And Her Future
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AND H E R F U T U R E . L P A U L B I O L E Y , B aelz lar L tt r P ro r the C ll San é C ta R a e of e e s, fesso in o ege of j os , os ic , Corregbonding Member of tlze Sociegz of Natural Sciences Nenclzatel Sw tz rla d and the Nenc/zatel of , i e n , of Geo ra lzical S t E tc . E tc . g p ociey, TRANSLATE D FROM THE FRE NCH CE CIL CHARLE S. r M n el a Stnel a m a d b a ma l draw b F . o tes eoc y cco p nie y p , in co o s, n y 7 W SHI GT N D . c . A N O , E I E TE JUDD a D E TW L R, PRIN RS. 1 889 . INTRODUCTION . The O I C to name C STA R A , even the European or American ss t of sts po essing a cer ain degree culture , sugge ordinarily but the vagues t idea of a little republic situated somewhere on — the American continent and producing if in deed this much — be known a coffee which is quoted rather high on the market . Geographies and encyclopedias give at most the of f n name of the capital the country and an estimate , o te f f A f r i o o t . s o erroneous, the number inhabitan s spec al few so works , these are and thickly covered with dust on the library shelves that few persons are able to consult them . M of e e e a o any th s works, b sides, were written go d many years ago and s upply information wholly insufficient at the present day . w o . Costa Rica , ho ever, deserves to be kn wn The prevail ing idea in Europe and America as to the Central American republics is that they are sunk in a state of somnolen ce and for . inertia, from which nothing can come a long time yet They are also represented as the scene of incessant interior r m m as ff wa s , and one i agines the constantly su ering from instability of government and insecurity in general . Noth is f ing alser than these suppositions , based on a complete f ignorance o the facts . A perusal of the study which we — here present to the public will give we are pleased to — believe a juster idea of Costa Rica . For several years all has been life an d progress the for o d l f ward march g es on ay by day in a remarkab e ashion , and this little country has arrived at a state of culture and civilization that many larger nations might well envy it . ( 111) I V INTRODUCTION . It has is now , especially , when the hour come for crowded European and American cities to overflow the world and i e f when em gration has b come a social necessity , that ormer prejudices should be dissipated . It is but fulfilling a duty to make known in all justice a country worthy of the atten tion of persons who may seriously consider the matter of f r seeking a new home o themselves . We have not sought to offer an untruthful panegyric ; w e do not present Costa Rica as an El Dorado or promised land we give but a brief resumé containin g the most important f the elements of an estimate . A res idence o several years in a of land we depict, the collabor tion persons worthy of all con fiden ce a h , the pains we have t ken to provide ourselves wit i the latest and most accurate nformation , the figures or the a terms of comparison that we const ntly present, will produce , we hope , in the mind of the reader the conviction that our f is es work , although orcedly incomplete, indeed the expr sion of the truth . PAUL BI O LLE Y . L F TAB E O CONTE NTS. — THE O NTR . CHAPTE R I . C U Y Topography O rography Hydro graphy Climatology Natural Products Ways Post O fi ces and Telegraph l n te roc eanic Canals — H B R T E I HA I . C HAPTE II . N TANTS 1 O n an t s . rigi d Cus om ns a s 2. Tow and Vill ge e rn n 8 . Gov me t u 4 . P blic Life u 5 . P blic I nstructio n 6 . Foreign e rs — HA L ANDS AND LTU RE S. C PTE R III . CU 1 an s . L d nc ur s 2 . Pri ipal Cult e ec a s 8 . Sp i l Culture Ne 4 . w Cultures 6 Natural Forest an d Agricultu ral Wealth I — T ND S R E . CHAPTE R V . I U I S 1 A r u n u . g ic ltural I d stry 2 C ff B eneflttin and M s . o ee g Sugar ill Msc an n us 8 . i ell eous I d tries MonO olies 4. p — MME R E D E O A N F NAN S. C HAP T E R V . C C I C l rta n and n . Expo tio Importatio n c u n 2 . Fi an ial Sit atio n and x D 8 . I terior E terior ebt M n s s and M 4 . o ey , Weight . easures — HE T RE CHAPTE R V I . T F U U 2 COSTA RICA . of tion His death prevented the pronouncing a decision , h ad uc sub udice lis est. and j There is , nevertheless , good reason to believe that Co sta Rica will be recognized as right ful possessor of the disputed lands . The obviousness of her rights has been admirably demonstrated by the important f a o Don M M. public tions her minister in Europe , anuel de P * eralta . The coasts on the Atlantic are united and of coral forma on P on an d tion ; those the acific, the other hand , are cut up e of 280 sandy . The ext nt the former may be estimated at kilometres (112 miles) ; that of the latter at more than twice as many . on of The principal peninsulas , all the Pacific, are those of u s the Golfo Dulce and Nicoya, separated by the g lf , hav u of ing the same names , from the mainland . The G lf is f f i o slands . Nicoya , the best known , ull That of Chira , of L h rather important as to extent, and that San ucas , whic f s as o . erves a place deportation , deserve especial mention of 180 has for The little Isle Coco , situated miles from land , F some time past been similarly occupied . ormerly it served f f as a place o refuge for the amous buccaneers . The Atlantic coast does not form any peninsulas proper , has of and but one little island , that Uvita , opposite Port Limon . The area of the country is square kilometres m — to c of square iles T) that is say , equal to twi e that the peninsula of Jutland and greater by one-fifth than that of Let a has Switzerland . us say at once th t Costa Rica hardly t n more ha population , which gives an almost exact ic a Ni ra u a P a n a maen c l i l de e ral a . Costa R ca s o n ue M. Don Ma l P t , g , 31 g Rica Colombia do 15 3 a 188 1. ar s rrer 1883 . Cos ta 7 I . a s e " V P ri , F , 3; P i , l m d D ocu men t s a ra la Hi er u 1886 . C n su a s o u es I V an V o s L o x , o lt o v l of p D n L eé n ern n o os ta R ica . ar s D u n 1886 u b s ed b o a toria d C P i , po t , ; p li h y F z an d for the ues n arb ra n b e w een N c a ua an d C s a R c a de ; , q tio of it tio t i rag o t i , r an d Re the lle a n s N c ara ua rese n e b D o n the Repo t ply to A g tio of i g , p t d y Pedro Pe rez Zel edon to the Presiden t of the U n ited States . me mes n s s u ar eo ra sc er Ha ndw eiser. O n e s TL ux . G g phi h o ti fi d q e m r s e n b u t n n w u d a r us s v res ma e . kilo et e giv , othi g o l ppea to j tify thi o e ti t 3 THE COUNTRY . proportion of four inhabitan ts to the square kilometre (or 2% to the square mile). — f 2 0 ro ra h . o . g p y The study of the mountains Costa Rica Fr n tz i ff to . a u s is yet be made in its entirety , Oersted , Ho a n Gabb mann , Seeb ch , Scherzer , and Wag er and have stud ied brtion s of some p the country , but their works do not suffice to present a clear idea of the Costa Rican orographic i i r r H .