Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-24
ABOUT VENEZUELA.
THE COUNTRY JUST NOW IN THE
PUBLIC EYE,
A Few Historical Facts ana a
short Review OF the Trouble
With England and the Position
Taken by the United States.

Taken by the united states.
Venezuela is in the extreme north
ern part of South America, directly
facing the Caribbean Sea. To the ives
of it is the republic of Colombia, to th'
south is Brazil, to the east are th'
territorial possessions of three Europ
can governments combined under tn,
geographical name Of Guiana, a ter
ritory Of 10000 square miles and %,
GOO population, the chief city of which
is Cayenne, whence comes the pep
per. Next nearest is Venezuela, bu
not touching it at any point, is Dutct
Guiana, territory of the same size o
the French colony, but having pop
ulation twice as large. Paramaribo il
the chief town. Next, and adjacen,
to Venezuela, is British Guiana, the
size of which is in dispute.
The area of Venezuela is G32 ,O0C
square miles, larger than any country
1
in Europe, except Russia, and larger
than any State in the United States
The area of Texas is 265 5000 square
miles, little more than one-third as
large as Venezuela.
The population of Venezuela by the
last census was 2,55O,OOO, about the
same as the State of Massachusetts.
more than Denmark's, and less than
Switzerland's.
Caracas, the capital and chief city
of Venezuela, has population of TO-
600, is built on an elevation OF 5000
feet above sea level. The city was
founded in 1867.
In 1872, the year Of the latest
American war with Great Britain, an
earthquake in Caracas buried $4,000
in the ruins OF par, OF the city, March
26th.
There are about 2OO,OOO,OOO acres OF
fine forest lands in Venezuela, where
rose wood, satin wood, mahogany and
white and black ebony are found in
the greatest abundance.
The government of Venezuela is Re-
publican in form, but profound rev.
erence for forms and official etiquette
is said to exist.
The distance from New York to La
Guayra, the port OF Coracas, 1900
miles. The distance from London to
La Guayra, is 5000 miles.
| Venezuela exports large quantities
OF coffee, fine woods, hides, cocoa and
cattle.
On the north OF the republic oi
Venezuela are several small but fam.
Gus islands, viz Trinidad. British
possession, Curacao, Dutch posses
sion, the island OF Tortuga and the
British Isle Of St. George.
The coffee crop Of Venezuela
amounts to $15,OOO,OO0 year in
value. The average crop being about
GO, 900 tons, two-thirds OF which is ex'
ported, mostly to England. Maracaibo
coffee is we'll dnown.
The length of Venezuela from east
to west is 800 miles, and from north
to south about IT'S miles. The aver
age gold product of Venezuela in a
year is about 81, ,OOO,O 900, at present
but it is understood that the output
can be greatly increased, as her mines
are not fully developed, and but little
real prospecting has been done. The
whole exports Of the country, exceed
the imports by 100000 annually al
the present time, and this may be in.
creased to hundreds of millions in the
near future. The mineral products
in addition to gold, which English
free-booters seek, by summary and
forcible annexation of Venezuelan ter.
ritory to the British possessions, are
iron, quicksilver, zinc, lead, tin and
antimony. There are also large beds
OF salt, alum, lime, sulphur and as.
phaltum.
Venezuela declared her independ.
ence in 1910. The present republic
was formed in 1880. The rival poll
tical parties are the Unionists and the
Federalists. One favoring . central
ized government, the other, home
rule. Both are strongly opposed te
foreign invasion, encroachment OF
con6scation. Consequently all op
pose England.
The army of Venezuls, on peace
footing, consists of 1000 horsemen, A.,
600 infantry soldiers, and 600 artillery
men, exclusive Of militia and irregular
troops.
There are twenty States in Venezuela
the official division being similar tt
that of the United States. There is 6
federal district, corresponding to the
District of Columbia.
More than 200 lakes are found with
in the limits Of Venezuela, one of the
largest being 1000 feet above the leve
OF the sea.
The Orinoco river, the largest ir
Venezuela, is 1,l60 miles in length
five times as long as the Hudson, les'
than one-half as long as the Mississippi
and about one-third as long as the
Amazon.