The Washington times., 1903-11-13
COMMERCE OF PANAMA
100000 A YEAR
New Republic About the
Size of Indiana.
SPANISH, NEGRO, AND INDIAN
Hides, Rubbs4, Nuts, and Coffee Prin-
cipal Articles of Export Sent
to the United States.

The commerce Of Panama amounts 10
about S.OO0.OG0 per annum, its popula-
ton TO about 800 900. and its area TO 1851
square miles. OF nearly equal 20 that of
the State Of Indiana. The principal
ports are Panama, on the Pacific coast.
and Colon, on the Atlantic side and
these. ports are visited annually by more
than 200 vessels. which land over 900, =
eco tons of r-aarchs ndise and nearly 100
coo passengers. chiefly for transfer over
the Panama hallway. A. miles in length,
connecting the Pacific port OF Panama
with the Atlantic port of Colon
Colon, or Aspinwall, as II Is sometimes
called. has a population of about !, 600
persons. The city of Panama has a pop
ulation of about $500. 1t was founded
III 1913, burned IN 1911. and rebuilt in 1873,
while Colon is Of much more recent date.
having been founded in 1855
A Mixed Population.
The population is composed Of various
element Spanish, Indian. negro. and
limited number of persons from the Eu-
ropean countries and the United States,
especially those engaged in commerce
and transportation and the operation
OF the Panama Railway. A considerable
number OF the population is composed
OF persons brought to the isthnus as
iaoorers for the construction Of the ca
nal. and Of their descendants. Since the
abolition OF slavery IN Jamaica a con-
siderable number Of blacks and mulat-
toes have settled on the isthmus as
small dealers and farmers. and in some
villages on the Atlantic side they are
SAID TO be in the majority, and as a re-
suit the English language is much in
use especially on the Atlantic side.
Some OF the native population have re-
tanned their customs. speech. and pnysi-
cal type. especially taOse in The western
part OF the province. and claim to be de-
scendants of the natives found in that
secticn by the Spaniards when they dis
covered and conquered the country
Trade With United States.
OF the commerce of Panena the
United States supplies a larger share
than any other country. The importa-
tons at the port on Colon during the
fiscal year ended June 50, 1908. as shown
by tae report Of the United States con-
sui. amounted 70 s952 eS4, of which
s6l4.179 was from the United State
Slis,os6 from France, Sis. S22 from Eng
land, 1886 from Germany. The fig
ures OF the fiscal year 1903 sr~g a con-
siderable increase from thcss of 1902.
In which the value OF the Imports ct
ports from the United Stuss. AT Colon
In 1908, s2o0,i44 vas dry l,s.oas;c s1ss. sss
provisions. 1880 coal. s3s.S4z lumber,
1850 Kerosene. SO. 400 liquors, and
$3.50 hardware. The value of the i'm
portations from the United States In
1903 exceeded those Of 1902 by about
$4,000. The exports TO the United
States from Colon in 1903 amo inted TO
$17Ss7o Of which s75.4s2 was bananas.
$o4.se0 cocoanuts. s12.472 turtle shells,
500 ivory nuts. Sc, $50 hides. and 1924
co1ee.
Exports From Panama.
From the port Of Panama the exports
20 the United States in the fiscal year
1905 amounted TO Sl93.342. OF which SD. 767
vas hides. SO 81 india rubber, S27, sos
eocobolo nuts. Sls,5sS ivory nuts. sl3.s72
deerskins, and s6.S0s coffee The con-
sui at Panama states that the imported
articles come mostly from England,
Germany, France. italy. and the United
States. bat gives no statistics Of the
imports.
Panama is conriected with San Fran
DISCO by week. steamer schedule oper-
ated by the Pacihc Mail Steamship Com
pany. and with VALPARAISO by a weekly
steamer schedule operated by the Pa
cinc Steam Navigation Company and
South American Steamship Company.
Two passenger and two freight trains
leave Panama daily FOR Colon, and Colon
daily for Panama. The time for pas
senger trains over the forty-seven miles
OF railway IS three hours.
From Panama there IS one cable line
north 70 American ports and one TO the
south The actual time consumed IN
communicating with the United States
and receiving IA answer is stated by
The consul TO be usually about four
hours. There are aisc cable lines from
Colon to the United States and Europe
The money OF the country is silver.
the rate OF exchange having averaged
during the past year about $50 per cent