SPAIN. 



Tho area of Spain is 196,080 square miles; 

 the population, according to the census of 1877, 

 16,623,384. Of the total population, 8, 1 82,741 

 were males, and 8,490,643 females. There are 

 iiNo _', ITii inhabitants in the Spanish possessions 

 of northern Africa, making in all 16,625,800. 

 Of this number, 40,741 were foreigners. 



The revenue was estimated in the budget 

 of 1878-79 at 750,680,202 pesetas (1 peseta= 

 19'8 cents), and the expenditures at 758,177,- 

 865 pesetas. The public debt on June 80, 1878, 

 amounted to 12,875,007,428 pesetas. 



According to a new plan of the Minister of 

 War, the Spanish army is to consist in time of 

 peace of 100,000 men, of whom 09,492 will 

 belong to the infantry, 10,130 to the cavalry, 

 10,232 to the artillery, and 4,140 to the corps 

 of engineers. Tho fleet in 1878 was composed 

 as follows : 



The area and population of the foreign 

 Dies are as follows : 



colo- 



The commerce in 1878 was as follows (value 

 in pesetas) : 



Of the total population of Cuba, 704,164 

 are whites, 844,050 free colored persons, 227,- 

 902 slaves, and 58,400 coolies. In Porto Rico 

 there are 363,484 whites and 298,060 free col- 

 ored. 



In the beginning of March a new Ministry 

 was formed, under the presidency of Martinez 

 Campos, who had shortly before returned from 

 Cuba. The Chambers were dissolved, and the 

 new Chambers were ordered to assemble on 

 June 1st, the election to take place for depu- 

 ties on April 20th, and for senators on May 8d. 

 In these new Chambers Cuba was to be rep- 

 resented for the first time by 12 senators and 

 40 deputies. The elections on April 20th re- 

 sulted in the return of 275 Ministerialists, 32 

 Constitutionalists, and 88 members of other 

 parties. Tho Ministerial majority, however, 

 was increased to over 300 with the deputies 

 from the colonies. The Government candi- 

 dates were returned in the majority of those 

 districts which elect but one deputy, and were 

 also at the head of the poll in the three-cor- 

 nered constituencies owing to the systematic 

 abstention of the Intransigente Federals. The 

 coalition of the Progressists, the Constitutional 

 party, and the friends of Castelar obtained for 

 the three groups respectively 8, 84, and 9 seats. 

 In the ranks of the majority more than 250 

 belonged to old followers of the last Cabinet 

 devoted to Canovas del Castillo. The rest were 

 chiefly Moderados, friends of Marshal Campos. 

 More abstentions took place under the limited 

 franchise bill than in 1876 with universal suf- 

 frage ; but the Liberals, who contested more 

 than 140 seats, were often beaten by a narrow 

 majority. In Madrid 7,000 out of 21,000 voted, 

 and in Barcelona 2,800 out of 8,200. The sen- 

 atorial elections also gave to the Ministry a 

 large majority in the Upper Chamber. 



The Cortes were opened on June 1st by the 

 King in person. In his speech from the throne 

 he said that the Government would continue 

 in the exercise of liberal principles, abolish 

 abuses in the administration, and be as eco- 

 nomical as possible. The relations to the foreign 

 powers were satisfactory. Proposals would be 

 made to relieve the distress caused by the war 



