PARAGUAY.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION, INDUSTRY, AND COMMERCE.

The official statistics of the population, industries, and commerce of the Republic of Paraguay, as given by President ACEVAL to the National Congress, are as follows:

The total population of the Republic, outside of the capital city, is 583,852, of whom 18,642 are foreigners. The population of the capital city, Asunción, is 51,719, of whom 4,541 are foreigners.

The number of industrial establishments in the country, outside of Asunción, is 841, native and foreign, with a total capital of $15,448,066.13. The number of commercial houses is 1,728, with a capital of $26,673,534.

The industrial houses in Asunción number 253 with a capital of $120,000,000. In that city there are also 570 commercial establishments with a capital of $40,000,000.

The value of the live stock raising industries represents a capital of $100,286.835 additional.

The total value of the imports in 1900, reduced to national currency, was $20,977,419. The total value of the exports was $21,382,894.83. The volume of foreign commerce was therefore $42,360,313.83, while the exports exceeded the imports by $405,475.83.

The customs duties collected from imports and exports amounted to $8,428,705.41.

INCREASED TELEGRAPHIC SERVICE.

The telegraph line from Asunción to Paso du Patria has been constructed, a cable being placed at the intersection of the Tebicuary River, so as to avoid the continuous interruptions by the boats navigating that stream. Another cable crosses the Paraguay River at Nueva Franca, joining the Paraguay telegraph line with that known as the Chaco line of the Argentine Republic. There is also in process of construction a telegraph line from Humaita to Curupayty, where another cable will be placed which will unite the Paraguayan line with that of the Argentine Republic at the colony of La Palma. Paraguay will then have three telegraph lines connecting the Republie with the rest of the world. Two other interior lines, one to the north and the other to the eastern part of the Republic, have been authorized by acts of Congress. The number of domestic telegrams sent in 1900 was 35.218. In that year 25,075 telegrams were received from other countries, and 23,267 telegrams dispatched to places outside of Paraguay.

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.

Mr. JOHN N. RUFFIN, United States Consul at Asunción, has forwarded to the Department of State at Washington a report on the

progress of the trade relations between Paraguay and the United States, and also of the development of the country in its internal industrial affairs. It is well to note that almost all the trade between the two countries under consideration is carried on through Montevideo, Uruguay, or Buenos Ayres, in the Argentine Republic. In his report Mr. RUFFIN says:

"The trade of Paraguay with the United States is increasing, and the prospects are that before the expiration of the present year it will have reached an unprecedented volume. For instance, the firm of ANGULOY CIA. has devoted considerable space to an exhibition of United States goods, in which, I am informed, it is doing a large and everincreasing business, especially in agricultural implements. It expects to make many sales of carriages, electrical supplies, bicycles, dry paints, and other articles of United States manufacture."

FACTORY FOR MANUFACTURING QUEBRACHO EXTRACT.

"A contract has been made with a large landowner here for the establishment of a quebracho factory for the production of extract of quebracho for use in tanneries. Another plant, known as curupay, I am informed, gives even more tannic substance than the quebracho, the yield being as high as 36 per cent, and, in my opinion, a factory for its utilization would prove an excellent investment. As yet the scheme has never been tried.

PROPOSED WATERWORKS AT ASUNCIÓN.

"The engineers who have been considering the establishment of waterworks for the city of Asunción will shortly submit to authorities the results of their observations, when the Government will call for bids. The works will be quite extensive and will involve the use of considerable quantities of piping and iron material. In addition to the waterworks the Government will in the near future take up the matter of road building and the dredging of the pass at Angostura."

DISCOVERY OF CAUSE OF CATTLE DISEASE.

The London press reports that a bacteriologist in Asunción has discovered the microbe of mal de cadera (hip disease), which generally proves so fatal to live stock in Paraguay. With the discovery of the cause of the disease, it is hoped that a remedy will soon be discovered. With that end in view, experiments are being conducted in Asunción.

STREET-LIGHTING CONTRACT.

The contract for the lighting of the streets of the city of Asunción has been awarded to the "Asunción Traction and Electric Company," of Philadelphia.

PERU.

COLONIZATION OF THE PACHITEA RIVER VALLEY.

According to "El Economista" of May 25, 1901, the Government of Peru has granted to GUILLERMO SPEEDIE a colonization concession covering lands lying on both banks of the Pachitea River, under the following conditions:

"ARTICLE 1. The Government grants to said SPEEDIE:

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(a) Twenty-five thousand hectares of land on both margins of the Pachitea River from its confluence with the Ucayali River.

(b) Two hundred and fifty hectares more for every family of European or American colonists brought by said SPEEDIE during the first ten years in excess of the 120 families that he is obligated to bring.

"(a) To exploit these lands, colonizing them with European or American families.

"(b) To bring into the country 60 families, consisting of at least three persons each, during the first five years, and an additional 60 during the following three years.

