The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-09
PORTI-GAL: THE COTNTRI avn
THE PEOPLE.

Continental Portugal IL country NJ
| -. 7st square miles, an AREA little Iass
| than that OF the State Of Indiana Ia
length from north to south is approx.
mately Sso miles, and its average " DIN "a
a little less than 100 miles. lts population
IL about 5000 ooO Farms. pastures and
| vineyards are he direct source ~ maIn'a-
nance for about two-thiris of 'hs people
Me- hanical industries Of yariol. kinds
afford occupation for about one-hfth
Abont 20 per cent. ~ the total area 81 he
country IL ussd for farms. pastures. orchards
and vineyards. about ~ per cent i forest.
and about ~ per cent ~ Indicate" a. waste
land although much Of this = susceptible.
Of fairly profitable cultivation
The commerce OF the country CONSISTS "
exports amounting TO about s,o,.o. -, =
year. and OF imports amounting 20 about
ssS. 90. GO without break imports have
considerably exceeded exports since ssS.
the earliest year quoted IN the record Al
hand Exports show only a limited gam
The average from isso to isaS was about
s,S 90. oon a year while the average for he
last fifteen years has been about t3n. osN Osi.
a gain probably represented by price in
crease rather than by larger shipments
In thirty years imports Rave nearly
doubled In country like Portugal
an increase in imports and comparative
siaRnAtion in exports tends To- create
an unwholesome condition e"onom-
ically and financially About one-thrd -
IN. imports are food substances. Per
centags much too high for a country -
easily capable Of supplying nearly all 81 -
needs from it, own area This IL due no
part to a lack ~ energy on the part Of pro-
ducers and IN mar to the employment -
Antiquated implements and methods. Tho
revenues Of Portugal are about f7o.ooo.o'
year a sum that seems decidedly eNces-
4. a
nomiC conditions Abogt gu .W0sso. hoN-
ever. - required for the payment OF interes
on a huge national debit a debt reported
las, year as amounting 10 ts'is. onn. 90. L'''s
wonder that the country - IN trouble
once upon time Portugal's colonies
were many IN number and vast IN eyt"u'.
There are still number Of depenfen.,a.
widely scattered The Azores amt ito
Madeira islands are regarded go. 'UrlI'y
as sn integral part 81 tho kingdom no
former cover an area NJ ~: square miles,
with a population Of a little NOR" han soon
in 1910 visit Ia ProvinCetoWu ana other
points along the New England coast easily
suggests that since that time the islands
mus have been almost deserted Tho
Madeira Islands have az square miles :
quaint spot m N. -ea. vastly picturesque.
~ arminR with tourists and fore.gua
attracted nv IT. climate and scenery The
visitors aNord means Of -ubsist"nca Tor =
cons lderahle part Of a population numbering
about iSn. Oro In India and IN China Por'g.
gal holds colonial possessions aEgregatins
about p.oao square miles. with a population
of nearly inDo.Uo. Thc-r. like the African
possessions. are the fragments remaining
from an earlier tam" when the Portuguese
nAViRators we're a. bold and VentUresors
a. any that ssiied the seas and Portuguese
traders stood in the front rank 81 ent@rpris.
ing oversee merchants. On the east and
west coasts % Africa. with snndry islands
like the Cape Verde and Sac Thome. the latter
being one 81 the principal sources Of fHe
worlds supply 81 cocoa. Portugal has dc.
Tendencies covering an area Of soo. an square
miles. and including a population Of not far
from e.Ooo. 90.
Portugal's commercial domination in 'hs
Far East terminated about the middle ~
the seventeenth century lts mo-t valuAhia
was lost when Dom Pedro !.
vas crowned a. Emperor Of free and indie
pendent Brazil Its African colonies. vast
In extent. are Of doubtful value at the pres
ent time. new Government with \ new
system may succeed In an attempt - 80
deem the country. hut its task will be one
Of exceeding difficulty.