COLOMBIA I077 



is 10,557. The army has a strength of 7000 men. The navy comprises 9 vessels with 

 a personnel of 850. 



Under the regime of President Rafael Reyes, from 1905 onwards, the mineral, 

 agricultural and timber resources of Colombia were actively developed. The despatch 

 of Senor Enrique Cortes to the United States, as Colombian Minister, in 1907, had the 

 effect of directing North American capital to the Republic, and considerable United 

 States investments were made in mines and railways; among the latter was a line between 

 the cities of Palmira and Cartago, in the Department of Cauca, in addition to that of 

 Nemocon to Santa Rosa de Viterbo. Important tariff modifications were introduced, 

 exempting certain merchandise from the payment of import duties; and a decree was 

 issued for the protection of the national forests, containing specific restrictions applied 

 to the exploitation of rubber and tagua, or vegetable ivory. 



In February 1908 a new Province, that of Camilo Torres, was created by the division 

 of the province of Santander into two equal parts. Municipal government was also 

 much encouraged, and increased facilities were afforded to the people for a more decen- 

 tralised form of government. 



Political peace, after a war of three years' duration, was maintained with but few 

 interruptions between 1906 and 1909, when a wide-spread agitation against the govern- 

 ment of General Rafael Reyes, and threats against his person, were occasioned by the 

 introduction of an unpopular tripartite treaty between Colombia, Panama and the 

 United States. The entire country protested against ratification. This feeling was so 

 strong that the President's life was endangered, which led to his leaving the country 

 with great secrecy, by way of the little- used port of Santa Marta. He arrived in 

 England, on board a Manchester fruit-boat, accompanied only by his two young sons, 

 on June 28, 1909. After his departure, the Vice-President, General Jorge Holguin, for- 

 merly Minister of War, temporarily occupied the position of Chief Magistrate. His 

 most important enactments were the re-establishment of commercial relations with 

 Venezuela, after a break of several years; the settlement of the long-outstanding bound- 

 ary question with Peru ; and an ad referendum arbitration Convention between Colombia 

 and Peru, covering the navigation of the Amazon river and the commercial rights thereon ; 

 while arbitration treaties with Great Britain and France were also signed and approved. 

 The diplomatic and consular services of the republic were reduced to two in Europe 

 and two in America, with a total of eight consulates. 



In July 1909 revolts took place in the capital, and martial law was proclaimed. 

 Similar disturbances occurred at the chief port of the country, Barranquilla, where the 

 military revolted and a provisional government was setup. The feeling was strong 

 against General Holguin, on account of his close connections with the refugee ex-Presi- 

 dent Reyes. The popular demand for his resignation and the election of General Ramon 

 Gonzalez Valencia, the Vice-President, was conceded. The election took place on Au- 

 gust 4th, the period being for the remainder of General Reyes' unexpired term, about 

 twelve months. The American Minister to Colombia, Mr. Elliott Northcott, on ac- 

 count of the political situation, was unable to leave Barranquilla, and the U.S. Govern- 

 ment despatched the cruiser " Tacoma " to protect him. The port of Barranquilla 

 was blockaded by the Colombian gunboat " Cartagena." Shortly afterwards the revo- 

 lutionary leader, General Daniel Ortiz, surrendered, and was permitted to go free. 



The new Government speedily found that the reported improvement in the Repub- 

 lic's finances during the rule of President Reyes had been exaggerated; as a matter of 

 fact, the State was even more deeply involved financially than before. The Govern- 

 ment became seriously embarrassed, having no ready funds with which to meet even 

 pressing obligations, while the fees due to members of Congress remained unpaid. The 

 credit of the country fell very low, exchange being quoted in the ratio of i to 100. The 

 reported balance in favour of the country's trade, as in 1908, also proved to be inaccurate, 

 while the economy which was supposed to have been exercised in the administration 

 under the last President appeared equally fictitious, notwithstanding several decrees 

 that had been issued dealing with the matter. 