"(e) Not to aid, but rather to prevent, the colonists from abandoning their lands without being replaced by others, so that on complying with the conditions of the contract there shall be 120 families in the colony.

"ART. 3. These stipulations shall have the following explanation and limitations:

"(a) By signing this contract said SPEEDIE acquires the right to demand the 25,000 hectares in exchange for the obligations that he thereby assumes.

"() Said SPEEDIE, by designating each lot within the first five years and submitting a drawing which distinguishes it sufficiently and shows the boundaries of adjoining properties, acquires possession of the land.

"(e) By the fact of having colonized such region with 120 families within the period of eight years, and the approval of the final plans, said SPEEDIE will have acquired full ownership to the 25,000 hectares, the conditions of this contract being fulfilled.

"(d) The lots shall contain not more than

be distant at least 5 kilometers from each other.

hectares, and shall

"(e) Every concession shall be understood to be granted without prejudice to third parties, and all exploitation shall be subject to the laws and resolutions at present in force or which may be enacted in future.

(f) These concessions shall remain without force or effect, and the Government may declare it so, provided the grantee fails to comply with the stipulations of article 2 within the time indicated.

"ART. 4. In lieu of the guarantee required by the law, said SPEEDIE offers to waive absolutely and unconditionally the claims made by him, derived from his navigation contract in Lake Titicaca, in such a manner that by the fact of signing this contract all questions relating thereto shall be terminated.

“The Government, without prejudging in any manner whatsoever the merits of such claims, and being authorized by the law to facilitate colonization and to aid in the development of mountain lands with its own resources, accepts this proposition as a means of enabling the grantee to more easily carry on his undertaking.

"ART. 5. The questions which may arise in the execution of this contract, and which are beyond the jurisdiction of the Executive, shall be submitted to the courts of the Republic, excluding therefrom all questions of a diplomatic nature.

"ART. 6. This contract shall not be transferred, while it is still executory, without the permission of the Government.

"The Director of Promotion is authorized, upon the acceptance of this contract by the interested party, to execute the corresponding deed, and he is empowered to accept the waiving of said SPEEDIE'S claims regarding the navigation of Lake Titicaca, and declare terminated, in the name of the Government, the questions which it may have against said SPEEDIE, arising out of the navigation contract already referred to."

SANTO DOMINGO MINE.

According to El Economista" of Lima, the Inca Mining Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, and whose home office is at Bradford, Pennsylvania, has obtained an enormous production of gold within the period of two months from the "Santo Domingo" mine in the Province of Carabaya. There were shipped from this mine to one of the banks in Lima during the time mentioned 8,200 pounds of gold ore, valued at £36,000. About two years ago the mine was sold to the company above named for £53,000. This corporation operated the mine until recently, when they sold it to an English company for £600,000. Recent data show that the output is about 4,100 pounds of gold ore monthly, valued at £18,000. The company has spent £70,000 in opening and improving roads for the transportation of machinery, etc.

"

NEW STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

According to El Comercio" of Lima, a steamship company is being organized in that city which will make regular trips to European ports, stopping en route from Panama at Callao, Valparaiso, and Coronel. The line will consist of four vessels.

SALVADOR.

NEW PATENT LAW.

On May 13, 1901, there was promulgated by order of the President, Señor Don TOMÁS REGALADO, a new patent law enacted by the National Legislative Assembly a few days previously. The English translation of this law from the Spanish text, as duly attested by the President of the Assembly and the several officials through whose hands it passed for verification, is as follows:

LEGISLATIVE POWER.

"The National Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Salvador, considering that the promulgation of a law on the subject of patents of invention or improvement, by which the rights of the inventors should be properly protected, is conducive to promote the general interests of the country, in use of the constitutional powers vested in it, does hereby decree:

"ARTICLE 1. Every Salvadorian or foreigner who is the inventor or improver of any industry or art or of objects destined therefor has the right, by virtue of article 34 of the Constitution, to the exclusive use thereof, during a certain number of years, under the rules and regulations prescribed in this law.

In order to acquire this right a patent of invention or improvement should be obtained.

ART. 2. All discoveries, inventions, or improvements having for their object a new industrial product, a new manner of production, or the new application of means already known for obtaining an industrial result or product, shall be patentable. Chemical or pharmaceu tical products shall also be patentable.

ART. 3. No invention or improvement shall be considered new when it has received in Central America or abroad, and prior to the petition for the patent, sufficient publicity to be put into practice. An exception from this rule is established when the publication has been made by a foreign authority empowered to issue patents, and when the invention or improvement has been exhibited in expositions held in the Republic or abroad.

ART. 4. The following shall not be patentable:

I. Inventions or improvements whose use is contrary to laws of prohibitory character or to public safety.

II. Scientific principles or discoveries as long as they are merely speculative and not in the form of a machine, apparatus, instrument, mechanical or chemical process, or preparation of a practical industrial character.