construction of a railway, since between the ranges of hills which inclose both sides of the valley are found level plains of considerable extent, divided by canyons through which flow the small tributaries. of the Puelo River. The only places requiring considerable work are the precipitous sides of Inferior Lake and a few kilometers between La Poza de las IIualas and Lake Tagua-Tagua.

The railway will cross the Argentine frontier at kilometer 90, latitude 42° 06′ 23′′ S., and at an elevation of 200 meters above the level of the sea. The gauge will be 0.75 of a meter, and there will be no necessity for the construction of more than five bridges of importance. The curves and grades will be slight over the entire line with the exception of one division, which will not exceed 3 per cent per 14 kilometers. The cost of the work is calculated at 2,400,000 pesos, and the company has agreed to complete the construction within a period of two years.

The object of this railway is to bring to Pacific ports the various products of that part of Patagonia which borders on the Chilean frontier. At the present time there is no outlet for these products on the Atlantic side, nor could the construction of a railway to the Atlantic be now entertained because of the great distance and the sparseness of population through the region which would have to be traversed. On the other hand, a railway up the Puelo River Valley is the shortest and topographically best situated route for bringing the valuable products of the southwestern portion of the Argentine Republic to the markets of the world, and especially is this true of her cattle and sheep products. At the same time the rich region between the Reloncavi and Bodudahue rivers, and, above all, the productive valley of the Puelo River, supplemented by easy railway transportation in connection with the exploitation of the forests of larch, cypress, and other construction woods, and the development of stock raising on a large scale, will be an unfailing fountain of wealth upon which the railway will have to draw.

COLOMBIA.

TARIFF MODIFICATIONS.

I.--Decree No. 220, of March 10, 1904, to amend Decree No. 17, of January 8 of same year, imposing a duty on exported neat cattle.

["Diario Oficial" No. 12027, of March 10, 1901.]

SOLE ARTICLE. The export duty on cattle, as established by Decree No. 17, of January 8 last, is reduced to 2 pesos gold per head of male cattle and to 5 pesos per head of female cattle.

Section. This decree shall enter into force on April 1 next.

II. Decree No. 262, dated March 23, 1904, further rebating the duties on goods imported through the Cucuta custom-house.

["Diario Oficial" No. 12039, of March 26, 1901.]

SOLE ARTICLE. By modification to the Decree No. 1183, of December 23, 1903, the rebate of import duties referred to in that decree shall be increased to 50 per cent.

Section. The tenths of the rebate granted by the amended decree shall therefore be computed by taking into account the increase provided for in the present decree.

COSTA RICA.

TRADE WITH GREAT BRITAIN IN 1903.

Out of a total import value of £1,005,068 ($4,889,659) Costa Rica in 1903 purchased merchandise from Great Britain to the amount of £216,808, the principal items being textiles, £99,214; coal (patent fuel for the use of the railways), £17,252; railway supplies, £14,731; sacks, £13,584; galvanized roofing iron, £7,830; candles, £7,161; sewing cotton and thread, £6,024; drugs, £3,187; oils and paints, £2,451; coffee manure, £2,141; and confectionery, preserves, groceries, biscuits, soap, machetes, spades, bar and structural iron, sugar pans, stationery, hats, and manufactured tobacco.

The British Consul at San José reports that the percentage of imports from the United Kingdom has decreased from 23.94 per cent in 1902 to 21.57 per cent in 1903, although the actual value in both years was very nearly the same. Of the imports, 88.04 per cent, by value, were shipped by Limon and 11.96 per cent by Punta Arenas. This is exclusive of cattle, which come principally overland from Nicaragua, and of specie. He also states that the preponderance of United States imports into the Republic is due to the proximity of the two countries, their excellent intercommunication, and to the banana trade which is continuous throughout the year.

The protective duties established in 1902 upon food stuffs that can be grown in the country have had due effect in the case of beans and rice, the home-grown supply of which has caused an appreciable decrease in the imports. With these exceptions a general increase of imports into the Republic for 1903 is noted.

The export valuations for the year are placed at £1,504,450, as compared with £1,163,350 in the preceding year.

CUBA.

IMPORT TRADE, FIRST QUARTER OF 1904.

