Aa BS4 PRESIDENT WHIFE LI BRARY, CORNELL UNIVERSITY. A, 762635 23lsa/ FY ew ee, - a SENT CONDITION RAN xv es 3 OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY HIPOLITO BILLINI New York TuHompson & MOREAU, PRINTERS, Nos. 51 & 53 MampEN LANE PRESENT CONDITION DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY HIPOLITO BILLINI New York THompson & MorEAU, PRINTERS, Nos. 51 & 538 MaipEN LANE yea : ss & — ie ae ay INTE PCO FS Soom 8 % 2 eats PW kG: iON ANNs CRIB nm i Sane is oe eNO FAW, 0 DNB psy my USNS iN! ora att i ay aN 4 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. The geographical information conveyed in this pamphlet is principally derived from the geographies of San Domingo by the Rev. Father Merifio and Mr. J. A. Guridi, from each of which works have been selected such portions as have appeared most solidly grounded on actual facts. In regard to the present population of the Dominican Repub- lic, all obtainable information furnished in the geographical works above referred to, differ widely from one another, and from the opinion of the compiler of this pamphlet, as well as from the estimates of several well informed Dominicans, whom the writer has consulted on the subject. And, as no census has been taken for some years, the figures given herein are, if not absolutely correct, as accurate as can be obtained under the circumstances. Statistics of importations, exportations, revenue and expenses of the government, education, births and deaths are derived from official reports of the government. All other information has been taken from the most reliable sources obtainable. Before concluding these introductory remarks, the writer desires to impress upon the reader the two following facts : First.—That when he began this task he had no idea of making it so extensive; he had been repeatedly applied to for information about the Dominican Republic, chiefly as to its revenues, expenses, imports, exports, &c.; but as fresh enquiries cropped up every day, it seemed to him advisable to extend the work to its present proportions. Srconp.—That the writer’s time in which to compile the present report has been very limited, which fact, coupled with the circumstance that this work had to be written in a language not his own, renders it liable to many errors. The writer, there- fore, relies on the indulgence of the reader to excuse its inac- curacies on the ground of its pussible utility. ConrteEnNTs. Parr I.—The Dominican Republic.—Geographical Posi- tion of the Island of San Domingo.—Topographical Description. — Territory. — Peninsulas. — Capes. — Promontories. —Gulfs and Bays.—Harbors.—Islands. —Keys.— Lakes, Part II.—Physical Geograph y.—Mountains.— V alleys.— Rivers. — Soil. — Climate. — Products. — Vegetable Kingdom (natural and cultivated).— Animal = —Minerals, . ‘ ; . : Parr ITI.—Government.— Form of Government.—Execu- tive, Legislative and Judicial Powers.—Town Coun- cils.—Territorial Divisions.— Provinces.—Districts.— Laws.—Treaties.— Revenue.— Expenditure.—Public Debt.—Customs.—Ports of Entry.—Exports.—Im- ports.—Articles Free of Duty.—Post-Office—Army. —Public Works.—Public Roads.—Public Lands, Parr IV.—Social Condition of the People.—Races.— Language. — Religion.— Population.— Edueation. — Character.—Births and Deaths.—Travelling —Synop- tical Table of Distances.—Markets. --Cost of Living. —Immigration, ‘ : : Parr V.— Industries— Agriculture. — Manufactures. — Commerce.—Newspapers.— Printing Presses.— For- eign Communications, Conciusion, ALPHABETICAL IyDEx, 10 20 39 49 54 57 “HLUYON ONIMOOT— YNVYWYS PART I. THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Geographical Position of the Island of San Domingo.—Topo- graphical Description.—Territory.— P eninsulas.— Capes. —Promontories.—Gulfs and Bays.—Harbors.—Islands.— Keys.— Lakes. GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF THE ISLAND OF SAN DOMINGO. The Island of San Domingo lies in the torrid zone, between 17° 36’ and 19° 58’ north latitude and 68° 25’ and 74° 30’ west longitude of the meridian of Greenwich. It is situated between Cuba and Porto Rico, east-south-east of the former and west- north-west of the latter island, and is washed on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the south by the Carribean Sea, the ’ ehannel known as the Windward Passage dividing it from Cuba, and the Mona Passage from Porto Rico. Its extreme length, from east to west, is close upon 600 miles, while its breadth, from north to south, varies from 30 to 240 miles. , Some geographers give it an area of 13,171 square miles, others 14,100, and many place it as high as 18,000. Of this extent more than two-thirds belong.to the Dominican Republic, the balance comprises the Republic of Hayti. The following remarks refer solely to the Dominican Repub- lie: TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION—TERRITORY. The territory of the Dominican Republic comprises what formerly constituted the Spanish portion of the Island of San Gi Domingo, and extends between the same degrees of northern latitude mentioned above, and from 68° 25’ to 72° 30’ longtitude west of Greenwich. It isseparated from Hayti by the boundary line, agreed upon in the treaty of Aranjuez entered into between France and Spain, on the 8rd of June, 1777, and these limits are shown in the maps of the island made by Sir Robert Schomberg and by Professor W. M. Gabb, and the one attached to this pamphlet. The following are some of the salient geographical features: of the Republic :— PENINSULAS. The Republic has a very important one at its north-eastern extremity, called Samana, which measures 33 miles long, by more than 12 miles wide. Coal is said to have been found on this peninsula, and its soil is very fertile. There is another one, of minor importance, on the’ north coast, called Manzanillo, in the maritime district of Monte-Cristy. CAPES. The principal are : On the South Coast—Cape Rojo, Cape F a Cape Beata, Cape Mongon. At the South-East—Cape Martel and Cape Falso. On the East Coast—Cape Cuerno, Cape Rafael, Cape Saman4 and Cape Cabron. On the North Coast—Cape Francés Viejo, Cape La Roca, Cape Isabela and Cape Publico. PROMONTORIES. The principal are: On the South Coast—San Luis, Arena, Regulado, Martin Garcia, Salina, Catalina, Nizao, pales, Torrecilla, Caucedo, Magdalena and Palmilla. On the South-Eastern Coast—Cuevita and Espada. On the Eastern Coast—Engaiio, Macao, Mangle, Balandra and Crapin. So een ey ¥ ve yee gi oe qty £ os CRUUME As AEE aly, GY ie, TE, eerercarhe ' i a reed ine : ' 1 boxevedle \ ’ LN RY YY Wo o 8 “ . rN Bech eesseey yi y 3 a e ine é ee Nt 2 8 + ye eereds Ni we co fur vance = 2 Ha = * 2 i * = 77” aes 4 “ rg cS ee .. ° e My <9 , me, bee w aoa? . Vo Fn, Regd ah Chee Ay, Ni oO c &e ‘ » T tet, os. 2, es C/U Z tee lee. TEL / CA -MAP SHOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MONO PASSAGE FOR ALL MARINE COMMUNICATION TO THE ATLANTIC COASTS OF ISTHMIAN CONNECTIONS WITH THE PACIFIC, AND THE DISTANCES BETWEEN SAMANA AND OTHER PLACES. MILES. MILES.‘ From Samana to New York, 1,500 | From Samana to Turk’s Island, . . 165 From Samana to Nicaragua, 1,000 | From Samana to Porto Rico, ‘ 60. From Samana to La Guayra, . : 600 | From Samané to Charleston & Savannah, 900 a At the North-Hast—San Juan, Lanza del Norte, Moron, Pescadores, Jackson, Sabaneta and Tres Amarras. On the North Coast—Goleta, Macoris, Patilla, Rusia, Mangle, Fragata and Icaco on the Bay of Manzanillo. GULFS AND BAYS. On the eastern coast is the Gulf of Samand4, one of the largest in the world, and capable of containing fleets of any size. Its waters are deep and sheltered from all winds, and its holding ground is admirable. The river Yuna, which is navigable for some 52 miles from its mouth, empties into this gulf. The strategical position of the Gulf of Saman4, situated as it is, in the centre of the most important West India Islands, and command- ing the most available passage for marine communication between the Atlantic Ocean and the Carribean Sea, is of extreme interna- tional importance, and renders it in fact the key of the Carribean Sea. This gulf is indented along its shores with the bays of Santa Barbara, San Lorenzo and Escondido, all of which are large and secure. On the same eastern coast are also the bays of Alta-Gracia, Higiiey, and others of minor importance. On the north-eastern coast are the bays of Escocesa and Balsamo. On the north coast are Soufflet, Isabela, Jicaquito, Monte- Cristy and Manzanillo. And on the south coast, Neiba, Ocoa, Caracoles, Caldera Andres, and Agua del Rey. HARBORS. The entire coast-line of the Dominican Republic is indented with many spacious, commodious and safe harbors, of which, commencing at the north-western extremity of the Republic, and following the coast-line to the Haytien frontier on the south coast, the principal are: Manzanillo, Monte-Cristy, Isabela, Soufflet, Puerto Plata, Puerto Cabello, Cabaret, Samana, Quiabon, La Romana, Soco, Macoris, Santo Domingo, Palenque, —_g— Nizao, La Caldera, the bay of Ocoa, Azua, Barahona, on the bay of Neiba, and Enriquillo, formerly Petit-Trou. With very rare exceptions, fresh water in abundance is obtainable at all the above harbors. ISLANDS. Beata.—At the South, 11 miles distant from the coast, 714 miles long by 4% wide. This island is covered by thick forests and abounds with wild cattle. Alta- Vela.—A small island off the south-west coast, which contains large deposits of guano. Catalina.—To the east of San Domingo City, 34 of a mile distant from the coast, 6 miles long by 3 wide. This island has a very fertile soil and its forests abound with valuable timber. Saona.—Towards the south-east. This island measures 18 miles, from east to west, and is about 634 miles wide. It is mountainous at both ends, and abounds with wild cattle and birds. Mona and Monita.—Lie a little to the eastward of Saona. The latter of these islands is very small, but the former measures 634 miles long by 114 wide and has a rich soil. Cabrito.—In the middle of Lake Enriquillo in the District of Barahona. It measures 6 miles by 3, and contains immense herds of wild goats and flocks of wild fowls. Baril de Beuf.—A small island in the bay of Manzanillo, on the north coast, near the western limit of the Republic. Pot de Fleurs.