162 



(IDA AND l'UKTU RICO 



There are four hundred and seventy miles of telegraph 

 line under government control, and the principal eit [es have 

 telephone service. 



The trade of Porto Rico with other countries of impor- 

 tance is about a sixth of that of Cuba. In 1895 (according 

 to the " Estadistica General del Comercio Exterior ") it was 

 as follows : 



COUNTRY. 



IMPORTS. 



EXPORTS. 



Cuba 



Lesser Antilles 



United States 



Spain 



England 



France 



Germany 



Other European countries 



Total 



$808,283 

 1,709,872 

 1,506,512 

 8,572,549 

 1,765,574 



251,984 

 1.368,595 



371,485 



$16,155,056 



$3,610,936 

 625,010 

 1,833,544 

 5,824,694 

 1,144,555 

 1,376,087 

 1,181,396 

 828,709 



$14,629,494 



The foregoing figures show a balance of trade against the 

 island of $1,525,562, which was largely due, no doubt, to the 

 disturbances of the Cuban trade. " The Statesman's Year- 

 book " gives quite different statistics, showing an excess of 

 exports over imports amounting to about $1,650,000. 



The principal articles of foreign commerce in 1895, 

 according to the " Estadistica General del Comercio Ex- 

 terior " of Porto Rico (the latest published), were as follows : 



Imports 



ARTICLES. 



Coal 



Iron 



Soap 



Meat and lard 

 Jerked beef . . 



Fish 



Rice 



VALUE. 



$119,403 

 224,206 

 238,525 



1,223,104 

 133,616 



1,591,418 



2,180,004 



ARTICLES. 



Flour 



Vegetables 



Olive-oil 



Wine 



Cheese 



Other provisions 



Tobacco (manufactured) 



VALUE. 



$982,222 

 192,918 

 327,801 

 305,656 

 324,137 

 171,322 

 663,464 



