224 



COSTA RICA. 



Committee of Ways and Means. He seldom 

 spoke in the House, and was too much en- 

 grossed with other affairs to be able to take 

 part in the minor details of its business. In 

 1866 Mr. Corning was elected a member of 

 the Constitutional Convention, wherein he 

 filled an honorable place on the Committee of 

 Finance. The infirmities of age, however, 

 prevented him from taking a very active share 

 in its proceedings. In 1833 he was appointed 

 a regent of the University, and was, probably, 

 the oldest member in service on the Board. 

 Besides his connection witli that body, he 

 evinced a warm interest in diffusing educa- 

 tion, and contributed liberally for that pur- 

 pose. Mr. Corning acquired great wealth. 

 The fortune which he has left to his only 

 son and child is estimated at not less than 

 $8,000,000. Some of his property consisted 

 of Western lands, including a single timber- 

 piece of 8,000 acres. He was a man of the 

 kindliest nature, and was held in high esteem 

 in Albany, having been for a half-century con- 

 spicuously identified with the growth and pros- 

 perity of that city. He retained his vigor of 

 intellect to the closing years of his active life, 

 and, during the last few years, added largely 

 to his already great accumulations. 



COSTA EICA (REPLICA DE COSTA EIOA), 

 an independent state of Central America, ly- 

 ing between 8 and 11 5' north, and longitude 

 81 20' and 85 53' west. It is bounded on the 

 north by Nicaragua; on the east and south- 

 east by the Caribbean Sea, and the United 

 States of Colombia, and on the west by the 

 Pacific Ocean. The area of the republic is 

 about 22,000 square miles, and the population 

 is estimated at 167,000; of which 100,000 are 

 whites, 50,000 mestizoes, 4,000 negroes, and the 

 remaining 13,000 Indians. The capital, San 

 Jose", has probably 26,000 inhabitants. Many 

 of the descendants of Europeans are of pure 

 Spanish blood, and dwell for the most part in 

 a comparatively small district on the Eio 

 Grande. President, J. M. Guardia, reflected 

 in 1872 for a term of four years. President 

 of the ministry, Dr. Montufar, Minister of For- 

 eign Affairs ; President of the Legislative Con- 

 gress, Mattheu ; President of the Chamber of 

 Deputies, M. A. Bonilla; President of the 

 Senate, T. M. Montealegre; Eegente of the 

 Supreme Court, M. Alvaredo; Commandant- 

 General of the army, General J. Salazar. Bish- 

 op of San Jose, A. Llorente (1851). 



By far the most important article of export 

 from Costa Eica is coffee ; the largest propor- 

 tion of which is taken by Great Britain ; next 

 in order come hides, cedar (logs, and planks) 

 pearl-shells, deer-skins, India-rubber, plants 

 etc. Almost the whole of the hides, deer- 

 skins, and India-rubber, go to the United States; 

 while the remaining articles are sent in pretty 

 equal proportions to the latter country, South 

 America, and Europe. 



The following table shows the exports for 

 the year ending September 30, 1871 : 



ARTICLES. 



Coffee (sacks) 



Hides 



Cedar (logs planks) .' '. 



India-rubber (packages) 



Deer-skins (packages) 



Pearl-shells, plants, etc 



Total.. 



Quantities. 



187,135 



9,463 



1,626 



104 



39 



198,373 



Value in U.S. Gold. 



$2,250,000 

 22,500 

 9.500 

 1,550 

 2.400 

 2,500 



$2,288.450 



The total crop of coffee was 212,000 sacks, 

 or 2,756,000 Ibs. 



The value of the imports for the same year 

 was estimated at $2,225,000 United States gold ; 

 about 70 per cent, of which was from Great 

 Britain, 20 per cent, from France, Germany, 

 etc., and 5 per cent, each, from the United 

 States and the other Central American repub- 

 lics. An aggregate of 80 steamers, with 125,466 

 tons, and 35 sailing-vessels, with 1,254 tons, 

 entered at the port of Punta Arenas in 1871, 

 and 80 steamers, with 125,466 tons, and 34 

 sailing-vessels, with 12,232 tons, cleared. Of 

 the total tonnage arrived, 188,007, by steam 

 and by sail, 126,417 tons were under the United 

 States flag ; but, of the 145,598 packages landed, 

 94,790 were in foreign bottoms, mostly British. 

 By far the greater part of the 25,684 packages 

 brought from Panama by American steamers 

 were likewise from Europe, and were chiefly 

 valuable goods, less precious commodities being 

 received by sail via Cape Horn. 



The two following tables give the items of 

 the national revenue and expenditure for the 

 financial year ending April 30, 1871 : 



KEVENUE. 



Tobacco monopoly $256.641 86 



Liquor. 403,618 78 



Gunpowder 5-234 25 



Stamped paper 14,053 49 



Post-office 10 14s 50 



Internal revenue 38 113 48 



Subsidies 1 3 ? 578 64 



Export duties on coffee 94'337 06 



Import duties 9*53 '<M8 32 



Court of justice fees '.'.'.'. e 650 83 



Licenses 11 1 861 45 



Church funds ' 11 '740 93 



Mint, and bullion-office 144'834 88 



Sale of beer 4 714 i 



Cattle-fines .' .' '845 62 



Public laws and titles 7 275 98 



Proceeds of loans 104,'440 00 



Sundries 119,747 66 



Total $1,501,785 94 



EXPENDITURES. 



Government and legislature $111 717 78 



Court of justice 45.251 72 



\V ar Department 131,547 54 



Public works, etc 199,116 23 



Custom-house and post-office 535,060 49 



Diplomatic and consular corps 12 956 83 



Ecclesiastical salaries 15,416 89 



Public instruction 10,26000 



Collection of monopolies 244'623 27 



Interest and liquidation of home debt 91,'890 01 



Cost of government brewery 7 557 89 



Advances to merchants 8,612 00 



Municipal expenses. 80,182 79 



State contractors 108,344 00 



Total $1,594,42744 



In 1862 the foreign debt of Costa Rica was 

 merely nominal; in 1867 the republic owed 

 $104,500 to Peru; and vigorous efforts were 

 made, during the two years immediately follov- 