—A small island in the bay of Samané4, on the eastern coast. The Yasual Islands, five in number, off the north coast of the Peninsula of Samana. Cabras.—A_ small island on the north coast. KEYS. On the north coast lie Key Arenas and several others, near Monte-Cristy. On the eastern coast, in the bay of Samana, are the following Esc) Keys : Levantado, Pascal, Arena, Carenero Chico, Carenero Grande, Paloma, and Corozo. Off the northern coast of the peninsula of Samand, are: Las Cafias and Jackson. On the north coast is Key Soufilet. On the south coast: Pasage and Andres. On the north-east coast: Can and Cito. LAKES. Enriquillo, the largest within the territory of the Republic, is situated near Neiba in the District of Barahona. It is 54 miles in circumference (*), and 21 miles distant from the sea-coast. Its waters are salt, and have the same specific gravity as sea-water. It ebbs and flows with the tide. Nine small rivers enter into it. . At about its centre, is situated an island, Cabrito, some 6 miles long by 3 wide, which abounds in herds of goats, and . has a spring of fresh-water. The next largest lake to Enriquillo, and in proximity to it, is that of Del Fondo, which lies on the Haytien frontier, and one half of which belongs to the latter Republic. There are beside the above, fourteen smaller lakes in the Dominican Republic. (*). This circumference of lake Enriquillo is given by Father Valverde, Dr. Merifio and Mr. Guridi. The writer would not like to question such authorities, but thinks that, judging from the size of the island in its centre, and the degrees of longitude which the lake measures in the maps of the island, it has a circumference of a least one hundred miles. = 10 PART II. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. Mountains.— Valleys.— Rivers.—Soil.— Climate.—Products.— Vegetable Kingdom (natural and cultivated).—Animal Kingdom.— Minerals. MOUNTAINS. The mountain systems of the Republic may be divided into three main ranges, subdivided as follows : The mountains of Samand4, Macoris, Monte-Cristy, Cibao, Constanza, San Rafael, Hilera Central, Jaina, Neiba and Babaruco. Following is a list of the principal mountains and their respective elevations above the level of the sea : NAMES. FEET. Monte Tina (*), . : : : 10,302 Pico del Yaque, : . : : . 9,690 Monte Cucurucho, ‘ : 7 ‘ 7,232 Loma Rio Grande, . : : : . 6,899 Pico del Norte, . 7 : 6,447 Loma Panza, . : 5 ‘ : . 6,201 Monte Cuenreli, . 4 4 5,192 Monte Nigua, : . 4,425 Monte Barrero, . ‘ 4,101 Monte Bost, . : : 3 : . 4,068 Loma Diego de Ocampo, —. 5 . 4,008 Monte Mijo, . ‘ : : . 3,921 Loma Leguosa, . : : E : 3,592 (*) Dr. Merijfio calls attention, in his geography, to the erroneous statement of Humboldt and La Sagra, both of whom state that Pico Turquino, on the a VALLEYS. There are a great number of extensive and fertile valleys in the territory of the Dominican Republic, they are watered in all directions by large and small rivers. The principal are : At the North. — Pto. Plata, 135 miles long by 21, 15 and 9 miles wide. Vega Real, 300 miles long by 30, 36 and 45 miles wide. Despoblado de Santiago, Contanza, and Maimon. At the South.— Bani, 36 miles long by 24,18 and 12 wide. Azua, of about the same extent. Babaruco, 30 miles long by 24 wide. Neiba, 45 miles long by 24 wide. Besides the foregoing, the following, of more or less extension, deserve mention : San Juan, San Tomé, Valle Océano, Hincha and Guaba. At the East. — Los Llanos, 171 miles long by 30 and 36 wide. RIVERS. The Artibonito, on the west, its affluents are: Los Indios, Cafias, Guayamuco, Libon, La Tomba, Onceano, Todo el Mundo and Ibarra. The Yuna empties in the Gulf of Samand, its affluents are: Tireo, Camu,’ Yuboa, Juan Manuel, Maguaca, Merigal, Jayé, Jicaco, Cebico, Payabo, Guabd, Yuca, and other small ones. The Yaque, on the north, affluents: Jimenoa, Bao, Anibaje, Jacagua, Navarrete, Amina, Animijo, Mao, Gurabo, Quinigua, Jacuba, Lajas, Maguaca and Macabon. The Neiba or Yaque, on the south, affluents: San Juan, Mijo, Puerto Medio and Cuebas. The Camu, an affluent of the Yuna, has Rio Verde, Jima, Yaguaza, Bocui, Nona, Guacamayo and Licei as tributaries. The Jimenoa, an affluent of the Yaque, of the north, has itself three tributaries. south coast of the island of Cuba, is the highest mountain in the Antilles, The fact is that Monte Tina is the true apex of this mountain system. The height of Pico Turquino is 7,986 feet or 2,316 feet less than that of Monte Tina. —19— The Pedernales, with one affluent. The Nayahuco, with three affiuents. The Ocoa has Banilejo, Frio, Blanco and some streams as tributaries. The Nizao, affluent: Yaguate and two streams. The Jaina, affluents: Guanamitos, Mana, Susta, Medina, Madrigal, Cuayd and several small streams. The Ozama, affluents: Bermejo, Limon, Congo, Isabela, Yabacao and Santa Cruz. The Isabela, an affluent of the Ozama, has Jigueroa as trib- utary. The Macoris empties in the port of its name, and has as afflu- ents: Casui, Lajas, Avijas, Libanos, Dos Rios, Iguamo, and others. The Soco, on the south-east, whose affluents are: Magarin, Anaméa, Cibao, and three others. The Quisibani, on the east, with two affluents. The San Lorenzo empties in the bay of its name. It would take very long to enumerate all the rivers, for the island is crossed by them in all directions; besides the principal rivers, it has more than four thousand small ones (*). Principal rivers, with their respective lengths and the dis- tances to which they are navigable from their mouths: NAMES. LENGTH. NAVIGABLE. Artibonito, . ‘ . 287 miles. 99 miles. ‘Yuna, : : : 225 « 52“ Yaque,N. . ‘ « 210-* 51 « Neiba, or Yaque,S. . 199 “ 36“ Ozama, : : . 60 * 22 « Cami, , : 63 Q1 « Cafias, . d : . 51 “ 17 & Ocoa, : : . 60 “ 15 Isabela, : : . 46 « 12 « (*) The rivers in the territory of Hayti, are not mentioned, with the excep- tion of the Artibonito, which rises in the Dominican Republic and enters into Hayti. fas SOIL. The soil of the Dominican Republic is as varied as its sur- face. As the latter eomprises high mountains, extensive table- lands, rugged precipices, sloping hills and level valleys, so the soil of San Domingo embraces, probably, about every class known on the face of the world. It is, in places, rocky, as on the mountain ranges, gravelly as on its hilly slopes, and varies in almost every separate locality; but one of its important character- istics, of which there is no question, is its fertility, and its perfect adaptability to almost every agricultural industry, as any soil to be found anywhere. Of the truth of this assertion, no more con- vincing proof can be adduced, than the enormous variety of its natural productions, by which is meant productions uncultivated. Its forests teem with mahogany, a tropical tree, while a few miles off, perhaps at a slightly higher elevation, will be found woods of white or yellow pine, supposed to belong to temperate climates. And the same rule of almost endless variety of pro- duce extends to every branch of its natural productions. To enumerate what plants, flowers, grain, roots, seeds, gums, &c., San Domingo produces, would be an almost endless task; to designate what it is not adapted to produce, almost an impossible one. Suffice it to say, that, with every variety of climate, every variety of elevation, from the sea level to an altitude of thousands of feet, every variety of aspect and solar exposure, with so abundant a rainfall, and so extensive a system of water courses, as to form almost a net-work of water throughout the whole area of the Republic, San Domingo produces, or can be made to produce, every species of the vegetable kingdom useful to man. Too much stress cannot be laid on the fact, that the soil, alike of its slopes, as well as the incomparable fertile vegetable deposits of its val- leys, is being everlastingly renewed and reinvigorated by the enormous amounts of vegetable debris, scattered over its entire surface by the torrential rains and its unequalled net-work of water courses. CLIMATE. ; The climate of San Domingo is, of course, from its topogra- —14— phical position, a tropical one, that is, that from its proximity to the equator, the caloric rays of the sun occasion about the same temperature as at other places in a similar latitude. But not only is the latitude of a place no reliable clement, whereby to judge its temperature, but frequently an entirely erroneous one. Places in the centres of large continents, are always hotter in summer and colder in winter by reason of their very distance from the ocean. Altitudes again determine temperature. Places situated on the sea-coast, under the equator, are hotter than cities in the. same latitude perched on the crests of the Andes or Himalayas. Again, islands whose summits are even but slightly elevated above the level of the sea, are cooler than continents in similar latitudes. While islands even in the tropics, which can boast of lofty mountains, are invariably and necessarily of a more tempe- rate range of thermometer, than flat and sterile keys similarly situated. If, again, a tropical island, of a mountainous topogra- phical character, still retains a fair proportion of her primeval forests; if, in fine, it possesses sufficient tree vegetation on its mountain tops to arrest rain clouds, draw their moisture, in such very action of arresting and drawing the passing water, held in suspense in said rain-clouds, it necessarily tempers the heat caused by the sun’s rays. And this is exactly what is found in San Domingo. It is a tropical island, of an average breadth of only some 150 miles from north to south; it is a very mountainous island, its highest altitude, Monte Tina, having an elevation of 10,802 feet above the sea, a higher one than that of any other mountain in the West Indies, and its mountain ranges are covered with a dense forest vegetation. The result of these physico-geographical elements is that in San Domingo a very agreeable average climate rules, with the sole exception of that of very low-lying lands in very hot weather. In such latter places the thermometer registers generally some 84° Fahr. during the middle of the day, occasionally but seldom rising to 90° or 91°, though it falls considerably during the night. But the temperature