Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/870

 748

COSTA RICA

France, and 116,246/?. from Spanish America. Of the value exported, 1,012,618^. (55-14 per cent.) went to the United States, 730,314Z. (3976 per cent.) to the United Kingdom, 61, 921 Z. (3*37 per cent.) to Germany, and 12,360/. (0-67 per cent.) to France.

Total trade between the United Kingdom and Costa Kica for 5 years : —

r,

1907 i 1908

1909

1910

1911

Imports from Costci Rica into U. K. Exports to Coxta Rica from U.K..

£ \ £ 1,396,606 1,265,855 282,509 i 2Gl,3fe3

£ 875,572 169,262

£

826,890 217,066

1,162,745 270,597

Shipping and Communications.

There are no official figures available as regards shipping. On the Atlantic coast there are several small sailing vessels and power launches, and on the Pacific coast some motor launches.

In 1911 there entered the ports of the Republic 604 vessels of 1,159,873 tons, and cleared 602 vessels of 1,164,372 tons. Limon is visited regularl}^ by steamers of 7 shipping companies (2 British, 1 German, 1 Spanish, 1 French, 1 Italian, and 1 American) connecting it Avith ports of Europe and America. Two lines visit the Pacific port of Punta Arenas.

The railway system connects San Jose v/ith the Atlantic ports, and has been extended to connect the capital with the Pacific ports ; there are branch lines connecting towns to the north and south. The length of railway is about 459 miles ; the system is being extended into the banana lands. At San Jose there is an electric tramway of 5^ miles.

In 1911 there were 200 post offices. The number of postal packets de- spatched and received was 6,991,898.

There are (1911) telegraph wires of a total length of 1,580 English miles, with 130 telegraph offices. The number of messages in 1911 was 563,000. The telephone lines had a length of about 460 miles. Wireless telegraphy is working from Limon to Bocas del Toro (Panama") 60 miles, and from Blue- fields and Colon to Jamaica. Limon has a radius of 300 miles.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

There are 5 banks in Costa Rica, the Anglo-Costa Rican Bank (founded 1863) and the Bank of Costa Rica (1877), with a capital of 1,200,000 and 2,000,000 colones respectively, the Commercial Bank of Costa Rica (1905) with a capital of 1,500,000 colones, and the Mercantile Bank of Costa Rica (1908) with a capital of 1,203,000 colones. On Sep- tember 12, 1912, a fifth bank was incorporated, the International Bank of Costa Rica, with a capital of 465,000 colones. Banks of issue must keep a reserve in gold equal to half their note circulation. The total notes in circulation on December 31, 1911, were 4,097,405 colones. The 4 banks had a reserve (December 31, 1912) of 2,673,469 colones.

On October 26, 1896, an Act was passed for the adoption of a gold standard, the monetary unit to be the gold colon, weighing 778 grammes, '900 fine (value about 22-9d.). The U.S. gold dollar is worth 2*15 colones. The new silver coinage consists of fractions of the colon, viz., 50, 25, 10, and 5-cent pieces '900 fine silver, M'hich are legal render up to 10 colons, copper being legal tender up to 1 colon. Foreign gold is legal, but not foreign silver.