SALVADOR. 



729 



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SALVADOR, a republic in Central America. 

 Area, 18,7-0 square miles; population, Jan. 1, 

 1888, 664,513, an increase for 1887 of 13,383. 



(ioverument. The President is Gen. Francisco 

 Menendez, whose term of office will expire in 

 1891. In April, 1888, the Legislative Assem- 

 bly appointed vice-presidents, and to succeed 

 one another in the order in which their names 

 are given : Don Jos6 Larreynaga, Don Manuel 

 Delgado, and Don Jose Antonio Quiros. The 

 President's Cabinet is composed of the follow- 

 ing ministers: Public Instruction and Charita- 

 ble Institutions, Dr. Hermogenes Alvarado ; 

 Finance, Senor E. Perez; Foreign Affairs, 

 Justice, and Public Worship, Dr. Manuel Del- 

 gado; Interior, Dr. Rafael Reyes; and War, 

 Senor Arriola. The United States Minister to 

 the Central American republics is Hon. Henry 

 C. Hall, residing at Guatemala. The American 

 Consul at Salvador is Thomas T. Tunstall ; the 

 Salvadorian Consul at New York is Don Ma- 

 riano Pom ares. 



Finance*. Instead of owing any money 

 abroad. Salvador has lodged money in London 

 for the completion of its railroad. The home 

 indebtedness of $5,000,000 involves an annual 

 interest charge of $369,777. The Govern- 

 ment's expenditure in 1887 of $2,106,508 was 

 met by an income of equal amount. The 

 liquor-tax produced $818,040 in 1887. 



Army. A decree issued in August fixed the 

 strength of the military forces at 24,000, in- 

 cluding the militia, to be drawn by lot, all 

 Salva'lorians between the ages of eighteen and 

 forty-live capable of bearing arms to be sub- 

 ject to enrollment, with the exception of the 

 clergy. The Minister of War has procured 

 several infantry and artillery officers from the 

 Spanish army to drill the national recruits and 

 instruct Salvadorian cadets. 



(ommnnifations, In addition to the 1,231 

 miles of wire that were in operation in Sal- 

 vador prior to 1888. there were laid 180 miles 

 during the year, the number of offices being 

 increased from 68 to 74. 



In July, 1888, the Government made a con- 

 tract with Stanley McXider for the establish- 

 ment of a telephone plant and service in the 

 cities of San Salvador and Santa Tecla. The 

 concession covers a term of twenty-five years. 



1'onnneree. The trade of Salvador has devel- 

 oped of late years as follows : 



1883-'84. 1884-'85. 1885-'86. 



Imports 



Exports 6.i'65,799 



*2. 134.' >',>. r > 

 5.716.4-23 





During the last fisonl year named the trade 

 was distributed as follows, reduced to thou- 

 sands of dollars : 



Total. 



3.460 





The chief products exported were as follow : 

 Coffee, $5,024,283 ; indigo, $1,603.95-2 ; silver. 

 in bars, ^i.UU." : Peruvian balsam, $115,- 

 856; sugar, $108,139; brown sugar, $107,356. 

 There entered Salvadorian ports in 1886, 380 

 \e--ls, 317 being steamers. 



The American trade exhibits these figures: 



The increase during the last fiscal year is due 

 to the advance in coffee. 



Mining. The Chamber of Deputies, in their 

 last session, made a decision of great impor- 

 tance to mine-owners, by abolishing the taxes 

 upon transfers of mine property, which for- 

 merly amounted to five per cent, of the pur- 

 chase price. They have also removed the 

 duties upon all kinds of imported mining ma- 

 chinery and implements. 



Education. On July 1 was inaugurated, at 

 the University of Salvador, the Academy of 

 Sciences and Fine Arts, Don Jose Maria 

 Frances y Rosillo occupying the chair, and 

 Don David Guzman delivering the inaugural 

 address. The National Library was inaugu- 

 rated on March 15 at the capital. 



Agriculture. In April an agricultural school 

 was created in Salvador, with a model farm 

 and experimental station, to which are to be 

 admitted, at the expense of the state and mu- 

 nicipalities, at least two apprentices for every 

 department into which the republic is divided, 

 and as many paying pupils as may apply. 



Waterworks The Government has made a 

 contract with Senor Patricio Branon to pro- 

 vide the city of San Salvador with drinking- 

 ing-water, by means of steam machinery, at 

 the rate of 2,500 gallons an hour. The Gov- 

 ernment contributes toward the work the 

 sum of $15,000, advancing the concessionnaire 

 $0,000. 



Charitable Institutions. During the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1888, the expenditure in "Sal- 

 vador toward entertaining hospitals, work- 

 houses, and orphan asylums, and for pensions, 

 reached the sum of $142.217. toward which 

 the Government contributed direct $41,915. 



