THE ISLANDS OF GUADELOUPE AND DOMINICA 341 



Guadeloupe, although there is an extensive trade with the 

 United States and Great Britain. 



Guadeloupe is a department of France. The government 

 consists of a governor and his council, and a general legis- 

 lative assembly of thirty members. The jurisdiction em- 

 braces the islands of Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Maria 

 Galante, Desirade, Les Saintes, and half of St. Martin, pre- 

 viously mentioned. The colony is divided into arrondisse- 

 ments, cantons, and communes. The municipal councils 

 are framed on the French model, and the department is 

 represented in the French chambers by one senator and 

 two deputies. The revenue and expenditure of the island 

 each amounted to $1,305,000 in 1897. France, further- 

 more, expended $403,000 on the colony. No specie is in 

 circulation only notes of the bank of Guadeloupe. They 

 read, "Redeemable upon presentation in specie." No ex- 

 change is obtainable with the United States, and only a 

 limited exchange with Paris, at a premium of ten per cent, 

 for a draft of one hundred and twenty days. There are 

 ninety-seven elementary schools, with 11,000 pupils ; also 

 one li/cee, with 350 pupils. The imports for 1896 amounted 

 to $5,490,148 ; the exports, $4,700,000. One fourth of the 

 value of the imports in 1895 was from the United States, 

 but the island products went to France. 



Point-a-Pitre (population 17,100) is the principal seaport, 

 and is situated on the windward side of Basse-Terre. The 

 present town is new, but stands on a site where older 

 buildings have been destroyed by fire, earthquakes, and 

 hurricanes. It is laid out in broad streets with public 

 squares, and contains many large buildings with high 

 gabled roofs. There is an interesting museum containing 

 specimens of the animals and archaeological remains of the 

 island. The city has many official buildings, a cathedral, 

 a market-place, and some beautiful gardens. Point -a- Pit re 

 has suffered many disasters, especially a terrible earthquake 

 in 1843. 



Le Moule, on the east side of Grande-Terre, is as large 



