406 



GUATEMALA. 



$240,515. The number of messages sent in 

 1887 was 406,533, 152,757 being Government 

 dispatches. The aggregate receipts were $187,- 

 712, and the expenses $180,302. The number 

 of cablegrams sent from the central office in 



1887 was 2,457. 



Railroads. There were in running order in 



1888 the line connecting Guatemala with the 

 port of San Jose, and the one between Retal- 

 hulen and the port of Champerico ; together, 

 73 miles. Work was begun on the one which, 

 starting from Puerto Barrios on the Atlantic, 

 in the department of Livingston, is to join, at 

 Guatemala, the Hue connecting the latter with 

 the Pacific. A contract had been made for a 

 Hue between Quezaltenango and the port of 

 Ocos. A few miles were in operation between 

 Antigua, Guatemala, and Palin, in the depart- 

 ment of Amatitlan, as well as the branch line 

 between Guatemala and El Guarda-Viejo. 



Commerce. The imports and exports for five 

 years have been as follow : 



The duties collected in the five years aggre- 

 gated $8,541,960. The countries from which 

 the goods were imported in 1887 and the 

 amounts in thousands of dollars, were as fol- 

 low : 



In 1887 the coffee production in Guatemala 

 was 655,075 quintals, and there were ex- 

 ported, between Oct. 1, 1886, and Sept. 30, 

 1887, 503,305 quintals. The sugar production 

 in 1886 was 20,773,516 quintals; in 1887, 

 19,266,578. The molasses production in 1886 

 was 3,385,972 quintals; in 1887, 3,398,001. 

 Guatemala consumed, in 1887, 72,522 head of 

 cattle, and 85,415 hogs. The flour consump- 

 tion in the same year amounted to 7,459 tons, 

 of which there were ground in the country 

 4,207 tons, and 3,252 tons imported. 



The banana crop excites much attention on 

 the Atlantic coast. The export of this fruit 

 during 1887 was 117,514 bunches. Favorable 

 decrees on the part of the Government, by 

 which land can be readily purchased at a low 

 price (30 to 35 cents an acre), have stimulated 

 this industry. Many Americans have settled 

 in the section referred to, and either bought 

 plantations already producing or are planting 

 new ones. The rich alluvial lands lying along 

 the Dulce and Sarstoon rivers and on the 

 shores of Lake Yzabal are well adapted for 



this fruit. It is estimated that 250,000 banana- 

 plants were set out in 1888. The profits from 

 a well-managed banana-plantation are esti- 

 mated at from $75 to $100 an acre each year. 

 Bananas will come to perfection in their pro- 

 duction in the course of twelve to sixteen 

 months. The average cost per acre, up to 

 time of production, is $25. The price paid at 

 the port per bunch is 50 cents during seven 

 months, and 37i cents during five months in 

 the year. 



The American trade presents these figures : 



The rise in coffee and growing prosperity in 

 Guatemala cause a more liberal consumption 

 of American goods. There entered the ports 

 of the republic, in 1887, 400 steamers and 38 

 sailing-vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 

 510,465. Among the vessels arrived, 347 car- 

 ried the American flag, 39 the British, and 25 

 the German. By a decree of Dec. 20, 1887, an 

 extra duty of 15 per cent, has been levied on 

 all imported merchandise, dating from Jan. 1, 

 1888. The Government decreed early in 1888 

 that a 3 -per -cent, rebate on import duties 

 should accrue to merchandise shipped to Gua- 

 temalan ports, on board of steamers keeping up 

 a regular service to Atlantic ports of the repub- 

 lic, and 2 T 3 7 -per-cent. rebate on goods arriving 

 by steamers trading regularly to Pacific ports. 

 Entire freedom in all commercial transactions 

 between Guatemala and Mexico was estab- 

 lished in 1888, and a mixed commission is to 

 examine and adjudicate upon all claims made 

 by Guatemalan citizens against Mexico. 



Education. The number of schools in the 

 twenty-two departments, in 1887, was 1,027, 

 and the number of pupils attending, 50,000. 

 They are ncn-sectarian and compulsory. 



Immigration. While there arrived in 1887, 

 through the ports and across the frontier, 4,346 

 individuals, 4,061 left. Among those that ar- 

 rived 2,824 were Central Americans, 410 Mexi- 

 cans, 177 from the United States, 118 French- 

 men, and 124 Germans. The Government is 

 about to appoint a commission to devise plans 

 for the encouragement of immigration. 



Hospitals. On Jan. 1, 1887, there were un- 

 der treatment in the hospitals of the country 

 748 individuals; there were admitted during 

 the year 13,538 sick persons, and dismissed as 

 cured 12,212, only 727 having died. There 

 remained under treatment on Jan. 1, 1888, 

 1,343 individuals. The total expenditure for 

 the hospital service in 1887 was $108,570. 



Treaty. The treaty of commerce and navi- 

 gation and consular convention, concluded on 

 Sept. 20, 1887, between Guatemala and Ger- 

 many, was ratified and exchanged at Guate- 

 mala on June 22, 1888. 



