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COSTA—COSTA

A military organization similar to that of the Cossacks has lately been introduced into certain districts, which supply a number of mounted infantry sotnias. Their peace-footing is as follows :—Daghestan, 6 regular squadrons and 3 of militia ; Kuban Circassians, 1 sotnia ; Terek, 8 sotnias ; Kars, 3 sotnias; Latum, 2 infantry and 1 mounted sotnia; Turkomanes, 3 sotnias; total, 25 squadrons and 2 companies. (P. A. K.) Costa, Sir Michael (properly Michele) (1810-1884), musical conductor and composer, son of Cav. Pasquale Costa, a Spaniard, was born at Naples, on 4th February 1810. He early became a free scholar of the Royal Music School at Naples, and at sixteen he wrote his first opera, II Delitto punito, at seventeen II Sospetto funesto, a mass, and an oratorio. In 1828-29 he further composed II Carcere d’lldegonda and Malvina for the Teatro Nuovo and San Carlo, and in this latter year he visited Birmingham to conduct Zingarelli’s “ Cantata Sacra,” a setting of some verses from the book of Isaiah. Instead, however, of conducting, he sang the tenor part. From that time he settled in England, and& became naturalized, receiving the honour of knighthood in 1869. He conducted the opera at Her Majesty’s from 1832 till 1846, when he seceded to the Italian Opera at Covent Garden; he was conductor of the Philharmonic Society from 1846 to 1854, of the Sacred Harmonic Society from 1848, and of the Birmingham Festival from 1849. In 1855 Costa wrote Eli, and in 1864 Naaman, both for Birmingham. Meanwhile he had conducted the Bradford (1853) and Handel Festivals (1857-1880), and the Leeds Festivals from 1874 to 1880. On 28th April 1884, he died at Brighton. Costa’s compositions have passed into oblivion, with the exception of the least admirable of them his arrangement of the National Anthem. He was a man of restricted musical and human sympathies (witness his animosity against Sterndale Bennett); but he was a great conductor within well-defined limits. (r. h. l.)

RICA

Allowance being made for probable omissions, the total number of inhabitants was 262,700, or about 11 to the square mile. The population in 1899 was estimated at 310,000. The census population in 1892 was distributed over the five provinces and two comarcas (or territories) as follows:—San Jos4, 76,718 ; Alajuela, 57,203 ; Cartago, 37,973 ; Heredia, 31,611 ; Guanacaste, 20,049 ; Puntarenas (comarca), 12,167 ; Limon (comarca), 7484. The predominant element in the population consists of whites, many of them of pure blood, descended from Galician Spaniards. They live mostly in the capital and other towns in the highlands, and in the commercial ports. The coast regions are occupied by negroes and a mixed population, while in the interior there are uncivilized Indians, estimated at about 3500, living by themselves. The foreign population at the date of the census numbered 6289, of whom 831 were Spanish, 622 Italian, 342 German, 246 British, and 204 from the United States. There were also 634 British subjects (coloured) from the West Indies. The total births recorded in 1897 numbered 13,012 ; deaths, 9925 ; marriages, 1763. The principal towns are San Jose, the capital of the Republic, with about 25,000 inhabitants, and the provincial capitals of like names with the provinces. Limon, the principal port, has about 4000 inhabitants. Constitution.—According to the Constitution, which received its most recent modification in 1882, the legislative power resides in a Congress of one house, consisting of deputies (1 for every 8000 of population), chosen for four years, half the number retiring every two years. They are chosen in electoral assemblies returned by the votes of all citizens who are able to support themselves. The President is similarly elected, and holds office for four years. For the administration of justice there are a Supreme Court and subordinate tribunals. Religion and Education.—In 1892 the Protestants numbered 2245. The Jesuits were expelled in 1884. Elementary education is compulsory, and is provided at the cost of the Government. In 1898 there were 383 primary schools with 917 teachers and 23,134 enrolled pupils. Higher education is given in a liceo with 206 students, a college for ladies with 223 students, and thiee other institutions. There are also schools of medicine and_ of law. The Government encourages higher education by maintaining ten Costa Rican youths at European universities, and steps are being taken towards the formation of a National University. The expenditure of Government on public instruction in the year 18991900 amounted to 679,843 pesos (£54,387). Defence.—All citizens from 18 to 50 years of age are liable to military service. Those under 40 are comprised in the ‘‘ active service,” the remainder in the “reserve.” The national guard consists of all citizens outside of these age limits, but capable of bearing arms. On war footing, the military force would exceed 34 000 men. The Republic has a gunboat and a torpedo boat. _ ’Finance.—Of the revenue of Costa Rica about 47 per cent, is derived from customs, 25 per cent, from spirit monopoly, 8 per cent, from the tobacco tax, and smaller proportions from stamps, the post office, railways, and other sources. The most important spending departments are those of Internal Development, Instruction and Government. Outside of these, large amounts are devoted to the national debt. The revenue and expenditure for six years ending March 31 (at 12^ pesos = £1) were :

