io6 Geoarapbical IRotes on /IDejico. 



The statistical part of this paper will contain detailed information 

 about the number of schools established in each State, their cost, etc., 

 during the year 1895, which complements the information embraced 

 in this chapter. 



Libraries. Many great and noteworthy public and private libraries 

 attest the ineradicable love of learning characteristic of the Mexican 

 people. In 1894 there were in the Republic the National Library, with 

 200,000 volumes, and 102 other public libraries. There were in that 

 year 22 museums for scientific and educational purposes, and 3 meteo- 

 rological observatories. Our National Library at the City of Mexico 

 collected all the books possessed by the libraries of the different con- 

 vents when they were suppressed by the National Government, and 

 has therefore a very large number of rare and valuable books. 



Newspapers. The number of newspapers published was 363, of 

 which 94 are published in the capital : 4 in English, 2 in French, and i 

 in German, showing that the Press has not attained there the great de- 

 velopment that it has in this country. 



THE VALLEY OF MEXICO. 



The Valley of Mexico is one of the finest spots in the world. Sur- 

 rounded by high mountains almost at the foot of the two highest in 

 the country, Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl with a very rare and clear 

 atmosphere and a beautiful blue sky, especially after a rain ; it is really 

 a centre of magnificent scenery. The rareness of the atmosphere 

 makes distant objects appear to be very near, and when looking from 

 the City of Mexico at the mountains which surround the Valley, one 

 imagines that they are at the end of the City, while some of them are 

 at a distance of forty miles. The view of the Valley from Chapultepec 

 Hill, which is about one hundred and fifty feet high and distant about 

 three miles from the City, towards its western extremity, where our 

 military school now is and where the President has made his summer 

 residence, is one of the most beautiful with which the earth is endowed. 

 I have seen the Bosphorus, Constantinople, the Bay of Naples and other 

 spots in the world which are considered to be most remarkable for their 

 natural beauty, but T think the view of the Valley of Mexico from 

 Chapultepec can be advantageously compared with any of them, if it 

 does not excel them all. 



Six lakes are within the limits of the Valley, Chalco, Zochimilco, 

 Texcoco, Xaltocan, San Cristobal, and Zupango, the two former being 

 of fresh water and the others of salt water and, as they have no 

 natural outlet the City of Mexico has been deprived for some time of 

 a proper drainage and its health has been affected very materially 

 thereby. But the colossal undertaking of making an artificial outlet is 



