The Critic and record., 1891-04-10
THE SOUTHERN HALF.
NEWS OF THE DOlNGs or SOUTH
AMERICANS.

Under the heading of Venezuela at the
Chicago Exposition ,n the opinion Nacioadi,
the largest and most influential news
paper published at Caracas, comments
very favorably upon the coming exhibit
tion and extends the use of its columns
for the publication of any matter which
will encourage that undertaking. It says:
"To the courtesy of our good friend, Dr.
A. Ernst, we owe the pleasure of making
the personal acquaintance of Lieutenant
Roger Welles, ir,, of the u. S. Navy, who
has arrived in Caracas as the special COM
missioner on behalf of the Exposition
which is TO celebrate the l0Oth anniversary
of the discovery Of America. We are
informed that the Venezuelan Gov
eminent has accepted the inyi-
tation to participate, and that the Presi-
dent, DIR. Andueza Palacio, has assured
the commissioner that the republic would
send full exhibit of its products and
industries. Lieutenant Welles will soon
make a journey into the interior for the
purpose Of interesting our producers TO
make good showing, but desires to see
as many as possible Of the probable Vene-
zuelan exhibitors in this vicinity before
leaving, in order 20 give them all the de-
tails possible in regard TO the exhibition,
His quarters are at the Grand Hotel.
The foreign commerce Of Guatemala
for the year 1890 was very encouraging,
reaching q total of SlGOl0,Ol5 of which
SGO79370 were imports and S0,0j0,GI5
were exports. The imports showed an in
crease of S2,036,015 over the previous
year, while the exports showed an in
crease of Sj,560,2l0 over the previous
year. The apparent large increase in eX
ports was due to the high price OF coffee
and the abundant crop, the value of the
coffee exported being 50, 552, 900 against
5000, 2l5 during the previous year. The
greater part of the coffee went to
Hamburg by the German steamers
and TO san Francisco. Every article of
import, except flour, showed an increase;
the chief increase of merchandise being
cotton goods and other wearing apparel,
railway supplies, hardware, machinery,
agricultural implements and liquors. The
imports from the United States were ST.
337, ,400 from England, 81 l,201G2j; from
France, S923,5SG; from Germany, S7l5, $40.
The foreign debt of Guatemala is reported
by the last official returns to he Sl6l3,500
while the internal debt is 81, 500,
The shipment of frozen carcasses of
mutton from the Argentine Republic to
England has increased very rapidly
within the last six years. In 1885 the
total number of frozen carcasses received
at Liverpool and other British ports was
l9O5Ili While in 1890 it was l,320,0H.
The Secretary of State has received a
dispatch from Hon. Frederick Douglass,
Minister to lIayt, concerning the visit Of
Mr.. +. A. Ober, the special commissioner
for the Worlds Columbian Exposition, to
that republic, Mr. Douglass says that
Mr. Ober's intelligent zeal and gentle
manly department made it both agreeable
and easy for the legation to give TO his
mission the cordial cooperation which
would have been rendered in any case on
the ground of duty.
He states that he lost no time in securing
for Mr.. Ober an interview with Mr.. Fir
| min, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to
whom he presented in clear and forcible
manner the purpose of his visit, outlining
| the interest already shown by Cuba, and
| felicitously stating what was desired from
| Hayti. Mr. Douglass availed himself Of
| the opportunity to second all that Mr..
| Ober had said in regard to the Importance
| Of the Exposition and the desirability OF
| having Hayti fifty and fully represented.
Mr.. Firmin assured them of his interest
| in favor of the participation of his cOun-
| try in the proposed Exposition, and eX-
| pressed his regret that the absence from
| the capital of his colleagues with Pres-
y
| ing the subject Immediately before the
| government. The hope was expressed
| that on Mr.. Obers return to Hayti at the
expiration of a few weeks he would find
them in the city, when definite action
would be taken by the government for
an honorable participation in the Exposl-
! tion. The Minister states that the COM
missioner left a pleasing impression be-
| hind him, both of himself personally and
| i'm favor of his mission
The Government of Guatemala has re-
Gently granted q concession to Messrs.
Martin, Roberts Il Co., for the construc-
tion of a canal lifty-two miles in length
from Point Leng a de Buey, near Port
| Livingston, on the Caribbean Sea- to
Gualan, a city of the interior about one
hundred and fifty miles from Guatemala
City, the capital of the republic. The
railway is now in process of construction
between the latter towns. The canal is to
be of sufficient length and depth to ac-
commodate steamers of one hundred
tons.
The Bureau of the American Republics
is in receipt of the ofliciafstahstical return
of Uruguay for the last year, which shows
the national revenue from import duties
to have been Sl4 ,954, 800, and the eXpendi
lures of the Government, Sl4 ,GS0, ,5l3. The
public debt is Ssl ,279 752. The value Of
landed property subject to taxation i,
S247, ,4G0346, of which Sll2,000,4lS is held
by 22,S23 native proprietors, and Sl35,
3G0,92S by "A, 227 foreign proprietors.
The Government of Honduras ha'
issiled decree continuing for another
term of years the steamship company
maintained:by Messrs. De Leon and Alge
between Puerto Cortez, Belize and New
Orleans.