United States Minister SQUIERS forwards from Havana, Cuba, under date of August 6, 1904, the following data:

"I give herewith a table showing Cuba's import trade for the first quarter of 1904 and for the same quarter of 1903. These figures are of special interest, in that they cover the first quarter after December 26, 1903, the date on which the reciprocity treaty went into effect.

Imports of Cuba, first quarters of 1903 and 1904.

"The percentages of the several countries in this increase were as follows: United States, 14; Germany, 14; France, 5; Great Britain, 36; Spain, 27; other European countries, 12; other countries, 2. American countries other than the United States show a decrease of 12 per cent.

"American merchants and manufacturers will find but little satisfaction in these figures. The imports into Cuba from the United States show an increase of but 3 per cent, while those from England, Germany, Spain, and France increased 20, 21, 16, and 8 per cent, respectively; and I am unofficially informed that the Cuban exports to the United States have very largely increased.

"I never fail to impress upon the President and the Cuban merchants and planters with whom I come in contact the danger to reciprocity in the present uneven trade between the two countries, and that American merchants and manufacturers will not long support an arrangement which largely increases the market for Cuban productions and, by comparison at least, decreases the sale of our own. The situation is pretty well understood, and it will not be difficult to obtain from the Cuban Government a proposition for the admission of goods of American origin on a more favorable basis.

"I am unable at present to give the various import items in detail, but I hope to do so in a short time."

GENERAL TRADE STATISTICS.

In a report prepared for his Government by the Consul of Mexico at Havana, Señor Don ARTURO PALOMINO, the following figures covering the general trade of Cuba are furnished with special reference to the proportion of Cuban trade taken up by Mexico:

During the years cited, the imports of cattle from Mexico by Cuban ports were as follows:

Other animals were imported from Mexico, to the following values:

As is seen, the imports of Mexican cattle show a decline of approximately $600,000 in 1903 as compared with the year preceding, though there is a slight increase to be noted in regard to other animals. Mexico, however, has held her place among the countries supplying Cuba with live stock.

Foodstuffs from the United States show a decline in value, as is shown in the following figures:

1901...

1902.

1903.

$12, 166, 100

11, 207, 400 10, 019, 800

Flour, lard, pork, corn, and potatoes all show a decline in import valuations, owing to the fact that the Cubans are raising such staples for home consumption; beans alone show an increase in the quantity received from Mexico, with a slight decline as regards those from the United States.

In metals Germany takes the lead as a country of import, while in cotton England, Spain, and France lead, in the order named, though, as the consul remarks, Mexico is rapidly coming to the front with her cotton goods, and may establish a formidable competition for the trade.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

TARIFF MODIFICATIONS.

I.—Decree of July 27, 1903, relating to the importation of petroleum.

[“Gaceta Oficial," No. 1504, of August 3, 1903.]

1. Refined petroleum imported through sea or land custom-houses of the Republic shall be liable to a surtax at the rate of 3 centavos in American gold per gallon.

II. Decree of February 20, 1904, respecting the importation of supplies for use in apiculture.

["Gaceta Oficial," No. 1530, of February 20, 1904.]

SOLE ARTICLE. From the date of promulgation of the present decree supplies of all kinds for use in apiculture shall be free of all import duties.

III. Decree of February 23, 1904, as to the payment of import duties.

[Supplement of February 24, 1904, to the " Gaceta Oficial," No. 1530.]

ARTICLE 1. Until otherwise ordered and from and after the promulgation of the present decree, the revenue offices of the Republic shall take in payment of import duties only 25 per cent thereof in securities accepted for the purpose by the State, the remaining 75 per cent being payable in cash.

ART. 2. The Minister of Finance and Commerce is intrusted with the execution of the present decree, and all provisions inconsistent therewith are hereby repealed.

IV.--Decree of April 9, 1904, affecting the export duties.

[“Gaceta Oficial" of April 9, 1901.]

ARTICLE 1. From and after the 20th instant the duties leviable on the exportation of products shipped in ports of the Republic open to export are provisionally reestablished, subject to the following modifications:

Cocoa $1 per quintal over and above the war tax of $0.50 per quintal...do.......... 1.50