of these localities, in the months of summer, would be a very unjust criterion on which to base the average degree of heat of the 245 country. On high lands, even during the hottest hour of the day and in the hottest days of the year, the temperature is agreeable, and the nights cool throughout the island with most rare exceptions. These cool nights are due to the north winds, which set in, as regularly as clock work, at all seasons of the year, from the Atlantic Ocean, and which commence to blow at 8 o’clock in the evening, and continue until 8 A. M. The south wind blows during the day from the Carribean Sea, and is called the brisa. But the main element which, in conjunction with these two winds, renders the climate of San Domingo so varied, is the great variety of the elevations and depressions of its surface, its mountains, hills and valleys. The territory of the Republic is traversed from about east north-east to west south-west by three main ranges of mountains, of which one is near the north coast in the District of Puerto- Plata. Between this range and the grand central one of the island lies the beautiful and fertile valley of La Vega Real. On the southern slope of this central range, and separating it from the southern range, known as the cordillera of Babaruco, lies the splendid valley of Azua. When it is borne in mind that each of these main ranges sends out spurs north and south into the adjoining valleys along the entire length of the island, that each of these spurs, as well as their parent mountain chains, is covered with dense tropical forests, the reader will readily understand why San Domingo justly boasts of the greatest rainfall in the world. These facts also explain why the climate of San Domingo varies in particular localities, almost, if not quite as much, as the very elevation or position of these places. Thus, in the northern section of the country, known as the Cibao, which comprises the provinces of La Vega and Santiago, and the districts of Puerto- Plata and Monte-Cristy, the temperature is cool almost all the year, and frost is of common occurrence, at night, in this section, at all seasons of the year. The rainy season begins in May and lasts until October, the greatest rainfall occurring in May and June. The regular dry i= season lasts from February to April, but it rains occasionally even during these months. The hottest months are June, July and August. As a general rule, light woolen clothes are worn during the six winter months, and linen during the rest of the year. The South sea breeze, flowing continually across the whole breadth of the island, renders it one of the healthiest places, and does not allow any diseases of an epidemic nature to take root. VEGETABLE KINGDOM.—NATURAL PRODUCTS. The following are the principal natural products of the Dominican forests and plains : . Woods.—The variety of them is very great, and almost all could find ready markets abroad, as they are of the most useful and valuable kinds. Mahogany is of the best quality known, and is very abundant. There are also in the Republic whole forests of white and yellow pine, cedar, oak, ebony, satinwood, lancewood, palm-trees of sundry varieties, Lignum-vite and other woods. Dye-woods—abound ; among which may be mentioned fustic, logwood, Brazil-wood and Divi-divi. Medicinal Plants—Among the prominent ones, and which formerly figured largely in the exports of the island, are: cassia (two kinds), castor-oil, vanilla, sarsaparilla, licorice, mustard, copaiba, cinchona bark, rhubarb and Guiana bark. Fruits and Flowers.—It would be difficult to find a place where tropical fruits and flowers of endless varieties flourish uncultivated in greater abundance than in San Domingo. A plant worthy of mention is a species of palm, from the clusters of the fruit of which a very good quality of vegetable wax is obtained, which bleaches easily in the sun, and is equal to the bees-wax of commerce. VEGETABLE KINGDOM—CULTIVATED PRODUCTS. There exists in the territory of the Republic, an almost infinite variety of plants cultivated for consumption and exportation, a Fe among which the following are the most prominent : sugar, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, plantains, bananas, cocoa-nuts, yams, yuca, sweet potatoes, corn, beans, ginger, cotton, indigo, tea, bija*, potatoes, &e. Several abandoned vineyards have lately been found in the Province of Santiago and others in the vicinity of Puerto Plata, and of these some have been reclaimed and put under cultivation. The vines are of a very good quality and the first experiments have produced a very fair red wine. ANIMAL KINGDOM. Horned Cattle——There are in the Republic many places adapted for the raising of cattle. In the valley of San Juan, in the Province of Azua, large herds of cattle exist which find their way across the frontier to the Haytien markets. During the Cuban revolution a great number of cattle were shipped from ports of the province of Seibo, at the south-eastern extremity of the island, to supply the necessities of the Spanish army. When the island flourished, some years after its conquest by the Spaniards, immense herds of cattle were exported from San Domingo every year. In the fleet that left the island for Spain in 1587, among the articles exported were a large number of cattle; of these, one rancho only, called “Corambre,” supplied 35,444 head. Goats.—There are several herds in the districts of Barohona and Monte-Cristy, as also in Bani, in the Province of Santo Do- mingo. Sheep are also raised in some sections of the Republic. Horses, Mules and Donkeys.—The native horse is not so large as the European, but stands work and fatigue very well ; they are abundant in the Republic. There are very fine specimens of mules. The donkeys are large and strong and very numerous. * Annato (Fr. Rocow.) A small red grain, contained in a pod, of which a paste is made of a bright red color, which is used to color and flavor butter, cheese, cooked meats and other eatables, as pimento is used. Annato however, unlike pimento, is not hot tothe taste. In the sixteenth century, large quantities of this grain were exported, principally to the French markets. 2 p8s Swine—There are two kinds of them and they are very abundant. Throughout the territory of the Republic there exist herds of wild cattle, goats and swine, which flourish and increase on the natural pasturage of the country. Bees.—N otwithstanding the very primitive manner in which this industry is worked, the natural flora of the island is so rich that very large quantities of wax and honey figure among the ex- ports from San Domingo. Lately, near Santo Domingo City, a gentleman, Mr. Shoboeker, has devoted considerable attention to the develop- ment of this industry on a scientific basis, and according to his statement to the writer, the results obtained have far exceeded his expectation. Birds.—The same can be said as of the fruits and flowers. Fish.—The waters of the coast and rivers swarm with fish of all sorts, more than fifty kinds being known. Shell-fish.—Turtles, terrapins, crabs of various kinds. lobsters, oysters and clams are found in endless quantities. It is a well-kuown historical fact, that in the early days of the Spanish occupation of San Domingo, say in the sixteenth century, the productions of the island were so enormous that the markets of Spain were unable to buy them, and the king was obliged to annul the prohibition, which prevented any other country from trading with the island. In consequence of the opening of the ports of San Domingo to foreign trade, advan- tage was at once taken of it by Holland and other European countries. MINERALS. Mines of gold, silver, copper, tin, iron, magnetic iron, sulphur, salt and quicksilver abound throughout the Republic. Coal is said to have been’ found in the Peninsula of Samana. There exist likewise porphyry, marble, slate, tale, jasper, granite and alabaster. Precious stones have also been found, among them diamonds, rubies, opals and emeralds, and among the minerals of lesser value jet and others. SG The historian Herrera, in his work entitled the Cronica de las Indias, states, that in former times, gold was coined four times a year, twice at the mint of Buenaventura, twenty-four miles from the Capital, and twice at the mint in the city of La Vega. He further states that at these two places they produced gold coins every year, at the period of which he speaks, to the value of about $500,000. The period to which he refers was at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Oviedo, in his work on San Domingo, states, what must be patent to everybody, that the method of working these gold mines was excessively imperfect. Of course, the only mines which the Spaniards could work, in those early days, were placer mines, or gold washing, because stamp-mills for crushing ore containing gold, were unknown at that date. There seems to be no reason to question another statement of Oviedo’s, to the effect that vast amounts of this gold so produced, was hidden away and hoarded, and not coined, in order to avoid the tax of 20 per cent., which the Crown claimed on all gold taken from the ground. Mines of silver and copper were also worked by the Span- iards at the date referred to. One historian records the finding of a nugget of gold, in the sands of the River Jayna, valued at $3,600, and he mentions fur- ther, how this piece of gold was lost in a hurricane in July, 1502, in which a flotilla of twenty-three vessels, which had left San Domingo with enormous amounts of treasure aboard, was lost with all hands. The French historian, Charlevoix, says, in refer- ence to the amount of gold bullion lost on this occasion, that the ocean probably never swallowed so rich a booty. Besides the minerals mentioned above, petroleum has been found in the Province of Azua. PART IIL. GOVERN MENT. Form of Government.—Executive, Legislative and Judicial Powers.—Town Councils.—Territorial Divisions.—Prov- inces.—Districts.—Laws.— Treaties.— Revenue —Expend- ture— Public Debt.— Customs.— Ports of Entry.— Hxports. —Imports.— Articles Free of Duty.— Post-Office— Army. —Public Works.— Public Roads.