GUATEMALA.

(REPÚBLICA DE GUATEMALA.)

Constitution and Government.

THE Republic of Guatemala, established on March 21, 1847, after having formed part for twenty-six years of the Confederation of Central America, is governed under a Constitution proclaimed December 1879, and modified October 1885, November 1887, October 1889, and July, 1903. By its terms the legislative power is vested in a National Assembly, consisting of representatives (one for every 20,000 inhabitants) chosen by universal suffrage for four years, and a Council of State of 13 members, partly elected by the National Assembly, partly appointed by the President of the Republic. The executive is vested in a President, elected for six years.

President of the Republic.-Don Manuel Estrada Cabrera for the term

1905-1911

The administration is carried on, under the President, by the heads of six departments-of Foreign Affairs, Government and Justice, Hacienda and Public Credit, Public Instruction, Fomento, War.

Area and Population.

The area of Guatemala is estimated at 48,290 English square miles In 1903 the population was 1,842, 134. About 60 per cent. are pure Indians, most of the remainder being half-caste, there being very few descendants of Europeans. The foreign population numbered 11,331 in 1893. Guatemala is administratively divided into 22 departments.

In 1899 the recorded births numbered 71,998; deaths, 34,629. Owing to an imperfect system of registration, the number of deaths given is considerably below the actual number. About one-fourth the births among the whites and one-half among the Indians were illegitimate.

Capital of the Republic and seat of the government is Guatemala la Nueva with 96,560 inhabitants (1904), five-sixths of them of European origin. Other towns are Quezaltenango, 28,940, Coban, 30,770, Totonicapam, 28,310, and San Pedro, 10,190.

Religion.

Roman Catholicism is the prevailing religion; but all other creeds have complete liberty of worship. The State does not recognise any creed.

Instruction.

The

Education is free and compulsory. In 1903 there were 1,064 government primary schools, with 36,477 pupils. There were also 128 private primary and secondary schools; 6 institutes and normal schools; 4 establishments for professional and 9 for special instruction, and 55 rural schools. National Central Institute confers degrees which are recognised in all the Central American Republics. Among the other institutions are a school of Handicraft for Women, a National Conservatoire of Music, a School of Art, and schools for law, medicine, engineering, &c. There is a German school, endowed by the German Government. The national library contains 19,400 volumes. There are 37 periodicals published (1896) within the Republic: 3 daily, 14 weekly, and 12 monthly.

Crime.

Justice is administered in a supreme court, 6 appeal courts, and 26 courts of first instance. In all the municipalities there are Justices of Peace. In 1903, 162 persons were sentenced for serious crimes.

Finance.

More than half of the revenue is from customs, and over one-third from taxes on spirits, tobacco, &c.; while seven-tenths of the expenditure is for public debt, instruction, and war.

The ordinary revenue and expenditure for five years are given as follows in currency (about 65 paper dollars = £1 in 1902 about 75 = 1 in 1903:

For the year 1904-05 the expenditure was estimated at 17,951,430 pesos. Of this amount, 8,000,000 pesos was for the Public Debt; 2,940,716 for Interior and Justice; 2,044,866 for War; 1,638,945 for Fomento; 1,390,811 for Public Instruction.

In 1904 (according to the report of the Council of the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders) the outstanding amount of the 4 per cent. External Debt of 1895 was 1,482, 8001.; certificates in respect of unpaid interest, 1898 and 1899, 29,6567.; arrears of interest, 326,2167.; total, 1,838,6727. On December 31, 1903, the outstanding amount of the gold debt (according to the official statement) was 9,649,104 dollars and of the currency debt 43,465,759 dollars.

Defence.

The army of Guatemala, the cost of which is about one-tenth of the total public expenditure, consists of about 7,000 officers and men in regular service. The effective army consists of 56,900 men from 18 to 30 years of age; the reserve has 30,000 men from 30 to 50 years of age.

Production and Industry.

By the National Land Law of 1894, the State lands (except those on the frontiers and the sea-shore) were divided into lots for sale, the maximum allotment permitted to one person being 15 caballarias (or about 1,687 acres). The price varies from 250 dollars per caballaria (112 acres) to 400 or 500 dollars, including costs of survey, titles, &c. Uncultivated lands may be granted gratuitously to immigrants or to immigrant companies, to municipalities, villages and schools, or as assistance towards road-making. The forest area has an extent of 526,593 hectares.

The most important

The soil in general is exceedingly fertile. crop is coffee, of which, in 1896, the exports reached in 1899, 841,945 quintals (of 100 lbs.); in 1900, 729,800; in 1901, 754, 100; in 1902, 856,744; in 1903, 631,505. The yield of coffee in 1903 was estimated at 738,905 quintals; in 1904, at about 1,000,000 quintals. The largest coffee plantations are in the hands of Germans. Many plantations suffered severely from the earthquakes in May, 1902. About 1,680 acres are devoted to tobacco culture, yielding 10,054 quintals. Sugar is grown on 40,768 acres, and the crop reaches 324,610 quintals, besides panela, molasses, and mascabado. Bananas are grown on 11,872 acres, yielding 627,650 bunches; cocoa, on 7,504 acres, yielding 3,068 quintals. Other crops are wheat, maize, and beans.

The rubber yield in 1903 amounted to 4,423 quintals. Over 2,000,000 square feet of timber were cut in 1903. Cotton is grown in small quantities. On the high plateaux the area of the cattle-grounds (potreros) is about 758,640 acres. The number of horses in the Republic in 1899 was estimated at 50,343; cattle, 196,780; sheep, 77,600; swine, 29,784.

