IM 



COLOMIil V 



The following table exhibits the total im- 

 port* Mid xporu for the yean ending August 

 II, 1848, I86i, 1870, 1871, and 1872: 



mo. 



Kftffi 



8.4J7.S7S 



8.1.17.000 

 8.077.153 



8.JMJM1 



The total value of the exports to Great 

 Britain, which in 1870 was $4,531, 395, reached 

 15,311,095 in 1871, and in 1872 amounted to 

 $5,096,176. 



Fully one-half of the trade is carried on 

 through the Isthmus, the exports and imports 

 of which in trantitu average each about $50,- 

 000,000. 



The direct exports and the imports for 1873 

 show an increase of 75 per cent, as compared 

 with those of 1870; owing, in the first place, 

 to the recent additions made to the steamship 

 line* running to Colon (Aspinwall); in the 

 second place, to the dispatch and facilities 

 offered during certain periods of the year by 

 the Panama line, and which are greater than 

 those presented by any other route for transit 

 to the Pacific ; and in the third place, to the 

 gradual development of the resources and 

 needs of the other Spanish- American republics 

 on the Pacific. 



About 75 per cent, of the exports via Aspin- 

 wall are fur the United States. 



The proportions of India-rubber taken by 

 the principal countries are : 



United Bute*. 75 percent 



Ofrtuaj 9 percent. 



* 8 per cent 



Greet BrtUln 8 percent 



ToUI 100 percent 



Boot* and shoes are for the most part im- 

 ported from Germany and France, where they 

 are made lighter and of better shnpe, ni< 

 more suitable for the Colombian market, than 

 those of American or English manufacture. 



The shipping returns for 1872 were as shown 

 ll !,. ..:.-. -., 1 : ,.;.. ; 



. MO with u ifirng*!* of. . 308.688 ton. 

 . 946 wlthminrejauof.. H.ontonn. 



. 1,W5 wlthnregteor.. 388,735 tonf. 

 cuumtu. 



within arreotte of. 

 MwhhuiCKKgiteof. 



307,71V toni. 

 87.907 ton.. 



Total ....... I.IW wUha3tregteof. S8S,870ton>. 



Steamer* ran weekly from Panama to th,- 

 principal Pacific port* Booth, and to San Fran- 

 oheo and intermediate ports north. To Aspin- 

 wafl there are American steamer* tri-mnnthly, 

 and Rercr.il British and French lines; nnd in 

 1871 an American lino won inaugurate'! 

 tMB New York, Santa Mart*, Snbanilla, and 

 Cartagena. Steamer* ply on the Hagdaleno, 

 bat the navigation i grndnall.r growing more 

 and more difficult, tardy, nn.l perilous; the 



greater part of the internal carrying-trade is 

 done by the bonyoi (already alluded to) on the 

 rivers, and by imik-s. Many new roads are in 

 process of construction, but much has yet to 

 be done in this res). 



Besides the railways from Panama to Colon 

 (48 miles), and from Sabanilla to Bananquilla 

 (18 miles), both in prosperous operation, pro- 

 posals were made in 1873 to build other lines 

 to the extent of 800 miles, the whole to be 

 completed in twelve years, at a nominal cost 

 of $85, 000,000. Some surveying and grading 

 has already been performed. 



The general direction of the lines and their 

 branches are as follows: The line from Carta- 

 gena to Magangne, leaving the first city, will 

 pass through Ternera, Turbaco, Arjona, Gam- 

 bole, Sincerin, San Basilio, San Cayetono, Son 

 Juan Nepomuceno, Son Jacinto, 1 Carmen, 

 Ovejas, Corozal, and end at Magangue. 



The line from Garrapata to Antioquia will 

 pass through Marinillo, Rio Negro, and Mede- 

 llin, the total length being 147 miles. 



The line from Puerto Nacional to Bogota, 850 

 miles in length, will touch at Aguachica, San 

 Antonio, Ocafia, Salazar (from which point will 

 be a branch, 28 miles long, to Cticnta), Snroto, 

 Rio Negro, Bucaramanga, Socorro (whence 

 will run a branch through Confines, Charata 

 to Loata, in all 86 miles long), Gnadalupe (from 

 which a branch lino will run by Suaita, Moni- 

 quini, Leiva, Tnnja, to Sogamoso, the distance 

 being 100 miles), Velez, Pnente Nacional, Chi- 

 quintira, Ubat6, Nemocoro, Cipaquira, and, 

 lastly, Bogota. The more important inter- 

 mediate stations only have been mentioned. 



Thus it is seen that these various lines will 

 pass through the principal agricultural and 

 mining centres, and will become more efficient 

 in developing the material interests of the re- 

 public than any other means which could bo 

 devised therefor. 



The estimated cost of these railways is 

 12,000,000, which, with the interest upon this 

 loan, would raise the capital to the nominal 

 sum of 17,000,000. 



Congress has already authorized the appro- 

 priation of $15,000,000 to be applied in pay- 

 ment of the interest, the rate of which is seven 

 per cent. 



It may not be uninteresting to give hero the 

 cost of freight from the coast to Bogota by 

 the old system of carriage mules, river- 

 steamers, and bongo$. One ton of merchandise 

 oort* $128, or about 17 cents per mile for the 

 whole distance of 750 miles. 



From the coast to Vclez the distance is 650 

 miles, and the cost per ton $86.50. 



The cost to many other places equal in im- 

 portance, but reached by more difficult routes, 

 is of course mnch higher still. 



The rates by railway, according to estimates 

 already made, would bo little more than half 

 the foregoing. 



The cost per mile of the lines above alluded 

 to, including tunnels, viaducts, largo bridges 