— Public Lands. FORM OF GOVERNMENT. The form of Government of the Republic is essentially civil, republican, democratic, representative, alternate and responsible, and it is divided into, and exercised by the following powers, viz: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. THE EXECUTIVE. The President is elected by direct vote of the people, for a term of two years. He cannot be re-elected to office, until after the expiration of an entire term, counting from the date of the termination of his own. He appoints his respective Secretaries of Departments, in unison with whom, he exervises the powers conferred upon him by the Constitution. 1 THE LEGISLATIVE. This power is exercised by a Congress of twenty members, two from each Province and two from each District. These members of Congress are elected by direct vote of the people, and their term of office is for two years. — 91 — THE JUDICIAL. The Judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court of Justice and in the Tribunals and inferior Courts. The Supreme Court, in which is vested the First Judicial ' Magistracy of the Republic, consists of a President and four Ministers, who are elected by Congress, and an Attorney- General appointed by the Executive. The members of the Supreme Court hold office for four years, and may be re-elected indefinitely. Each province and district has a tribunal of first instance, TOWN COUNCILS. These are free and independent bodies elected by the people in their respective localities, and whose functions and attributes are the financial government of their Communes, subject always to the rules prescribed by the Constitution. TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS. For the government of the Republic, its territory is divided into five Provinces and five Districts. The Provinces are Santo Domingo, Azua, Seibo, La Vega and Santiago. Originally, and until after the last expulsion of the Spaniards in 1865, the whole territory consisted of the five Provinces, but as other interests, principally commercial ones, had acquired, in certain localities, as much or more importance than those of the Provinces of which they formed integral portions, these localities were separated from such Provinces, and constituted into independent Districts, called Maritime Districts ; and of these two, viz., those of Puerto Plata and Samana were recognized as independent districts by the Constitution of 1865. The other three maritime districts, viz., those of Monte-Cristy, Macoris and Barahona have been constituted since that date, in the above respective order of creation. The wisdom of this step is best proved by the growth of the commercial importance of all these places. Macoris, which was constituted into a maritime district in 1879, was at that date only a small fishing village, is now a port of entry, and boasts of several prominent business firms, wharfs, brick warehouses, and scores of other proofs of growing commercial prosperity. The Provinces and Districts are subdivided into Communes and Cantons, each of which exercises its right of suffrage in electing deputies to the National Congress for the Province or District. These communes and cantons are usually constituted with regard to their respective population and agricultural or commercial importance, by act of Congress, generally at the request of the Executive, to whom has been previously presented a petition to that effect by the inhabitants of the place. By Article 1X of the Constitution of 1858, no place could be constituted into a commune unless it contained five thousand inhabitants. And inasmuch as these communes and cantons have legislative repre- sentation in Congress, the deputies elected by such communal and cantonal suffrages constitute, in fact, the real basis of the universal direct will of the people. PROVINCES (*). I.—SANTO DOMINGO. The City of Santo Domingo is the Capital of the Province of the same name, as also of the Dominican Republic. It is a mari- time city, and port of entry. It contains about 22,000 inhabi- tants. It is situated on the south coast, on the west bank of the mouth of the River Ozama. It contains many churches and a very fine and solid cathedral. These and many others of its fine buildings are of stone. Almost all the houses of the city are of stone and brick, and are spacious and commodious. The streets are straight and wide, and interspersed through the city are several plazas and squares. It is the oldest existing city in this hemisphere. It possesses a professional institute, a normal school, a mili- (*) Inthe following details of the separate Provinces and Districts, are given only those of the Capitals of each. The number of the population, assigned to each respectively, is not that of said Provinces and Districts,’ but that of the jurisdiction of each Capital. a tary academy, a school of drawing and painting, four colleges— one for boys and three for girls,—one preparatory school, one institute for young ladies, one seminary and twenty schools for both sexes, as well as five night schools. It has also a Superior Board of Education, as well as a Provincial one, and a Municipal Board of Public Instruction. Not including the students of the professional institute, or those of the seminary, there are in San Domingo City thirty-eight schools, with an average attendance of 1,243 pupils. There are, moreover, in the city, three literary societies and a public library. Santo Domingo City also has four hotels, a military hospital, a private hospital, a house of refuge, and an asylum, many Cath- olic churches and a Protestant one. Seventeen newspapers are published in the city, of which one daily and the rest weekly. There are five printing establish ments. The city contains one factory of soap, one of vermicelli, several distilleries of rum, four brick-yards, two tanneries, several manufactories of cigars and cigarettes and three of chocolate. There is also a horse railroad running through the principal streets of the city, a continuation of which is being built to con- nect several of the adjacent sugar estates with the wharves on the Ozama river. At the entrance of the river Ozama is a light-house, with a revolving light. On the banks of the Ozama is a wharf, with a depth of more than seventeen feet of water, as also warehouses, the property of a joint stock company, which has, during the past three years, paid dividends of 50 per cent. per annum on its capital stock. The bar at the mouth of the Ozama river has been shallowing for some years, by reason of the deposition of the sand carried down by the river, rendering the crossing of it, at some times, by vessels drawing over 12 feet, a matter of much difficulty and danger. Works, for the deepening of the channel, have been commenced this year by Mr. Greenbank of London, under a concession from the Dominican government. This work is pro- SOY tae gressing rapidly, and within a very short time vessels drawing 14 feet will experience no difficulty in crossing the bar. In the Province of Santo Domingo there are seventeen large sugar estates, the area of the cultivation of which, as well, of course, as the crops, are increasing enormously each year. The oldest of these estates was commenced not more than ten years ago, but the progress of this agriculture, great as it is, is easily explainable by the facilities, natural elements and economy of production, which San Domingo affords to the sugar planter. On the Bay of La Caldera, south-west of the Capital, large deposits of salt, the produce of natural evaporation, are worked. Il.—PROVINCE OF AZUA. This Province adjoins that of Santo Domingo on the west, and extends to the Haytien frontier. The City of Azua, which is the Capital of the Province, is situated 96 miles west of San Domingo City, and some 434 miles from the south coast. It isa port of entry and contains some 14,000 inhabitants. It has one newspaper, one printing establishment, and several schools for hoth sexes. The Province of Azua contains two sugar estates on a large scale, besides several smaller ones. Petroleum and sulphur springs exist in this Province. In the valley of San Juan there are several very large herds of cattle and horses, which go generally to the markets of the neighbouring Republic of Hayti. IIIL.—PROVINCE OF SEIBO. This Province adjoins that of San Domingo on the east, and extends to the eastern end of the island. Its Capital, Seibo, is distant 129 miles east of San Domingo City, and contains some 12,000 inhabitants. It possesses a very fine gothic church and several schools. The soil of this Province, which consists principally of enor- — 95 — mous plains, is admirably adapted, by reason of its very rich pasturage, for the raising of cattle and swine. IV.—PROVINCE OF LA VEGA. This Province adjoins that of San Domingo on the north, and its bounded on the north-west by that of Santiago. Its Capital, La Vega, a city of about 11,000 inhabitants, is situated in the interior, about 165 miles nort-west of San Domingo City. The valley in which the City of La Vega is situated, is one of the most fertile in the world, and the city will shortly be connected by rail- road with Santiago, the Capital of the Province adjoining it on the north-west, and with the port of Samand4 on the east. In this Province are situated the beautiful and important City of Moca, which has some 19,000 inhabitants, and the town of San Franciseo de Macoris which has about 16,000. V.—PROVINCE OF SANTIAGO. This Province is bounded by that of La Vega on the south, and by the Haytien frontier on the north-west, and by the District of Puerto Plata on the north. Its Capital, Santiago, a city of about 34,000 inhabitants, the most important and beautiful city in the Republic, is situated on the banks of the river Yaque. It is the centre of business for the northern portion of the Republic, called Cibao. It contains many colleges and schools for both sexes, one normal school, one public library, and several literary societies. Five newspapers are published in it and it has three printing establishments. Jt stands in the same valley as the City of La Vega, and will shortly be connected by railroad with the port of Samana. Santiago, by reason of its commanding topographical position, would appear destined to become, some day, the capital of the Republic. If not so advanced as the present Capital, as far as regards newspapers, printing establishments, schools, de., it possesses several other features, among them, the refined and p= agreeable manners of its inhabitants, which renders it one of the most pleasant places of residence in the Republic. DISTRICTS. I.