Gold, silver, lead, tin, copper, manganese, antimony, sulphur, salt, lignite, and other minerals exist, but are little worked. Placer gold mines at Las Quebradas, near Yzabal, are worked successfully; silver in the departments of Santa Rosa and Chiquimula; and salt in the departments of Alta Vera Paz and Santa Rosa. Industries more or less prosperous are the manufacture of woollen and cotton goods, cement, bricks, earthenware, furniture, cigars, &c., and the preparation of ramie; also foundries, sugar mills, breweries and distilleries are at work.

Commerce.

The value of the commerce in 5 years was (in gold dollars) as follows :

The chief imports are cottons, flour, beverages, provisions, and empty sacks. Of the imports, about one-half in value are from the United States, nearly one-fourth from the United Kingdom, and the remainder chiefly from Germany, France, Mexico, and South American countries. The value of the exports in three years was, as follows, in gold dollars (4s.) :

Of the coffee exports about 54 per cent. go to Germany, 32 per cent. to the United States, and 11 per cent. to the United Kingdom. The export duty on coffee in 1903-04 was at the rate of 1 gold dollar per quintal (100 lbs.).

In the customs returns, the country whence goods are shipped is entered as the country of origin, and the port to which goods are consigned as the ultimate destination.

The trade of the United Kingdom with Guatemala (according to the Board of Trade Returns) for the last five years was as follows:

Of the imports from Guatemala into the United Kingdom in 1905 coffice amounted to 128,1817.; of the exports to Guatemala, cottons amonted to 54,6351.; cotton yarn, 19,1687.

The trade of the United States with Guatemala (according to United state (statistics) in five years ending June 30, was as follows in US, dolats

Import into U.S. 2,402,978 3,512,445 2,935,536 2,400,063 2,665,57& Exports to Guatemala

785,462 1,142,814 1,650.939 1,128,015 1,281,382

In 1903 (ended June 30) the imports from Guatemala included coffee, 2,114,444 dollars; the exports comprised flour, 270,435 dollars, an I cottons, 187,379 dollars.

Shipping and Communications.

In 1901, 913 vessels entered the ports of the Republic. The chief ports on the Atlantic side are Puerto Barrios and Livingston; on the Pacific side, San José, Champerico, and Ocos. The steamers of an American fruit company, by contract with the Guatemalan Government, run between New Orleans and Puerto Barrios and other Guatemalan ports.

There is a line of railway from San José to the capital (75 miles). A new contract for the completion of the line from the capital to Puerto Barrios has been made. A railway connects Champerico and Quezaltenango. The total length of line open is about 400 miles. Several new lines on the west coast are being constructed. There are a few good roads, and many bridges have been recently built, but away from the railway most of the traffic is on mule-back.

There were in 1903, 276 post-offices. The total postal movement (letters, cards, parcels, &c.), in 1903 was, despatched and received, 9,183,944; receipts, 217,344 dollars; expenditure, 290,142 dollars. Of telegraph lines there were 3,100 miles, with 157 offices, in 1903; the number of messages was 1,106,822 ; receipts, 894,027 dollars; expenditure, 766,875 dollars. The telephone system extends over 290 miles and has 77 stations.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

Banks of issue in Guatemala are:-The Banco Internacional, the BaneColombiano, Banco de Guatemala, Baneo Agricola Hipotecario, Banco Americano, and the Banco de Occidente. By decree of June 25, 1903, the

issue of notes without guarantee was restricted; any fresh issue in the first year from the date of the decree must be covered to the extent of 10 per cent. by gold or silver; in the second year to the extent of 20 per cent., and in the third year to the extent of 30 per cent. The silver peso or dollar is not now current, the money in use being paper or fractional nickel coin. The value of the paper peso in June 1902, was about 74d.

The Dollar or Peso, of 100 Centavas, weight, 25 grammes, 900 fine; nominal value, 4s. Nickel coins are the real, nominal value 6d., and the half and quarter real.

The Spanish Libra of 16 ounces

Arroba of 25 libras

Quintal of 4 arrobas

Tonelada of 20 quintals

= 1.014 lb. avoirdupois.

= 25.35 lb.

1 imperial bushel

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. OF GUATEMALA IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Chargé d'Affaires.-J. Tible Machado.
Consul-General (London).-J. Tible Machado.

There are also Consular representatives at Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Southampton, Plymouth, Birmingham, Cardiff, Newport.

2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN GUATEMALA.

Minister and Consul-General.-H. W. B. Harrison, C. M. G. (ad interim). There are British Consuls at Guatemala and Quezaltenango, and ViceConsuls at Livingston, Ocos, and San José.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Guatemala.

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Anuario de la Direccion General de Estadistica. [Statistics down to 1894.] Guatemala, 1898. Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom. Imp. 4. London. Foreign Office Reports. Annual Series. No. 2354. London, 1899. Guatemala. No. 32 of the Bulletins

Washington, 1892.

of the Bureau of the American Republics.

Informe de la Direccion de Estadistica. Annual. Guatemala.
Informe de la Secretaria de Fomento. Annual. Guatemala.

Memorias de los Secretarios de Estado del Gobierno de la república de Guatemala (Gobernacion y Justicia; Instruccion Pública; Guerra; Hacienda; Relaciones Exteriores). Annual. Guatemala.

Movimiento de poblacion habido en los pueblos de la república de Guatemala. Annual. Guatemala.

Reseña de los progresos alcanzados en los ramos de Terrenos, Ferrocariles, Carreteras, Puentes, Comunicaciones por Correo, Telegrafo y Telefono, y Produccion Agricola. Guatemala.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Bernouilli (Dr. Gustav), Briefe aus Guatemala, in Dr. Petermann's 'Mittheilungen.' 4 Gotha, 1868-69.

Bernouilli (Dr. Gustav), Reise in der Republik Guatemala, in Dr. A. Petermann's Mittheilungen.' 4. Gotha, 1873.