Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/627

* NICARAGUA. 533 NICARAGUA. sums. Alligators are found in the rivers and along their shores, and turtles, snakes, some very poisonous, and insect life are superabundant. Geolociy and Mineral Resoikces. The Ca- rilihean plain is alluvial. Far inland behind the plain are the liighlands of Segovia. Matagalpa, and Cliontales, composed of Paleozoic and ileso- zoic strata, with granite and basalt intrusions. The gold diggings are found chielly in these highlands. The broad depression between the mountains extending from near the Gulf of Fon- seca to the lakes and the valley of the 8an .Juan is mainly Paleozoic, with a deep covering of volcanic dust and tufa. The country west of the lakes is formed to a great dcptli of matter ejected from the line of volcanic fissures and cones, which pass through or ajipear above it. On this erupted mass are situatc<l most of the larger towns, and here is the dwelling place of over seven-tenths of the population. American and British companies do most of the mining. At present only gold mines are worked in Nic- aragua, though silver-mining yielded great re- turns in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The gold mines, about ,"50 in number, have con- tributed largely to the wealth of the Republic. Those of Chontales yield from one-fourth of an ounce to two ounces of gold to the ton of ore ; those of Nueva Segovia from one and a half ounces to three ounces. The total production in the past ten years has been from 20.000 to 70.000 ounces a year. Tin, nickel, antimony, arsenic, and other metals and minerals liave been located, hut as yet are not economically important. Agriculti:be. The rich farming regions of the west are capable of vastly greater development than has yet been attained. The coffee planta- tions (many of them belonging to Germans) yield the principal crop, the berry being grown throughout the highlands of the north and north- west. The largest crop was produced in 1902 — 30.000,000 pounds. Cocoa is of superior quality, but not enough is produced for the home market. The sugar industry is extending. Sugar-cane supplies the coarse brown sugar made at home ami i-; used in the manufacture of aguardiente, a kind of rum. Cotton is indigenous, and of excellent quality, but is grown wholly for home consumption. Three crops of maize a year are raised on the same ground. Large areas, well adapted for tobapco farming, are still unfilled. The rubber industry has latterly been waning. Rice is important, and the yam and sweet pntato are the principal farinaceous crops. Bread fruit grows to perfection, and is an important article of diet. The banana industrv is large and increasing. The cocoanut and black beans are produced abundantly, and the vegetables of the temperate zone thrive in the more elevated districts. Cattle-raising, particularly in the northwestern provinces, is one of the chief sources of wealth. Large haciendas are devoted to this industrv. and many hides are exported. Maxlf.ctures. Manufacturing enterprises are little developed. Coarse cotton fal)rics are ina(h'. and most of the house furniture is sup- plied by local factories. Large quantities of cigars are produced and also roofing tiles and other forms of pottery. The Indian industries include the making of hammocks, superior straw hats, jewelry of gold and silver, potteries and carvings. The country depends for its manufac- tures chiefly upon imports. Commerce. Trade statistics are not published, but the consular reports give an ajiiiroxiniate idea of the olume of foreign commerce. The im- ports in I'JOl were approximately .$3,240,000; the exports, .$2,736,000. Of the former, the lead- ing items are cotton, food materials, and their products; of the latter, the leading items are coffee, bananas, gold, cattle, and woods. In 1901, GO per cent, of the imports came from the United States, and 00 per cent, of the exports went to the United States. Great Britain and then Germany came next in the trade. In 1902 the imports from Nicaragua to the United States were about $2,000,000; the exports to Nicaragua, $1,350,000. Transportation. About two-thirds of the for- eign trade pas.ses thi'ough Corinto. The Ciovern- ment has planned for rcsnilar direct steamship connection with New Orleans and Europe. Nine- teen small vessels, including one steamship owned by Nicaraguans, aie in the merchant trade, and four steamers ply on Lake Managua. There are very few good roads. The railroads are confined to the Pacific coast, and with the completion of the Central Division of the system in November, 1902, there is now a continuous railroad line from Corinto on the Pacific to Granada on Lake Nicaragua, with a branch to Diriamba in the cofi'ee region. The total system in operation is about 200 miles, and practically all belongs to the Government. The latest addition to the ser- vice greatly improves the facilities for shipping coft'ee. Banking. The Bank of London and Central America and the Agriculture and Mercantile Bank at Leon have brandies in all the impor- tant cities, and transact most of the banking business, though many private capitalists also carry on banking. GiovEBNMENT. Nicaragua has a repulilican form of government. The Constitution (adopted in 1894 and amended in 1890) vests the law- making power in a Congress of one House, with forty members, elected for two years. The session of Congress is ninety days, opening with- out special convocation at the beginning of Au- gust. The President and Vice-President must be at least twenty-five years of age. and citizens of Nicaragua or of one of the Central American republics. They are elected for four years by direct suffrage. The President exercises admin- istrative functions through a council of minis- ters, composed of the heads of the five depart- ments of the Interior (.Justice, Police, and Re- ligion), Wur and Marine, I<"oreign AtTairs, Fi- nance, and Public Works. The Republic is di- vided into 13 departments, 2 eomarcas, and 3 districts, each of which is inider a Governor, who is also commander of the military forces in his department or district. There are a Supreme Court of Justice and two courts of second in- stance. The military forces comprise the active army, the reserve, and the national guard. The number of active troops varies; in 1900 the number was 2000; in time of war it niav be 20,000. Finance. The Government derives most of its revenue from the customs, in addition to which the liquor and tobacco duties yield a consider- able amount. The largest items in expenditure are for the Departments of War and JIarine, and of Fomento (exploitation). In 1902 the estimated revenues and expenditures each