— MONTE-CRISTY. This Maritime District lies to the north-west of the Province of Santiago. Monte-Cristy, its Capital, with a population of some 2,000 people, is a small town, situated at the northern end of the District, on the bay of the same name. It is a port of entry and its principal exports are dye-woods. Two newspapers are published in the district. A valuable concession has lately been granted by the Govern- ment, to a very wealthy firm in Monte-Cristy, by which it is authorized to build a canal connecting the river Yaque with the port, and the work will be commenced without. delay. Its com- pletion will increase the business and importance of Monte- Cristy enormously, because it will develope a most important business, conveying lumber and dye-woods from the interior to the port of export, which can not now be done with economy, on account of the distance and the bad condition of the roads. I. — SAMANA. This District occupies the north-eastern peninsula of the island. Its Capital, Santa Barbara, a port of entry, is a small town of some 2,500 inhabitants, situated on the north shore of the Gulf of Samand. It possesses schools for both sexes, two news- papers and a public library. As soon as the railroad, now being built, connecting Santiago and La Vega with Samana, is completed, the port of Saman4 will be one of the most important in the Republic. In the District there are two sugar estates, which have been started recently. Samana is justly celebrated for the abundance, variety and quality of its tropical fruits, the pine-apples of this section being phenomenal for their size and sweetness. Cocoa, =o bananas and cocoanuts abound all through the district, and are largely exported. Undoubtedly Samand4 could compete favorably with the Cuban port of Baracoa, if the fruit-carrying vessels would call there, and establish a regular trade with the ports of | this country. Lately, some privileges were applied for to the Domini- can Government by a-mercantile firm of New York for the purpose of establishing plantations for bananas and other fruits, and for a regular line of small steamers in which to bring their produce to the United States. The government has granted a concession, in which several franchises are allowed to parties establishing this business, and in all probability the steamers will begin their regular trips shortly. III.—MACORIS. This District, which originally formed part of the Province’of Seibo, was erected into a Maritime District in 1879. It bounds the Province of Santo Domingo on the east, and is situated on the south coast. Its Capital, of the same name, is a rising town, at the mouth of the river Macoris, of some 7,000 inhabitants, and a port of entry, the business of which is rapidly increasing. In the neighborhood of the town have already sprung up five large sugar estates, and from the success which has attended these, there isevery probability of a large development of this industry in Macoris in the near future. The town contains one printing establishment, and one news- paper is published in it. IV.—PUERTO-PLATA. This District originally formed part of the Province of San - tiago, and was constituted into a Maritime District in 1865. It embraces a large extent of the north coast of the Republic, extending from the District of Monte Cristy on the west, to the Province of La Vega, on the east. The Capital of this District is the city of the same name, situ- ated on the north coast, and distant some 60 miles from Santiago. — 28 — It has a population of about 10,000 inhabitants, and is the most important port of entry in the Republic. Through the port of Puerto-Plata pass all the importations of foreign articles consumed in all that section of the Republic known as the Cibao, and the produce of this section is also exported thence. The value of merchandise imported into Puerto-Plata in 1884 amounted to $908,000, while its exportations reached $970,000. The latter consisted chiefly of tobacco (10,500,000 pounds), mahogany (550,000 feet), wax (50,000 pounds), coffee (18,000 pounds), cacao (236,000 pounds), satin-wood (22,000 feet), goatskins (1,700 dozen sugar (3,000,000 pounds), divi-divi (32,000 pounds), &c., &e. Puerto-Plata has a wharf and a light-house. There are pub- lished in the city five newspapers, of which one is printed in the English language, and the city contains three printing establish- ments. There are also found in Puerto-Plata three colleges for both sexes, besides several schools, one Catholic church and two Protestant ones, three hotels and several boarding-houses, one commercial club, and one public store-house. Among the manu- factories may be mentioned one of soap, several of cigars and cigarettes, and five rum distilleries. In the District of Puerto-Plata are five important sugar estates, one of which is a “Central” estate, grinding the cane for small neighboring planters, who have as yet no mills. This “ Central” estate, the San Marcos, has a railroad which connects it (a distance of 414 miles) with the port, besides some five miles of movable railroad on the estate itself. V.— BARAHONA. This District, which formerly was a portion of the Province of Azua, is situated on the south coast of the island, close to its western frontier. Its Capital, of the same name, is a small town lying inside the bay of Neiba, south-west of the City of Azua, from which it is distant about 96 miles. It is a port of -entry, and contains to-day about 5,000 inhabitants. The District embraces the town of Neiba, and the very extensive mines of rock salt in its vicinity. Concessions have — 99 — lately been granted by the government for the working of these mines and also for the construction of a railroad to connect them with the port of Barahona. Two joint-stock companies have been organized in the city of New York, one for the contruction of the railroad and the other for the developement of the mines. This railroad would undoubtedly prove one of the most lucrative enterprises of the island, because it would draw to Barahona ail the trade of the south-western portion of the Republic, which now is drawn across the frontier to the Republic of Hayti. This railroad would, moreover, run through very extensive and almost virgin forests, of valuable timber and dye-woods, and would increase the value of the herds of horned and other cattle, with which the Distriet and the neighboring Province of Azua abound. LAWS. Besides the Constitution of the Republic, which is exces- sively liberal, the Napoleonic Code has been adopted, which has been translated into Spanish and adapted to the requirements of the country. There are, moreover, a mining law, and a law under the provisions of which public lands are ceded to indivi- duals. The substance of the last law is as follows: A person after having selected an area of land, belonging to the govern- ment, records his selection at the office of the proper authority, the Inspector of Agriculture of the corresponding District. This record entitles him to enter into possession of such land, without any further formality, and if, at the expiration of one year from the date of such record of selection, the person so taking up the land can prove to the competent authority, that he has in the meantime cultivated the majority of it for the pro- duction of articles of export, such as sugar, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, cotton, indigo, &c., the government gives him, free of cost, a clean title to the property. -There is likewise a law relating to immigrants, by which thirty acres of land are given to each immigrant. ‘There are many other laws referring to different matters, such as the preservation of forests, breeding of cattle, &e. — 30 — In this respect the Dominican Republic is, at least, on a par with the most advanced of the South American countries. et TREATIES. Treaties of peace, friendship, commerce and navigation exist between the Dominican Republic and the governments of Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, the United Statés of America, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Hayti and Salvador. A reciprocity treaty with the United States of America was entered into some ‘time ago, and now is dependent, for its becoming a law, upon the action of the United States Senate. Under this treaty, should it become law, sugar, molasses, tobacco, coffee, honey, wax and nearly all the important articles of export from the Dominican Republic would be admitted free of duty into the United States, while in return, flour, machinery and sundry other of the principal articles of commerce, now imported from the United States, will be admitted free of duty. Without entering into the question as to which country would reap the greater advantage or profit, from this reciprocity treaty, the undeniable fact remains, that its acceptance, as inter- national law between the two countries, would tend to increaze, ona very large scale, the commercial exchanges between the two peoples, affording to several important and profitable industries of both countries, new and extended fields of enterprise, and to all, greater facilities and economies in the exchange of their mutual surplus and wants. REVENUE. The revenues of the Republic are derived mainly from import duties collected at the custom-houses, at which are also collected tonnage and other customary dues on vessels entering the ports. Some revenue is also received from stamped paper, affixed stamps, postage stamps and leases of public lands. Export duty was abolished in December, 1884. No direct tax of any kind is levied in the Republic. The total revenue, for the year 1883, was $1,533,625.34, and during the first half of the year 1884, it amounted to $743,107.15. ee: EXPENDITURE, The budget appropriated by Congress for the expenses of the Government during the fiscal year, ending the 31st of August, 1885, amounts to $847,164.90, distributed among the depart- ments as follows: For the Department of the Interior, ‘ : $189,611.50 - _ “ Foreign Affairs, F F 28,900.00 a * Justice, of Public Works, and Education, . . 