out to individuals whose interest it is to conceal all facts concerning their revenue. The commerce is mainly with Great Britain, but the value is not given in the Annual Statement' of the Board of Trade, which merges Honduras into Central America.' In 1879 there were 19 post offices which the revenue was 7,6511. and expenses 3,6141. telegraphs.

(See

page 541.) carried 96,973 letters; There are 658 miles of

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. OF HONDURAS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Consul-General.-G. Kattengell, accredited April 24, 1869.

2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN HONDURAS.

Minister and Consul-General.-F. St. John.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of Honduras and the British equivalents, are as follows:

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Gaceta Official de Honduras. Comayagua, 1879.

Trade of Central America with Great Britain; in 'Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom in the year 1880.' Imp. 4. London, 1881.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Fröbel (Julius), Seven Years' Travel in Central America. 8. London, 1853. Marr (Wilhelm), Reise nach Central-America. 2 vols. 8. Hamburg, 1863. Pelletier (Consul E.), Honduras et ses ports. Documents officiels sur le chemin de fer interocéanique. 8. Paris, 1869.

Reichardt (M.), Centro-America. 8. Braunschweig, 1851.

Scherzer (Karl, Ritter von), Wanderungen durch die mittelamerikanischen Freistaaten Nicaragua, Honduras und San Salvador. 8. Braunschweig, 1857. Squier (E. G.), Honduras: descriptive, historical, and statistical. 8. London,

1870.

MEXICO.

(REPÚBLICA MEXICANA.)

Constitution and Government.

THE present constitution of Mexico bears date February 5, 1857. By the terms of it Mexico is declared a federative republic, divided into States-19 at the outset, but at present 27 in number, with 2 territories-each of which is permitted to manage its own local affairs, while the whole are bound together in one body politic by fundamental and constitutional laws. The powers of the supreme government are divided into three branches, the legislative, executive, and judiciary. The legislative power is vested in a Congress consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate, and the executive in a President. Representatives, elected by each state, at the rate of one member for 80,000 inhabitants-331 in 1879– hold their places for two years. The qualifications requisite are, twenty-five years' age, and eight years' residence in the state. The Senate consists of two members for each state, of at least thirty years of age, who are elected by a plurality of votes in the State Congress. The members of both Houses receive salaries of 2,000 dollars a year. The President and Vice-President are elected by the Congress of the States, and hold office for four years. Congress has to meet annually from January 1 to April 15, and a council of Government, consisting of the Vice-President and half the Senate, sits during the recesses.

President of the Republic.-General Gonzales; installed President of the Republic, as successor of General Porfirio Diaz, December 1, 1880.

The President was installed in power in consequence of a revolution which overthrew his predecessor, elected 1872, and re-elected 1876. The administration is carried on, under the direction of the President, by a council of six ministers, heads of the departments of Justice, Finance, the Interior, Army and Navy, Foreign Affairs, and Public Works.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The public revenue is derived to the extent of more than twothirds from customs duties, laid both on exports and imports, while nearly one-half of the total expenditure is for the maintenance of the army. The finances of the state have been for many years in great disorder, the expenditure exceeding constantly the revenue. The following statement gives the budget for 1881-2:

In the budget estimates for the financial year ending June 30, 1879, the total revenue was calculated at 16,128,807 dollars, or 3,225,7617., and the total expenditure at 22,108,046 dollars, or 4,421,6097., leaving a deficit of 5,979,239 dollars, or 1,195,8481. There were deficits for the previous twenty years.

The public debt of Mexico, both internal and external, was estimated, in 1879, at 425,500,000 dollars, or 85,100,000l. But no official returns regarding it have been published since the reign of the Emperor Maximilian I., in 1865, when the total debt was stated to be 63,471,450l., bearing an annual interest of 3,945,0947. In the subjoined statement an abstract is given of these returns bearing date August 1, 1865:

Old English Three per Cent. Loan, as per settlement of 1851

Three per Cent. Stock created 1864, for settlement of overdue coupons of old loan .

Six per Cent. Anglo-French Loan of 1864

Interest £600,000, Lottery Prizes £120,000, Sinking
Fund £250,000

Six per Cent. Lottery Loan of 1865.

Six per Cent. Internal Mexican Debt, circa
Admitted Claims of Foreigners bearing interest at
6 per cent.

Amount due to French Government for war expenses at 31st March, 1865

Annual Payment to France on account of War Expenses, as per Paris Convention of 1864

Total

The actual Government of the republic does not recognise any portion of the above liabilities, except the Six per Cent. Internal Mexican debt, the interest of which has not been paid for a great number of years.

Area and Population.

The area of Mexico and number of inhabitants are chiefly known through estimates. The most reliable of these, based on partial enumerations made by the Government of the republic in 1874, state the area of Mexico to embrace a territory of 743,948 English square miles, with a total population of 9,343,470. The following table, drawn up after a report published in the 'Diario Oficial' of Mexico, June 7, 1875, gives the area and population of each of the 27 states composing the republic, with addition of the territory of Lower California, and the Federal district of Mexico, seat of the central Government :

For

It is calculated that five millions, or rather more than one-half, of the population of the republic of Mexico, are pure 'Indians,' the rest comprising a mixture of various races, the white, or Europeandescended inhabitants, numbering from about 500,000 souls. merly existing distinctions of colour and race were abolished by the constitution of 1824, which admits persons of all colours to the equal enjoyment of civil and political rights.

Trade and Industry.

The total imports of Mexico in the year 1876 were of the estimated value of 28,485,000 dollars, or 5,697,000l., and the value of the exports 25,435,000 dollars, or 5,087,000l. The chief article of export was silver, of the estimated value of 15,000,000 dollars, or 3,000,000, the remainder comprising copper ores, cochineal, indigo, hides, and mahogany and other woods. The staple imports are cotton and linen manufactures, wrought iron, and machinery. More than two-thirds of the total trade of Mexico is carried on with the United States, and the remainder with France, Germany, and Great Britain.

The subjoined tabular statement shows the total value of the exports from Mexico to Great Britain and Ireland, and of the imports of British and Irish produce into Mexico, in each of the ten years from 1871 to 1880

The principal articles of export from Mexico to Great Britain in the year 1880 were mahogany, of the value of 218,6047.; and unrefined sugar, of the value of 98,1131. Cotton manufactures, of the value of 572,6921.; linens, of the value of 68,8641., and iron, wrought and unwrought, of the value of 261,2531., formed the chief imports of the United Kingdom into Mexico in 1880.