278 



The National Geographic Magazine 



progress has been made. The apphca- 

 tion of the United States Fruit Company 

 to purchase 15,000 acres in Stann Creek 

 district for banana planting and the clear- 

 ing and development of similar areas of 

 1,000 and 2,000 acres on the Sittee, Te- 

 mash, and other rivers will result in 

 steamers being able to load entire cargoes 

 in this colony, perhaps in 1907, some- 

 thing they have never been able to do in 

 the history of the fruit trade. 



PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND AMERICAN 

 GOODS 



"The connection of the Colonial and 

 Mexican telegraph systems has proved 

 satisfactory, and communication has been 

 almost constant. Two years ago tele- 

 grams were received by mail, three days 

 en route from New Orleans. On May i, 

 1906, electric light was used for the first 

 time in Belize. The plant and installa- 

 tion are American. 



"The $36,732 worth of machinery im- 

 ported into the colony is accounted for by 

 electrical demands and the growing pop- 

 ularity of the gasoline motor. There are 

 over thirty motor boats in British Hon- 

 duras. The longest route, of 140 miles, 

 Belize to Cayo, is now covered in thirty- 

 six hours, the best former time having 

 been five to seven days. 



"The United States supply this market 

 with about all packing-house products 

 imported. 



"The mail service, Belize to New Or- 

 leans, is weekly, and the contract with the 

 United Fruit Company that expired in 

 December has been renewed for five 

 years, with the subsidy of $12,000 per 

 annum, as before. The exports to the 

 United States in 1906 were of the de- 

 clared value of $817,192, and consisted 

 of the following articles: 



Articles. Value. 



Bananas $178,608 



Cocoanuts 85,250 



Chicle gum 250,895 



Cedar 12,738 



Hides 2,237 



Logwood 7,042 



Mahogany 238,277 



Plantains I2,7S6 



Rubber 24,097 



Sponges 2,923 



Other articles 2,369 



Total $817,192 



"The total imports were valued at 

 $2,019,000, of which the United States 

 furnished $1,008,000 worth." 



OUR SHARE IN THE COMMERCE OE CEN- 

 TRAL AMERICA 



The following tables are interesting as 

 showing the total annual commerce of 

 Central and South America, and the 

 share therein of the United States : 