160,831.40 s # “ the Treasury, : ‘ 85,438.00 «“ “ “War, . . «829,384.00 Extraordinary expenses, . : ; 3 60,000.00 Total, : : 4 . $847,164.90 PUBLIC DEBT. The Republic owes to-day about half a million of dollars to the merchants of the cities of San Domingo, Puerto-Plata, Samana, Monte-Cristy and Azua, on which debt it pays interest at the rate of three per cent per month. This debt is secured by the custom-house duties, which are mortgaged to these mer- chants, with the exceptions noted below, and in consideration of which they advance money to the government for its current expenses. Some six or eight years ago it was difficult for the government to get money on this security under ten per cent. per month, but as there have been no political troubles in the Republic for some years, confidence has been restored, and the rate of interest has fallen proportionately. The interior debt, that is, money due to Dominicans for salaries and supplies furnished in troubled times, and for other claims of like character, amounted on the 31st of December, 1884, to $2,129,544.56. This debt bears no interest. For the cancelment of this debt, the Government sets aside 15 per cent. of the import duties, which 15 per cent. is sold at public auction. every month in lots of from $10 to $100, and awarded to the person making the offer of the greatest amount in bonds of this — 323 — same interior debt. This way the government retires $500,000 or more every year. The foreign or international debt is a debt due to citizens of foreign countries, or to foreign governments for sundry adjusted claims. This debt amounts to-day to about $200,000, which bears no interest, and which is being gradually cancelled with a sinking fund of two per cent. of the custom-house duties, which are set aside for that purpose. Of this foreign debt the govern- ment pays on the average $50,000 each year, so that in four years it will have paid off both this and the interior debt. CUSTOMS. PORTS OF ENTRY. The following are the Ports of Entry of the Dominican Re- public: Monte-Cristy, Puerto Plata, Samand, Macoris, Santo Domingo, Azua and Barahona. EXPORTS. The principal articles of exports from San Domingo to-day are as follows: Agricultural Products.—Sugar, molasses, coffee, tobacco, wax, honey, cocoa, plantains, bananas, corn, yams, cattle, starch, hides and goat-skins, horns and bones, rum. Forest Productions.—Mahogany (logs and crotches), logwood, Brazil-wood, lignum-vite, lance-wood, fustic, satin-wood, rosin, cedar, divi-divi. In former times the following articles figured largely in the exports from San Domingo: cotton, medicinal oils, gums and balsams, sarsaparilla, sassafras, Peruvian bark, cinnamon, sandal- wood, cassia, rhubarb, vanilla beans, licorice and mustard. All these articles abound in every section of the country, but their collection and exportation is to-day wholly abandoned. The values of articles exported during the respective years 1880, 1881, 1882 and 1883 were as follows: Ini880, . . . . . §1,283,014.20 “1881, . . . . . 1,457,640.36 RR oe km 1,945,758.25 “1883, 2. . . . . 2199,939.16 During the first six months of 1884, the value of exports amounted to $1,392,651.92, an increase, like that of the imports, of nearly one hundred per cent. in three years. It is to be noted that the tobacco crop of the island, which is exported mainly through the port of Puerto Plata, is shipped during the last six months of the year. The total value of expor- tations from Puerto Plata, during the last six months of 1884, amounted to $805,495.31. IMPORTS. Import duties, amounting to about fifty-six (56) per cent. of the value of imported goods, as assessed by the Dominican tariff, are collected on all imported articles, the free-list excepted. The values as specified in the tariff agree very closely in all cases, with the cost of the articles in the respective markets in which they are produced. All articles not enumerated in the tariff, pay the same duty of 56 per cent. on the values as assessed by the collector of customs. Besides these import duties, port charges of one dollar ($1) per register ton is charged on the entry of each vessel into a Domini- can port, besides pilotage and some minor charges. At the port of San Domingo, the Capital, an extra charge of twenty-five cents per ton, is paid by each vessel, which is called bar duty, and is appropriated to the expenses of the works on the Ozama river. A law for the alteration of the present custom-house system of collecting duties is at present the subject of discussion in the Dominican press. Under the proposed law, merchandise will pay import duty according to respective class and weight. ‘The principal articles of commerce imported into San Domingo are: Machinery—tor sugar estates, which are imported from the =e United States, England and France, in the above respective order of their values. Railroad Rails—chiefly from England. Provisions.—Those of a perishable nature, mainly from the United States; other classes from Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Dry Goods.—Linen, cotton and woolen fabrics, principally from England ; ready-made clothing, chiefly from France, and some cotton goods from the United States. Lumber and Furniture—principally from United States. Wines and Liguors—chiefly from Spain, Italy and France. Drugs and Medicines—trom United States and France. Sewing Machines—principally from Germany; some from the United States. Oils, Varnish and Paints—from United States. Manufactured ‘Iron —from United States. Fire Arms—from United States. Hardware—from England and the United States. Agricultural Implements—From England and the United States. Printing Materials—trom the United States. Printing Presses—from the United States. Stationery, Bricks and Tiles, Cements, Crockery and Glass- ware—trom different countries. Boots and Shoes—from France, the United States and Spain. Silks, Perfumery and Fancy Articles—from France. The values of the importations were as follows: In1s8, . . . . . $1,748,912.94 WIL Gs & & & 1,636,079.39 “1882, 2. 2. 2. . . 2,039,408.64 “« 1883, 3,142,102.42 During the fret six reionithe of 1884, the value of importations amount- ed to : : : ‘ : 1,422,602.97 The above figures prove an increase of nearly one hundred per cent. in three years; the complete statistics of 1884 will, in all probability, furnish proof of a proportionate augmentation. ARTICLES FREE OF IMPORT DUTY. The following articles, in view of their importance in assist- ing to the physical development of the country, are allowed to be imported free of duty : All machinery and implements for agricultural and industrial purposes. All animals for breeding purposes. All machinery and instruments used for arts and sciences. Sewing machines. Musical instruments. Printing presses. Printing paper, printing ink and printing material. Books of all classes and all other objects specially destined for educational purposes. Lumber. Galvanized iron and all kinds of roofing. Baggage of passengers, which may contain new goods, recog- _ nized as being for their own use, up to the value of one hundred dollars. POST-OFFICES. The General Post-office is situated at San Domingo City, the Capital of the Republic ; and what are known as distributing post-offices are established in the Capital of each Province and District in the country. Besides these there is a post-office in each town, each commune and each canton. These last are dependent on their respective distributing-offices, and the latter on the General office. Mails are despatched from the Capital to all parts of the Republic, on the Tuesday and Saturday of each week, and the game rule is observed at each of the distributing-offices. The mail service is performed by men on horseback, or afoot, according to the distance, or other circumstances. Beside the above inland postal communication, mails are conveyed from one port to 2136 another by coast-wise steamers, leaving San Domingo City every week. The Republic is a member of the Universal Postal Union. The post-offices which are authorized to exchange mails with the Union are, the General Post-office and those at Samana, Puerto Plata, and Monte-Cristy. ARMY. The Dominican army consists of corps of Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery. One or more regiments are stationed in the Capi- tal of each Province and District, and in those of some of: the most important communes. . There are also bodies of reserves, which are called out only in war times. Moreover, under the Constitution, every Domin- ican is obliged to take arms and serve in the ranks in the event of a foreign war. According to Government returns of the War Department, the standing army of the Republic on January Ist, 1883, amounted to 16,279 men. The regular arm of the service is the transformed Remington musket. The principal forts are at the Capital, at Santiago, and at Puerto-Plata. PUBLIC WORKS. There are at present only two works of any notable impor- tance under way in the Republic. The first and most important is the construction of the rail- road from the Bay of Samara to the City of Santiago. The length will be about 90 miles. This road will traverse the most fertile valley of the country, and develop its enormous wealth in all natural and agricultural products. It will connect the impor- tant cities of La Vega, Moca, San Francisco de Macoris, Santiago and Almacen with the Bay of Samana. To this latter point, this railroad will draw the tobacco crop of the Cibao, and scores of other valuable crops. The second of the public works now being executed is the dredging of the bar at the mouth of the river Ozama, at the as BY se Capital. As has been previously stated, the river Ozama has been, for centuries, depositing sand on the bar, and this fact, together with the existence of several rocks, only slightly below the surface of the sea at low tide, render the entrance to the river extremely dangerous to vessels drawing anything over twelve feet of water. This work is being pushed very energetically and will soon be completed, probably by the end of next year. Both of these enterprises are being carried on by English ‘capitalists, under concessions