New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-16
COSTA RIGA.
BY A FORMER BRITISH CONSUL.

Colorado, on the Atlantic, along the night bank up
the said Colorado and the San Juan Rivers. to
where the latter flows from the Lake OF Mica
rsgua, the southern shore Of the lake TO Point
Tort1gas; then by an imaginary line to Cape
Matan, the north western reach OF Salinas bay on
the Pacific ocean. East and west the two oceans
limit her territories while to the south the from
tier line is unsettled. The Government Of Costa
RIGA draws il from the eastern extremity OF the
Chiriqui lagOons on the Atlantic, 10 Point Burica
on the Pacific coast; whereas the Government OF
New-Grenads claims as theirs the whole OF the
lands back of the Chirgui lagoOns, by establishing
line from the western shore Of Bocs del Ioro 70
Point Burca.
The territory thus claimed by both these Gov
ernments is very interesting portion OF the 18th
mus, rich in coal gold, copper and other metals
1t IL within this district also that the small settle
ment of Fabrega lies, facing the Boca del Ioro,
the inhabitants OF which carry on considerable
trade with the Indian, Of the interior, and partic-
ularly with the town Of David, in the Chiriqui val
leys a few miles from the Pacific. Fabrega il
quite prosperous town, and its shops vie in
neatness with those Of the capital of Costa Rica.
IL is said that vessels from Baltimore drop their
anchors every year in its splendid bay, bringing
the manufactured produce OF North American In
dustry TO value gilmore than one hundred thousand
dollars and ship in exchange the sarsaparilla aud
other natural products Of the country.
goons and the valleys which constitute Costa
Kica proper are extremely rare and difficult, as
well as dangerOus-they are carried or by means
Of the Indian path which leads from the German
colony Of AngOstuIa Ito which road has been
cleared through the forest from Turialva) to the
port Of MON through the Indian villages Of Matt
ma, "a district which produces the small quantity
Of cocoa raised in the cOuntry) aud hence by
boats along the coast 1t is therefore the more
remarkable that the government of Costa Rlca
should not favor the undertaking OF the German
Colonization Company, nor aid in the construction
Of the road 10 LmOD, as the completion of those
two projects would be the best and are the only
means Of resuIning possession of the disputed
territory which is at present under New-Grana-
dian occupation.
The area of Costa RIGA is computed by the
Government at 5000 square leagues; but as
have said before, OILY very small portion OF this
vast territory is inhabited, the remainder is noun
tain, forest and swamp. The whole population of
the State is not above, and many believe 1t to be
considerably below, 200, 600 souls; this, however,
does not include the tribes of Independent Indians
who live on the NewGrenadian frontier, on
the banks of the Upper San Juan and on the shores
of the lake of Nicaragua.
Costa Rica is divided administratively into FIVE
provinces: San Jose Heredia, Alsjuea, Carriage,
and the Guanacaste. The province of San Jose
is in every respect the most important 1t
is the seat of the Government; its soil produces
nearly the whole of the coffee crop; and it is the
militia of this province who furnish the gar
rson of the Capital and the frontier post Of
Sarapiqu The proportion of militia in each
province is as follows: San Jose, 5000; Car
tagO, l,000 and the Guanacaste 500. Heredia
and Alajuela are exempt because the small farm
ers Of those provinces follow the profession OF
arrierOs, (carriers.) There is much jealousy
between the provinces; this jealousy is most
Iotu he
former, which once held the rank of the CAPT.
tai, looking upon the latter with envous hatred,
while San Jose retOrts with sarcasm and suspicion.
Alauela and San Jose are no better friends; and
as to the Gu&nacaste, 1t is so far removed from
the center that il seems to be more OF a supernu-
merary member than aught else, and has little to
say in home politics.
The people of Costa Rics, are mixture of the
European with the Indian and Africans they are
well off. There is plenty of work for every man
who chooses to undertake il, and wages are high.
Thirty years ago man earned not more than III
cents per day, and he had TO find his own food;
now he earns more than half dollar Nearly
every family has a small hut and piece of land
which afford it shelter and food But what speaks
higher than mere assertions of the prosperity of
this small community is their consumption of fer.
eign articles They have no home manufacture of
any Kind, everything they use coming either IRON
Europe or from other parts OF the American CONT
nent The average value of the goods consumed
yearly in the country can be estimated at one mill
ion and half of dollars; which shows a consump-
tion of seven aud half dollars per head for the
whole population, taking ii at the highest figure,
200, 0CO souls.
The foreign trade of Costa Rca was, thirty
years back, limited to imports from Jamaica,
which were brought in by Moin and the Indian
path to Carriage and TO some interchange OF for
eicn goods for natural produce with the western
coast of South America, the whole hardly
averaging $500, 600. 1t is only within the last
fifteen years that this trade has taken any devel-
opmeut in consequence OF the establishment and
increase of the cultivation of coffee this culture
having led to direct connection with the British
market. In the first years of this new phase IN
Costa Rican commerce., the sale of British goods
in the country gave considerable profits, which
were enlarged by the gains on the returns in cot.
fee made to England: British manufactured
articles fetched then a high price, while coffee
could be procured at low one. ms was the
Golden age of few merchants; but change has
occurred since ls4s. AT present British goods do
not Weld on an average more than 80 to 40 per
cent ON the invoice and the returns in coffee
show frequently loss.
The Custom. House duties are not levied in
Costa Rica on the rGiae of imported goods but on
their gross ueight, package included, and are so
calculated as to constitute an Gd ralOrem tarih of
% per cent on the original cost. When Punta
Arenas on the Gulf of Nicoya, was made free
nort the Custom House was established at the
Station House of the Garita at the entrance of the
valley of San Jose, where all the goods are now
weighed. and the amount ofduty pa! able on each,
fred. The Government allows the merchants
r,dit of six month, az the expiration OF which
ne duty ia to be paid by them to the Collector