Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1357

 JUSTICE — FINANCE— DEFENCE — PRODUCTION, ETC. 1235

bishopric with one suffragan see, viz., Porto Rico, now belonging to the United States.

Primary instruction is gratuitous and obligatory, being supported by the communes and by centra 1 aid. The public or state schools are primary, superior, technical schools, normal schools, and a professional school with the character of a university. In 1911 there were 590 schools in the Republic with 20,453 children (10,422 boys and 10,031 girls).

Justice. — The chief judicial power resides in the Supreme Court of Justice which consists of a president and 6 justices chosen by Congress, and 1 (ministro fiscal) appointed by the executive ; all these appointments are only for 4 years, but may be prolonged indefinitely. The territory of the Republic is divided into 12 judicial districts, each having its own civil and criminal tribunal and court of first instance, and these districts are subdivided into communes, each with a local justice (alcalde), a secretary and bailiff (alguacil). There are two appeal courts, one at Santiago de los Caballeros, and the other at Santo Domingo City.

Finance. — The revenue is derived chiefly from customs. There are, besides, sugar and liquor taxes and stamp taxes, and considerable receipts from posts, telegraphs, and telephones, and also from civil registration. The receipts and disbursements for 4 years were (estimates for 1912) in United States dollars : —

Fiscal years

Receipts

Disbursements

Customs

Total

Total

1910 ....

1911 .... 1«12 .... 1913 ....

Dollars

3,110,000 3,001,400 3,381,409 3,260,000

Dojlars 4,705,738 3,941,500 4,859,685 4,208,400

Dollars 4,645,287 3,941,500 4,805,877 4,208,400

Under the Convention signed on the part of the United States and Dominican Governments, an American citizen is General Receiver of Customs with authority to deposit 100,000 dollars each month towards interest (5 per cent.) and Sinking Fund, in trust for all the national creditors. In addition half the Customs Receipts in excess of 3,000,000 dollars is applied to the same end.

Defence. — The regular army provided for by law consists of 6 companies of artillery (648 oflBcers and men), the greater part of the force being usually kept at Santo Domingo, but Puerto Plata and Santiago are also military posts. The Government has about 1,300 men under pay. The Rural Guard is provided for in the budget to the extent of 906 officers and men, but only about half that number have been embodied and etjuipped. There is also a force on the Haitian frontier under the direction of American officers, and dependent on the Receivership of Customs, but paid from the Dominican budget.

The navy consists of six vessels For the customs service 4 large, light- draught motor cutters have been built in the United States and are now in commission.

Production and Industry. — Of the total area, about 15,500 square miles is cultivable. Sugar-growing is a flourishing industry ; shipments in 1911, 193,487,948 lbs., to the value of 4,767,533 dollars, being an increase of 15,780,772 lbs. and 1,095,660 dollars over those of 1910. Cocoa was exported to the extent of 42,344,741 lbs., valued at 3,506,377 dollars. The exports

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