granted to them by the Dominican Government. The railroad is being built by Mr. Alexander Baird, of Scotland, and the works on the river Ozama by Mr. John Greenbank, of London. , Owing to the destruction of a wooden bridge across the river Ozama, by a freshet, the City Council of San Domingo City has lately granted a concession for the construction of a new bridge, to be built of iron and stone, and this work will, in all probability, be commenced this year. An American Company has lately begun the extension of lines of telephonic communication in the City of San Domingo, and will do the same in the cities of Santiago and Puerto Plata; the intention of the Company being ultimately to connect by tele- phone all the principal cities of the Republic. A concession has also been granted to the Spanish National Telegraph Company, Limited, of London, for laying a submarine cable, to place the Republic in telegraphic communication with the rest of the world. PUBLIC ROADS. Unfortunately little or nothing has been undertaken in this most indispensable requirement for all material progress. The roads are in about the same condition as that in which they must have been in the days of Columbus. The necessity of unity of action for the common good, in the matter of facilitating transit of persons and goods, seems to be ignored by the Dominicans of the interior, as far as the making and preservation of good roads is concerned. Thus innumerable natural sources of wealth, which swarm in every valley and in every forest of the Republic, are virtually valueless, by reason of the trouble and expense of con- veying them to a market or a shipping port. There is not a single article now exported, the amount fof which could not be quintupled, if good, or even passable roads, existed. Thus the forests of ‘mahogany and cedar, which exist in the interior, are comparatively virgin, because only fine logs and crotches will pay the axpense of hauling to the coast. The salt mines of Neiba are comparatively undeveloped, because the roads are so bad. Immense herds of cattle, in the south, find their way to the Haytien markets, because they are nearer than those of San Domingo, which latter are almost unavailable by reason of the uneared-for condition of the roads. The same cause increases enormously the cost in the interior, of every article imported from abroad, and lessens the importations and commercial profits proportionately. Three years ago a high road (via carretera) was commenced to connect Puerto Plata with Santiago, by a firm under a concession from the government ; but when the road was about three miles from the starting point, Puerto Plata, the works were abandoned for some reason or other, and the grant lapsed. PUBLIC LANDS. Considerable tracts of land belonging to the State, exist, more or less, in every Province and District of the Republic. The exact extent, locality and limits of these State lands can- not, however, be definitely ascertained, until a thorough survey of the entire territory shall have been made. Up to the present date, the various administrations which have governed the country, have been unable to undertake any such survey, mainly because their whole time and efforts have been absorbed in pro- viding for the financial necessities of the government, and in maintaining peace within its borders. But the fact that the government possesses land in large quantities, throughout the Republic, is well known. Now, that the country is at peace, and that there is no dread or prospect of foreign wars, or internal dissensions, the govern- ment is taking great interest in this matter of surveys, and will undertake the work as soon as its financial condition authorizes it, or permits the outlay. — 39 — PART IV. SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE PEQPLE. Races. — Language. — Religion. — Population.— Education.— Character of the People Births and Deaths.— Traveling. —Synoptical Table of distances.—Markets.—Immigration. — Cost of Living. RACES. The Dominicans comprise whites, negroes, mulattoes, and a few mestizos—the last class being the descendants of the whites and the aboriginal Indians, of which latter race none can to-day be found on the island. Inasmuch as for many years no Africans have been landed in the territory of the Dominican Republic, and the colored population is free-born, and has acquired such a high degree of civilization that they are fitted and actually occupy the same government position as the other portion of the population, to the satisfaction of everybody, the future of the Dominican Republic, in all that depends upon the intellectual development of its citizens, should be full of promise. And of this intellectual progress, in all that concerns the welfare of a country, the Dominican Republic, furnishes unmistakable evi- dences. As will be seen further on, the efforts of the govern- ment, in this direction, are so sincerely and gratefully received by Dominicans of all classes, as to leave no doubt on the minds of all disinterested persons, that the first step in all social im- provement is universal, throughout the Republic, namely, the conviction of the real, practical value of knowledge. LANGUAGE. The Spanish language is the predominant and almost universal one spoken by Dominicans, and, strange as it may appear, it is spoken in remarkable purity; remarkable, when it is borne in mind for how many years the country was under the rule of the French and the Haytians. RELIGION. The Roman Catholic is the established religion of the country, but all, and any, other forms of worship are tolerated, and churches, of other than the established form, exist in various localities. POPULATION. No census has been taken for some years, and on this account, as well as by reason of the great increase in the population of certain localities, it is most difficult to furnish statistics of abso- lute reliability on this subject. The governmental reports of births, deaths and marriages are incomplete, and unfortunately, if formulated with greater regard to the laws, would still be far from accurate, because people in the Dominican Republic, as elsewhere, are averse to the registration of illegitimate offspring ; so that the relative majority of births over deaths would be ques- tionable. = A] If the number of registered votes be accepted as a basis, the calculation is liable to be erroneous, because in important elec- tions, the Presidential for instance, the tricks of “ repeating” and the depositing of votes by minors is neither unknown nor unusual. The total number of votes cast in the last Presidential election was 60,000. And in the absence of any other basis on which to build a calculation, these 60,000 votes must serve. As a Domin- ican must be eighteen years of age, before he is entitled to the rights of citizenship, including that of suffrage, as only male citizens enjoy this privilege, and estimating each Dominican family to average six persons and one voter, the above number of votes, cast in the election referred to, would give a population of about 360,000 souls. EDUCATION. During the past six years the country has made great progress in its educational system. Owing to the efforts of the two last Administrations and of the present one, and to the energy and patriotic zeal of the Town Councils, the Republic possesses to-day schools in every city, town and village. Moreover, the present Administration has established a system known in the country as “ Maestros ambulantes,” or “ Peregrinating instruc- tors.” The task of these instructors is to penetrate into the most retired localities, where no schools of any class exist, and there impart instruction to children of both sexes, as well as practical knowledge among adults. A detailed report of all the schools existing in the Republic is not obtainable, but the following tables, for the year 1883, since which date several new ones have been established, will give the reader a fair idea of the extent of the efforts of the government and town councils, in spreading instruction among the people, and of the desire of the people to avail themselves of such advantages. ‘OF O9LFO$ ‘eget avod oy} Sump syuswosingsiqy [vO], 06 LFE‘S$|0S FETFS|00 STS‘TS) TLZ| G8 | 9ST/SEa‘9/F19‘SIT98‘e 00 00T |00 08 00 0% 1, |& | |S9l log |9TL 00 90T |00 9F 00 09 9 |G |F [elt |Lr |9BT 0¢ ces |00 96E 104 GOT |G IL |F [get jog |66 00 91F |00 StL 100 126 | FI | | OT lFLE [STL |9E% 00 969 |00 169 |00 GOT | 06/8 | ST ler |FIZ [616 0¢ g9T |0¢ 88 00 Gd L |@ | {TLL |¢9 |90T 00 09% |00 848 |00 68 06 |9 | FT |9L9 |Pes lore 0¢ OLS {09 OFL [00 OST | SF | ST] 8B l9ss‘Tisz¢ [sto 0¢ 86h |0¢ 199 |00 2et | Sg let | 6e lezo'TIseF lFO¢g 06 TLS°TS|OL LFETS| OG E6s$ | 16 [08 | 19 |LLT‘slees jgse‘r wo rp) oS gy afel} ze] a e z HLNOW HOV] ae 3 & 5B, = B i ie 1VLOL, 2 Z 3 ; . FLT FL | OOI] T [LF | °° STRIOL, 9 g g —Ie |erc ‘SLLODe YL 9 |6 |F |—|F [°° Seuoqereg FT |e |J—|6 [°° Gueureg FL IF LOL || F |° ‘AastQ-equoyy FT /8 |9 | le {°° feqeTg oyong Ce: alae Ss ee ogi a a le 6B Gl. iT || de le 8 eA a e@ /IT| FL |—|F | °° So#enueg SG | 86) 8% | T | eT | ‘osurmog oyueg Fy 3 3 ¢ o “SLOIMLSIO Be Bel ee | a | P| 3 anv 5 SHONIAOUd “AUNLIGNadX | ‘SUHHOVAT, JO waaNoNn ‘stldng 40 YaaWaAN ‘SUXAG HLOG YOd STOOHIS *NOILONULSNI SE89T wvah oy2 buaunp ‘spounog uno pup AUVANOOUS GNVY AUVWIAd quawmusaog yp hg spuawasungsyp pun ‘spdnd pun suossafoud fo uaqunu ypun ‘ougndasy upovumumogy ay} we samas yz0q fo sjooyos quauaf{ip ayy buinoys 27qv 7, ‘“NOILVOONda "00° 08F‘9$ “esst Surmp sywomesingsip [240], 00 OFa$ 00 o8$ 00 0978 8h d + apeiog, 00 06 00 06 LG I - 7 + + + Sotsnut Jo TooyaG 00 09 00 09$ ST T ‘Suyured pur sutmeip Jo [ooyog ! 