New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-12
CENTRAL AMERICA
An Informing French Study OF
the Five Republics.
Paris, August 4.

Pafls, August v
Comte Maurice de Perigny. who was
| intrusted two years ago by the french
government with a mission of CONNER
ciaI and political investigation OF the
five republics of Central America, mas
written comprehensive and exceedingly
useful book on the subject, entitled Les
Gina Republiques de rAmerique Gem
trale." published by Pierre Roger. The
author attaches great Importance 10 the
increasing commercial influence of Ger
many i'm Central America. and COM
mends for French imitation the exceed
ingIy intelligent and practical methods
adopted by the commercial traVe'ie'A'
who. coming from Hamburg or Bremen
make monthly trips to the principal CEN
trial American markets.
The Germans circulate their prosp"c-
fuses in the language of the hauVes'
prices and measurements are given III the
| local standard, and the local wants, ana
even fads. are studied and catered TO by
the Germans. who have supplanted the
English in many branches of trade, such'
d
for instance as the boot and shoe IN
dustry. The English exporters sent
enormous quantities of shoes which fit-
! ted the British foot, but the fiat ana
broad-footed natives of Central America
could not squeeze their extremities into
I this British footwear. At last the supple
wide-awake, practical German appeared,
and after scientific diagnosis of the
native foot made shoes conforming TO
Central American measurements. An
other example is that of the balsam Of
Peru. used i'm chemistry for medicine and
perfumes This product, which comes
exclusively from Salvador. derived its
misleading name from the fact that in
former years it used To he sent from Sal-
vador to Callao in Peru, whence it was
exported to Europe. The Germans have
now the larger share of the trade in this
product. They purchase 100000 OF it
| yearly, against only $4,000 worth of 1t
which goes to the United States. In
every branch Of commerce the Germans
are we'll to the front. Their enterprise
will develop enormously II they succeed
in their present efforts to secure a port
and naval station on the Atlantic coast
of Africa
NJ. de Perigny deals exhaustlvely with
the possibility of establishing CONNER
cial and political union between the Gen.
trail American republics, based on the
,itNla of int aphi trot fret
enunciated by Bolivar and long after
ward put into practical shape by the
Treaty of Washington. which established
tribunal of arbitration and justice
certain measures, such as free trade
among them and the adoption Of the
metrical system are now practicable, but
that other steps. such as the unification
of their monetary systems on 4 gold
basis and single diplomatic and consul
lar representation abroad are entirely
out of the question. The "exorbitant
freight rates" of the two leading steam
ship companies sailing to these countries
are pointed out as the great obstacles to
commercial development. According To
NJ. de Perigny, the American company
serving the Atlantic ports charges IS "A
ton for goods shipped from Guatemala
to Honduras. whereas the German steam
ers charge only Sc ton for shipment
from that country all the way to Ham
burg
The author is enthusiastic about the
prosperity of Costa RIGA and Salvador,
and predicts still further commercial de-
velopment and political stability for all
of the Central American republics upon
the completion Of the Panama Canal.
This compact little book OF $50 pages,
provided with a good map and Illus
trated with twenty-six photographs
taken during the journey by the Com.
tesse de Perigny, who accompanied her
husband on his mission, is altogether the
best work published in France on Gen.
trail America. c. /. 3.