Costa Rica, a country of Central America, lying between 8° and 11° 16 N. lat. and 80 35 and 85 40 W. long. The boundary dispute with Nicaragua, alluded to in the 9th edition article, was referred to the arbitration of the President of the United States, who, by his award in 1888, gave the whole of Lake Nicaragua and the upper waters of the San Juan river to Nicaragua, and the lower San Juan, down to the Atlantic and the Bay of Salinas, on the Pacific, to Costa Rica. DisYears. Revenue. Expenditure. Years. Revenue. Expenditure. putes respecting the demarcation of this boundary^ have been settled under treaty of 1896, and the delimitation is £665,080 now nearly complete. The line of frontier towards Colom1895 £489,910 £489,720 h 1898 £673,930 644,850 673,060 495,030 1899 502,320 1896 bia was referred for arbitration to the President of the 595,600 658,010 535,790 ll 1900 594,850 1897 French Republic, who gave his award on 15th September 1900. The boundary begins at Cape Mona on the Atlantic, and, generally following lines of watershed, The external debt, according to arrangements made m 1885 and 1897 consists of a New Consolidated Debt of £2,000,000, at 2| and touches the Pacific at Burica Point (see Colombia). per cent. ; but there are now, in addition, arrears of interest The climate of Costa Rica is tempered by the proximity 3amounting to £85,000. The service of this debt costs about of the country to two great oceans, the average tem- £58,200 annually. The internal debt amounts to about 1,116,800 perature at Jan Jose being about 68° F. The hottest pesos, or about £89,340, and costs 252,127 pesos, or £20,DO months are usually May and June, and the coldest and Industry.—The principal industries are agriculusually January, but, according to observations extending ^Production To a large extent the soil is owned and occupied by small over the year 1896 at Jan Jose, the maximum of .90° F. tural. landowners, industrious and peaceable, who form the backbone of was reached in March, and the minimum of 50° F. in Feb- the population. In the interior coffee-growing is prosperous, the ruary. The rainfall at San Jose from May to November produce being of excellent quality and commanding a high price n market The annual yield has increased from 20,246,000 mm averages about 12 inches a month, and during the year the 1883 to atmiloo 16 in 1893, 30,040,900 16 in 1897, 42,869,50016 from 70 to 80 inches. Port Limon is said to have an in 1898, 33,806,680 lb in 1899. Next to coffee the most imannual rainfall of 89 inches, and Colon 120 inches. portant culture is that of bananas which are grown on t coast region, the crop m 1898 amounting to 2.96V Area and Population. —According to the most recent official Atlantic and in 1899 to 3,594,700. Sugar, toVccoth ° 5 ™ are estimate, Costa Rica has an area of 23,000 square miles ; but, ac- bunches, monopoly), rice, beans, potatoes, and er cr P cording to planimetric calculations at Gotha, the area is 20,900 Government for local consumption, and there are some cocoa piantations. square miles. The population in 1892, according to the census, grown numbered 243,205, of whom 122,480 were male and 120,725 female. In the forests the natural timber and dye-woods are cut, and rubber