Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-02

Facts which Have Not Appeared Tn
Diplomatic Correspondence.

The length OF Venezuela from east to wesl
Is 900 miles. and from north to south 775
miles.
There are foureen varieties Of monkeys in
Venezuela and no cuckoos. The name Vene-
zuela means Little Venice.
There are 200 acres of forest lands
in the republic Of Venezuela. Rosewood, sat
inwood, mahogany and white and black ebony
are found.
The area Of Venezuela is 632. 900 square
miles. larger than that of any country in
! Europe except Russia, and larger than that
Of any state in the United States The area
| of Texas is 265, 900 square miles.
Inc cohee crop of Venezuela amounts to
Sl5OOO.OOO year in value. The average
| crop is 6O,00O tons Of coffee. Tw0-thirds of
| this product ia exported. mostly to England.
Maracaibo Is one Of the centers Of trade (;
| Maracabo coffee is known everywhere
The distance from New York to La Guayra,
| the port of Caracas. is 1900 miles. In addi-
ton to coffee, gold and fine woods Vene-
zuela exports hides, cocoa and cattle. The
distance from La Guayra to London is nearly
5000 miles.
On the north shore Of Venezuela, or rather
to the north of that republic are several
islands of greater fame than large area. par
tcularly the island of Curacao, a Dutch pos
session; the island OF Trinidad a British pos
session; the island of Tortuga, and the Brit
ish isle Of st. George
The army of Venezuela en- a peace footing,
consists of 1000 horsemen 1000 infantry
and 1000 artilerymen, exclusive of the local
militia and irregular troops BY the law of
Venezuela all citizens between the ages of
Is and 40 Doth incusive) are liable to serv-
ice in the national militia.
The debt Of Venezuela at the time Of the
last computation was $4,000 600, or about
one-ffth of the present debt of New York
City. The debt of Venezuela was Sl1 per
capita. In the United States the per capita
debt 10 $14, in England sS7, and in France
SIG.
The mineral products of Venezuela, in addi-
ton to gold which English spectators are
seeking by summary annexation of Venezuela
territory to the British possessions are iron,
zinc quicksilver, lead, tin and antimony.
There are also extensive products of salt.
alum, lime, sulphur and asphaltum
The population of Venezuela by the last
census was 2.55O,OOO. This is more than
Denmark's and less than Switzerland's. 1t is
about the same that of Massachusetts,. |
The last official estimate of the population
of Massachusetts. made on January /, 1894. |
was 2472,00O. By the federal census of five
years ago the population of Massachusetts
was 2,23S 900.
The average gold product of Venezuela in
a year is sl,0O0,00O. The standard of value
in the republic of Venezuela is the bolivar, |
so called after Simon Bolivar, and the value
of 1T is the same as a French franc-193 |
cents. Venezuela does not produce silver. |
Much of the foreign debt s held in England.
The exports Of Venezuela exceed the imports
by SO, 900, 900 year.
Venezuela first made declaration of its
independence in 1910. The present republic
was formed in 1880, in the same year that
Belgium became Independent monarchy.
The rival political parties in Venezuela are
the unionists and the federalists The former
favor a centralized government; the latter
are for home rule. Both are opposed to for
eign invasion, encroachment, or confiscation.
Venezuela imports from the United States
in year about 81 900 worth Of goods,
chiefly manufactured articles From Great
Britain it imports So, 500 900, from Germany
81, 100000, from France $2,000,O00, and from
Spain 5000, 900. This is the country from
which Venezuela imports most, and this is
he country to which Venezuela exports most.
Venezuela's exports to the United States
average 12,000,O00, to France $7,000000, to
England 81 100000, and to Germany and
Spain 5000 900 each.
Caracas, the capital and chief city Of Vene-
,uea has a population of 10000. or less
han that of Fall River. 1t is built on an
elevation of 5000 feet above the sea level. 1t
vas founded in 1857 Caracas Is an Indian
lame; the name Of the Indians of the neigh
,orhood which the Spanish pioneers affixed
o the original title of the new town, Santi-
go de Leon In 1912, the year of the latest
american war with Great Britain an earth ,
uake in Caracas buried 1900 persons In the
uins of part of the city. The date of this
earthquake was March 26.
The salary of the American minister to $
is $500. The rank of Vene- !
euela's representative at Washington Is that
# envoy extraordinary and minister pleni-
otentiary. Although Venezuela has been for
many years republic, its official representa- 6
ives are profound believers in a conven- a
iona observance of official etiquette. con- /
iderable number of diplomatic disputes have I
aiken place between the Venezuela State de- |
artment and the representatives OF various
Oregn governments over details OF routine n
nd usage. /
The summer season in Venezuela lasts from
Iovember to April The winter season lasts C
rom April to November. The climate of C
he temperate part Of the country is the finest
South America, the most equable and the
lost salubrious outside of Peru. The women I
I Venezuela Of the Spanish type, and =
re celebrated for their beauty. The Ian g
uage of the country is Spanish; no language g
sweeter. About 45,O00,O00 persons alto
ether speak Spanish as their native lam
uage, a majority of them living in South i
nd Central America. ~
There are more, than 200 lakes within the q
of Venezuela, one Of the largest Z
aing 1000 feet above the level of the sea. is
he Orinoco river, the largest In Venezuela,
1.1G0 miles long. 1t is five times as long
the Hudson river, but less than one-thrd v
lie length of the Amazon, and less than one h
alf the length of the Mississippi. The roads b.
Venezuela are inferior Communication is -
hicult The government, however, has ex- ~ ~
'ovement of the approaches to some of the
rger towns. There twenty states in
the official division being based
the constitution of the United States
here is also federal district. corresponding
the District OF Columbia, and there are
veral outlying territories.
Venezuela is in the extreme northern part
South America, directly facing the Car
bean sea. To the west Of it is the republic
Colombia, to the south Is Brazil, to the
st are the territorial possessions of three
lropean governments combined under the
ographcal name OF Guiana. The furtheEt
way from Venezuela is French Guiana, a -
rritory Of 49, 900 square miles and 25,00O 81
pulation the chief city Of which Is Cay "a
ne, whence comes the pepper and to which Y,
'ench criminals convicted Of serious Of III
naes are transported. Next nearest to
but not touching 1t at any point, Pi
Dutch Guiana a territory of almost ex a.
tly the same size as the French colony. but ~
wing a population twice as large. Para A.
lribo is the chief town. Next and adjacent "
Venezuela, is British Guiana, the size OF
iich Is in dispute. 81
That Russian Loan. III
Philadelphia Record. ~