Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1095

 COMMUNICATIONS — MONEY, WEIGHTS, ETC.

973

breadstutfs, and piovisious. In tlie year 1911-12 the chief articleb of im- port and export were as follows : —

Imports 1911-12

Exports 1011-12

£ Cottons .... 230.680 Piovisions .... 94,715 Iron and iron ware. . 38,432 Timber. . ., 20,526 Postage stamps. . . 54,400 Chemicals .... 26,254

Minerals .... Bananas :. ..

Coftce

Cocoanuts .... Mahogany .... Animals ....

£ 219,503 267,535 15,883 35,013 12,241 60,732

Of the imports ill 1912, 71 per cent, came from the United States.

The treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1887 provides for the "most favoured nation" treatment between the United Kingdom and Honduras.

Total trade between Honduras and United Kingdom for 5 years was as follows : —

"■

1907

1908 1909

1910

1911

Imports from Honduras. Exports to Honduras

£

4,530

70,300

£

4,465

73,869

£

1,901 67,913

£

3,059

91,588

£

1,327 1.33,225

In 1911 the registered shi2)ping comprised 2 steamers of 1,563 tons and 3 sailing vessels of 363 tons ; total tonnage, 1,93.5 tons. The trans- port of fruit, &c., to the United States is effected largely by small vessels built for the purpose. Puerto Cortez, La Ceiba, and Tela are visited by the boats of three American companies, Puerto Cortez by Mexican cattle boats, and Trujillo by cattle boats trading with Havana ; in autumn fruit is shipped at Roatan in American boats. Amapala, on the Pacific coast, is visited by the steamers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and of the Kosraos Company.

Communications.

In general, travelling and transport are accomplished by means of mules and ox -carts. Little is done in the way of road -making or repairing. There is a railway of 57 miles from Puerto Cortez to San Pedro Sula and La Pimienta ; the line is in bad repair, but is being continued to La Brea on the Pacific coast. Forty miles of private railway are used for transport of bananas, near La Ceiba on the north coast. In 1911 there were 163 post- offices ; the internal correspondence amounted to 542,365 letters, &c. ; the foreign correspondence to 538,582 letters, &c. In 1911 there were 236 tele- graph offices and 3,183 miles of telegraph line. The telephone, with 100 miles of line and 95 stations, is in use in the capital and some other towns.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The silver 2^cso or dollar, of 100 cents, weighs 25 grammes, "900 fine. The fractional silver money consists of 50, 25, 20, 10, and 5 cent pieces. There is a 1-cent copper coin. Gold coins of the value of 20, 10, 5, and 1 dollar circulate as national money. The monetary unit is the silver peso, which (1908) is worth about Is. 8d., the gold dollar being worth is. On February 16, 1910, the mint of Honduras was opened after having