Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1094

 972

HONDURAS

Revenue Expenditure.

1907-08

I 90S- 09

1909-10

3,899,287 3,503,215 4,149,082 4,205,995; 3,503,215 3,992,623

1910-11

1912-13

10,763,888 13,140,415 10,763,888 13,095,101

In July, 1910, the external debt of Honduras consisted of four loans contracted from 1867 to 1870, amounting to 5,398,570Z. , with arrears of interest amounting to 17,071,940Z. ; total. 22,933,875Z. No interesthas been paid since 1872. The internal debt on August 31, 1910, was stated to amount to 4,053,370 silver pesos. On Jan. 11, 1911, a treaty was signed in Washington by which the United States became directly interested in the financial regeneration of Honduras.

Production and Industry.

The chief culture is that of bananas, mostly on the Atlantic coast where cocoanuts are also grown. The cocoanut groves of Puerto Sal extend from the Ulua River to the Cuero River, a distance of about 60 miles, and are said to contain 28,182 fruit-bearing trees. Rubber is produced in slowly increasing quantity ; coffee is grown but there is scarcity of labour for the picking of the berries ; sarsaparilla is exported. Tobacco too is grown. While the Department of El Paraiso has become noted for its fine quality of tobacco, the Department of Copan still leads in quantity, producing 75 per cent, of the total amount raised in the Republic. This finds a market in the neighbouring Republics and also in Peru. The amount of tobacco land cultivated during 1910 is estimated at 4,450 acres, yielding about 1,726,180 pounds. Corn produced in 1911 totalled 246,452^925 pounds; 3,860,025 pounds of beans ; 2,396,025 pounds of rice ; and 814,575 pounds of wheat. The total number of farms was 686 ; of cattle ranches, 1,019. Cattle breed- ing is carried on extensively, and dairy farming on a small scale. Cattle are exported to Cuba. In 1909 there were within the Republic about 466,215 head of cattle, 64,122 horses, 13,434 mules, 145,352 pigs, and 24,052 shee]). About 150,400 acres are devoted to [pasture. There are considerable local industries such as the plaiting of straw hats. During 1910 sixteen con- ct^ssions were granted for agricultural land, covering an area of 12,350 acres.

The mineral resources of Honduras are great — gold, platinum, silver, copper, lead, p^inc, [iron, antimony, nickel being found in almost every department. There is an American silver mining company at work, and giving an increasing output every year. Gold, bar silver, some copper and lead, and various ores are exported. Deposits of brown and other coal have also been found. The chief requisites for the development of the mining industries are capital, and facilities for transport.

Commerce.

—

1908-09

1909-10

1910-11.

1911-12

Imports Exports

£ 510,311

405,770

£ 331,750 494,592

£ 539,181 494,599

£ 052,957 030,140

The silver peso is worth about Is. 8d. The chief imports are cottons,