00 098 00 0978 1g g | oyqudey oyg so oynqrysuT [euorssezorg * | Swe6y: *s[lounod uMOT, *quaurUsaAoy) : = ayy Ag ayy Ag STIdNg suaossadoudg ao 40 . ‘SLNEWHSITAVISa usaWnN uganaN ‘HLNOW HOVE AUNLIGNAdXY "EQQ] AVAA AHL ONINAC ‘ALI OONINO(] OLNVG NT NOILOOQYLSNI TVIORdS AGNV IVNOISSHAOUd ao sAid CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. The Dominican is by nature intelligent, generous, loyal and hospitable. He is desirous of acquiring knowledge, appreciating its value and consequently learns easily. He is possessed of a vivid imagination. He is ambitious of improving his condition, and fond of literature. Notwithstanding, or perhaps, by the very reason of the many desolating wars, in which the Domini- cans have been engaged, both foreign and internal, the masses of the people are easy to rule, provided no approach to violation of their constitutional rights, or any shade of tyranny is attempted by the authorities in power. They are universally sociable, agree- able and of refined manners. Physically the country people are robust in build and consti- tution, and well fitted to endure hard labor in the field. The Dom- inican is endowed, moreover, with a very large amount of sound, practical common-sense, thoroughly aware of what is best for his interests, in which matter he proves a very fine sense of acuteness. The Dominican women have most symmetrical figures, their manners are modest, kindly and refined, and they are devotedly given to dancing and all innocent amusements. As wives they are loving, industrious and obedient. BIRTHS AND DEATHS. According to the latest government reports, the births and deaths, registered in the Dominican Republic in 1883, were as follows: Births, ; ; : igi 13,265 Deaths, . : : ‘ : : . 1,935 Assuming that the population of the Republic numbers about 360,000 souls, the excess of births over deaths, according to the above statistics (11,360) would be at the rate of about 375 per cent. per annum. TRAVELLING. Travelling in Santo Domingo is not an unmitigated enjoy- ment. It has to be accomplished on horseback or mule back, on donkeys or on oxen. The so-called roads, except in the vicinities of the large towns, are little better than bridle-paths, for although the Spaniards, in olden times, built good roads, connecting the principal ports and cities of the island, the best of roads soon become almost impassable, unless the drainage along them is kept aA in good condition. One torrential downpour will wash away hundreds of yards of the best road, unless means are provided for sufficient drainage, and the roads of San Domingo are about as nature made them. As to the respective animals used in travel- ling in the Republic, the horse is used for level places, the mule and donkey for rougher ones, and the ox for ascents where a a mule could not climb up. The horse is pretty sure-footed, the mule much more so, but the ox never slips, and this last beast of burden has this advantage for steep mountain ascents over the other two, inasmuch as an ox can pull himself up to any place on which he can place his fore-hoof. The country people use the oxen extensively in bringing their produce to market. Of course, under such conditions, travelling in the interior is very limited and very slow. A man can hardly accomplish the journey, for instance, from the Capital, across the island to Puerto Plata, a distance of some 270 miles, under four days. An average day’s journey is some 80 to 90 miles, but, of course, there are sections when this distance cannot be accomplished. Asa general rnle, a traveller starts at daybreak,rests during the heat of the day, and continues his journey in the afternoon until dark. Along the majority of the roads of the interior, a traveller finds some sort of accommodation, but he must be satisfied with a clean cot or hammock to sleep on, and the national sancocho for food. This sancocho is the universal Dominican dish, alike in the cities and in the interior. Its principal ingredients are plantains, sweet potatoes (boniato), yuca, pork, beef, or fowl. The plantain is the great life-sustaining food of the Republic, as it is in all the other West India islands. Its value as food is absolutely wonderful. An acre of ground, planted with plan- tains, will feed as many persons as thirty acres of the best potatoes, or twenty-five acres of wheat. Humboldt placed the product of the plantain at the equivalent of forty-four acres of potatoes; but improved methods of culture have, since Hum- boldt’s time, developed more prolific varieties, both of the sweet and “ Irish” potatoes. Transit from one point to another is accomplished either by the United States Mail steamers, and a line of coastwise Dominican steamers lately established, which leave San Domingo City each week, alternately, for the ports of the north and south coasts of the Republic. 46 \ 1 S|L96 88|¢19|I9¢[9F9/e6r|SL¥/8F cog] 188|T2 Pas|res|62o|sze|Tee|00¢|s22|6¥e|s¥¢|c68|T t De ae eerie oe ro fer 2or ae a ee OT eer eet rs e ee GEPISTE|LGS| TSE Fai we be aa fue coe oe oe oe ie ie ae ene Rocopsiace 188 ST pose : TIT) GST |S83|FSS|90E/9L6] TSS] TL 11 a erleay legrloopiceelice| tee weEe BEE eTlted ereerien lee lek ee CS|SFS|16S/0L3/GTS/613) 193 SLE] TSS |8eg |F 7/807 fealeniie ba vloatlevelecr ose Gesie IPI TS9|L99/SSS) S6PF| LLP PPPIITP B miee alee eorere etre oerloe: an: tt : 8 )088|S8S|SSE|0EE|608|G8s|L8E|L6E|/8F§) T elas accliee | Veee are cele lee SSF 687 )099)9E9| 129) L99|0FG) STG \S' See Bars oe ee eer oaceec a SB GPE|SPE OSF\SEFISTS|LGS| [SE|ZOF| [88 |FES|26E)8sG/ES' cliedlaxaloorisaeingleye er arececlie eae reer ior nce | LF|6GF\66E|FE SFE|66E|SLE|SEE|FSS|SZS|O8F/9GF |LG9|SE9|8 19/79 ¢ pelcey eerleceete PSII eee eaten. aurlearleeckee aes OF aLe L@E T@S\SLE|SPE|1SE|L6S | S6F|SSP|6SP|0E9|909| 169) 28¢ 01S |S8F a4 a Tae Te eee te ee ere reeeay ; OF T8E|FSE|6L0| 1SE|SEPF|TLF|SF9|T6S|9L9) 329 |S6F|S9F|SEPF e ‘oyg! LLT6TZ|1SS SEF|F8E\FSE| 608 /E08|s' Bea leo aeclorsneeacices Son TG We ah B\ShSF6S SLS|9FS|SS| [SE|EES) [SS!88C| PES ie ‘soaecmealoe (ee Gtleen Teaehe Pa eeae 62|8L2|9F2|S3S| LSE|SSS) LS8|88S| FSS | 68F| SOF |EF|S0F/SLE) TSS] 6s eR ee ye fess Peeteclreerdeee SFSiOTSISET| LESSIG] LSS|LTP|S6F OSH 9Ch|668/SLE|S7S) TSE | 198/406 TE ee ee eee eco eee ; L66/9LS/SLE|SOF|06E 9EE|LG8/SES|0089L6/9TZ/G9T ‘ 6PS/6TS/FLTIS9T 6TSIS6LIS9TIFFT|9FS O lore neTeet cs Ke Bs 68 GTS|GST FFL SET PFTISST|96 [OL \PPTIS6T ae oes ee Le i oe pee seileatiee a ou aL eek ee a ae ir eer BB or ot eg GLE|SOF 068 9E8/098/8EE Dee eee ae is Sep conse Gp (ok eee 6F|B9F|LPF|S68|LTF/068|L98) ‘konStH Sh [SL [SVT ALT S8s|L02 081 |8ST|SFe| ere, 6 ce ee|Bel6le , 8e|FTF 668|F8E|698!2 “OqlaslOg SL |6STIOSTIESL|SET\SOT|S6T\S6T\S8iT Tepeieral besos 61 eC caer “rokeW OH ICH [66 \OSTIGST GL |SL |S9TIS9TIGSe|TSE/F8 ; aelureloor lng BE OLS PEG|L96/FES *“SOURTT SOT FE GOTIF8 ILS [0G |OSTIOST/OLG|90E/6EE|F oclbocltorleee PORIFFTIO6 ‘vuensvdeg Cy |pS IL8 [FS |PITIPITPOo|O0g|eee 81 F ef E1608/9LE SES/ZELISE “‘BUvWeSITS [BP SL |S9T|S9T/SSS|8PS] 18/998 |STE/9E ean : : 821468 /098| SPS) 163) STS|88S|SSs Si ee 7 rt re We 008|/S8E|8TEF9S|88S| 196 |Ss| POs i be ‘ "B1I9N) 06 [06 O8T/9LZ|60E | F6S 0FS|F9S|LES|F0G|08T 0% a “B09Q ap psof ues'ep | HPOSIELSISET|FFIISOT|IPL SOT 8 r iy “euoyeieg'!$g (LLT OL¢ S6T IPTISOTISET|SOT/IS |16 a “EQIONILOG|NOE S8S|TES POS|LLL|FFLOST/O9 |F “eYourH] FE |68 |9G /€9 |06 [GL |96 |9ETIO1S rl ae ‘yaeyey_ues'ey l69 |96 [ger6cr eer\era|L6c ‘IdIUOX) OTADNY AAIAVE “APT peu. ves (6) 6 fe 7 i a “eorurg LZ |L6 |9& ; soa Ps ee “1pepuawog g¢ | ‘oburuog ung fo hydoushoog oy, wouLf uayn, : wo a a Fura ‘ouqndayy unorurmog ay2 fo seunwuos pun sunoz ae Te I a ve ur ssoungsyp eayoodsas sre ‘saoguo qodwourud ay, fo sap wi 4 4 i ayy bunoys aTAVL TVOILAONAS *yeqoIsug URS 96 PSS OTs 91% 69s P88 T8s F6e 918 91% 9T¢ 98T I SOT 89 VI 86T OgT OST Gh 69 LTT 96 69 op oF 96 S8T T&S sts 6L6 S61 616 e6T 6ST SéT SL Ie Ste 808 68T S61 T&S 608 008 &LS gcse S6T S6T GOT eT 8 sr OST ALT 6eT 66 eG 8F 96 Gh 8P vs 99 AUT 9ST BSS 688 008 91% Wicd S13 O8T 9ST 96 SV 16 ‘osUIWIOG, CUBS ey ga MARKETS. In all the important cities of the Republic, such, for instance, as the Capital, Santiago, Puerto Plata, Samand, Macoris, La Vega, Moca and others, there are market places open, every day of the week. In other smaller places, chiefly in the interior, markets are held twice a week, generally on Tuesday and Friday. To these market places the country people bring what country produce they have to sell, consisting mainly of vegetables and fruits of all sorts, fowls, casabe, eggs, dried or smoked meat of hogs, &e., &e. Cost OF LIVING. In the principal cities there are good hotels. At the best the charge is about two dollars a day, but good board can be obtained in boarding-houses, restaurants, &c., at an expense of not over one dollar. In the inns, in country places of the interior, travellers wl find their expenses extremely moderate. IMMIGRATION. During the last eight years, owing to the increasing establish- ment of sugar estates, and the corresponding demand for labor adapted to this industry, a considerable number of working peo- ple have arrived on Dominican soil from the neighboring Antilles. The present government has made agreements for the impor- tation of families from the Canary Islands, to whom it offers very good inducements, and probably the first parties of this new im- migration have already landed at San Domingo City. The laws of the Republic, concerning immigration, are very liberal, but hitherto nobody has sought to avail themselves of them. It was by reason of this apparent apathy that the govern- ment, although at a considerable sacrifice, has deemed it expedi- ent to initiate this immigration, by entering into the agreements. referred to. Inasmuch as the State is possessed of unoccupied lands in great abundance, which it is willing to give to immigrants; as — 48 — there are no direct taxes of any kind, and as the country is free from epidemics of all kirids, it is more than probable that as soon as the government is in a condition to carry out agreements with emigration agents, country people from Spain, the Canary Is- lands and other places will flock to the Dominican territory. Possessing, as it does, a rich and fertile soil, hospitable and good- natured inhabitants, a paternal government and liberal laws, there is no possible reason why it should not become the centre of at- traction for emigrants seeking a permanent home. As has been already remarked, thirty acres of land are given to each immi- grant. As regards the treatment of foreigners by the Dominicans, the writer can only state that Dominicans regard immigrants from abroad as friends and helpers in the development and ag- grandizement of their country ; a foreigner finds himself at once at home among Dominicans. Their lives and properties are safe, and have always been, at all times, even in those of internal re- volution.