MEXICO. 



511 



eminent of Mexico by that of the United States, 

 there is no Mexican Minister accredited to this 

 country. Seflor Zamacona is, however, act- 

 ing as unofficial envoy to Washington. 



The United States Minister Plenipotentiary 

 to Mexico is the Hon. John W. Foster ; and 

 the United States Consul-General at the capi- 

 tal, Dr. Julius A. Skilton. 



The army comprises 5,140 horse, including 

 297 officers ; 15,407 foot, including 765 officers ; 

 1,463 artillery, including 148 officers ; 93 coast- 

 guard, including 22 officers ; and 284 invalids, 

 including 19 officers: total strength, 22,387. 



In the absence of recent returns relating to 

 the finances of the Republic, reference may be 

 made to the ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 1876 

 (page 540). 



Minute and interesting details concerning 

 the state of public instruction in the year re- 

 ferred to are likewise to be found in the same 

 volume. 



We are also obliged to refer to that volume 

 for the latest commercial statistics, emanating 

 from sources of a trustworthy character. 



A report of Mr. Foster, the United Sjtates 

 Minister to Mexico, states that there is but one 

 railroad of any extent in Mexico, that which 

 runs from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, 

 with a branch connecting the latter place with 

 Puebla, 292J miles, and another branch run- 

 ning from within 9 miles of Vera Cruz to 

 Jalapa, 61 miles, making the entire length of 

 the Mexican Railway, 353f . All the other roads 

 in the Valley of Mexico aggregate less than 50 

 miles. Up to 1865 the surveys only had been 

 made, when the concession for the building of 

 the road was transferred from native hands to 

 an English company, by whom it was com- 

 pleted in 1872. The principal office of the 

 company is in London, The road is managed 

 by a board of 10, elected by the shareholders. 

 The cost of the construction of the road is gen- 

 eralized as follows : Original stock : general 

 shares, $7,658,450; government shares, $3,- 

 633,100; privileged snares, first issue, 8 per 

 cent., $12,770,500 ; second issue, 6 per cent., 

 $5,059,800. Bonded indebtedness: "A" bonds, 

 8 per cent., $2,200,000 ; " B " bonds, 7 per 

 cent., $5,380,885. Special indebtedness, $1,- 

 000,000. Total, $37,702,735. The total earn- 

 ings of the road during the year 1876 exceeded 

 $2,000,000, while the working expenses for the 

 same period were only a fraction over $1,800,- 

 000. The number of passengers carried over 

 the road for the year specified was 238,932, the 

 fares amounting to $354,559. The freight 

 amounted to 123,517 tons. Passenger rates 

 from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, 268 

 miles, first class, $16; second class, $12.50; 

 third class, $7.25. Freight rates per ton over 

 the same route : foreign goods, first class, 

 $76.05; native goods, $38.02; foreign goods, 

 second class, $65.18; native goods, second 

 class, $32.59 ; foreign goods, third class, 

 $54.32 ; native goods, third class, $27.16. Fif- 

 teen per cent, of the customs dues was set apart 



yearly to pay the subsidy dne the company on 

 the completion of the road, but the Government, 

 in lieu of this, has agreed to pay $560,000 

 yearly for 25 years. In consequence of the 

 steep grade of this road heavy English engines 

 have heretofore been used thereon, but at pres- 

 ent the American Baldwin engines are being 

 successfully introduced, and American cars are 

 also superseding the English make. The want 

 of railroads is acutely felt throughout Mexico, 

 and the subject of concessions for their con- 

 struction will, it is supposed, be a leading topic 

 at the next session of Congress. The capital 

 for their construction must come from abroad 

 to a large extent. 



A comprehensive summary of affairs in 

 Mexico during the last two years has been is- 

 sued at fhe capital, from which it appears that 

 when President Lerdo, who had succeeded 

 Juarez as Chief Magistrate of the country, with- 

 drew from the capital (November, 1876), after 

 a lengthened struggle with his enemies, it was 

 natural to suppose that, like his predecessor, 

 he would endeavor to establish his government 

 in some part of the Republic whence he could 

 transmit orders, and at the same time be 

 obeyed, although over a limited extent of ter- 

 ritory. His first period of office terminated 

 on November 30, 1876, according to the terms 

 of the constitution ; and the right to hold the 

 supreme command for another period was 

 only secured by reelection, while he was in- 

 vested with powers extraordinary by the Con- 

 gress. 



JORULLO VOLCANO. 



The President of the Supreme Court of Jus- 

 tice, appointed by law to become the President 

 of the Republic in the absence of the constitu- 

 tional President, had declared that the rights 

 of the latter had expired, and several of the 

 States had adhered to this declaration. The 

 President of the Supreme Court established his 

 government in Guanajuato, the troops of which 

 State upheld him, and it was not long before 



