Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1314

 1262 SANTO DOMINGO

from the capital, on the south side to La Vega, and Santiago on the north side. On the north side there is a road 165 kilometres long (103 miles) from Monte Cristi to La Vega, via Santiago and Moca. South of La Vega to Rincon which is part of the road across the island, the road is finished tor a distance, 19 kilometres (12 miles). On the south side there is a road 60 kilometres long (37 miles) from San Pedro Macoris to Seybo, via Hato Mayor. From Santo Domingo City (the capital), there is a road running east to San lsidro 16£ kilometres (10 miles), which is now being continued to San Pedro de Marcoris. One running west to San Cristobal 32 kilometres (20 miles) long ; another running west through Bani to Azua 130 kilometres (81 miles) long ; and one running north from the capital, eventually to connect with La Vega'40 kilometres (25 miles), which is now completed. There is a road running from Azua north-west to San Juan 92 kilometres (58 miles), and another running south-west from Azua to Barahaona 80 kilometres (55 miles).

There are two railway lines in the Republic: (1) Samana-Santiago line. belonging to an English company, runs from Sanchez on the Bay of Samruia to La Vega (73 miles) ; it has two branch lines (under the same management, but different ownership) from La Jina to San Francisco de Macoris (8^ miles), and from Las Cabullas to Salcedo (8 miles) ; this last has been extended to Moca (7 miles) in order to join the other system ; (2) a Government line, the Dominican Central railway, runs from Puerto Plata to Santiago and Moca (60 miles). Total length of line (1919) 153 miles. There are, besides, about 255 miles of private lines on the large estates.

On January 1, 1919, the postal and telegraph services were unified. For year ending June 30, 1920, number of offices (postal and telegraph) 57 ; number of post offices, 32 ; total pieces of mail handled, 5,952,595.

The telegraph, in the hands of a French Telegraphic Company (Com- pagnie Francaise des Cables Telegraphiques), is in operation between Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Santiago, from Santiago to Monte Cristi, and along the railway from Sanchez to La Vega ; total length, 311 miles. Several other inland lines are in project. There is an inter-urban telephone system owned and operated by the Dominican Government, with 918 miles of line in operation on June 30, 1920. Number of messages transmitted and received (1919-20), 543,978. Submarine cabes belonging to the satne French Com- pany connect in the north Puerto Plata with New York and Puerto Rico, and in the south Santo Domingo with Puerto Rico and Curaooa. The tele- phone system of the Republic is connected with that of Haiti.

Two small wireless stations are in existence at Santo Domingo and La Romana (a new port in the province of Seybo, declared open to foreign commerce in August, 1912) which can communicate with Porto Rico. Then is another small station at San Pedro de Macoris which is only used for local transmission. Number of radiograms sent (1919-20), 10,134 : number received, 13,087

The Military Government has established other wireless stations for its own use. *

Money, Weights, and Measures— On July 1st, 1897, the United

States gold dollar was adopted as the standard of value. A small amount of debased silver coin circulates as small change at the ratio of 5 to 1, viz., 1 peso = 20 cents United States currency. There are no Dominican gold coins or paper money in circulation.

In 1912 the National Bank of Santo Domingo was established with a paid up capital of 500,000 dollars. The Royal Bank of Canada has branches at Santo Domingo City, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Sanches and