The number of vessels entering from foreign counties in 1889 was 1,224 (mostly junks) of 244,210 tons. The shipping is nearly all in Japanese hands; no British vessels called at any of the ports in 1889, while 20 German vessels of 8,229 tons entered.

Transport in the interior is by horses and oxen. A telegraph line runs from Seoul north to the Chinese frontier, connecting with the line to Tientsin, and another line runs south to Fusan, connecting with the cable to Japan.

Much of the country is mountainous, and there is a great deal of uncultivated land. The principal crops are rice, millet, beans, and jute, while coal is found in several parts.

British Consul General at Seoul.-Walter C. Hillier (Acting).

Books of Reference concerning Corea.

Annual Reports and Returns on the Trade in Foreign Vessels. Shanghai, 1890.
Carles (W. R.), Life in Corea. London, 1888.

Dallet, Histoire de l'église de Corée. Paris, 1874. [This work contains much accurate information concerning the political and social life, geography, and language of Corea, with the history and progress of the introduction of Roman Catholicism into Corea, and its progress from 1784 to 1866.]

Dictionnaire Coréen-Français, par les missionaires de Corée de la Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris. Yokohama, 1880. Grammaire Coréenne (by the same). Yokohama, 1881. [These two books contain much useful information concerning Corea. They treat of the language, geography (natural and political), administration, system of weights and measures, time measurement, royal genealogy, &c.]

Griffis (W. E.), Corea: the Hermit Nation. London, 1882.

Hall (J. C.), A Visit to Corea in 1882, in Proceedings of Royal Geographical Society, 1883. Lowell (Perceval), Choson, the Land of the Morning Calm. A Sketch of Korea. London,

1883.

Oppert (Ernst), Corea: a Forbidden Land.

Report for the Year 1889 on the Trade and Commerce of Corea, in 'Diplomatic and Consular Reports.' London, 1890.

Reports by Vice-Consul Carles on
Ross (Rev. J.), History of Corea.
Scott (James), A Corean Manual.

Journeys in Corea. London, 1885.
Paisley, n.d.
Shanghai, 1887.

COSTA RICA.

(REPÚBLICA DE COSTA RICA.)

Constitution and Government.

THE Republic of Costa Rica, an independent State since the year 1821, and forming part from 1824 to 1839 of the Confederation of Central America, is governed under a Constitution first promulgated in 1859, but modified very frequently since that date. Practically there was no constitution between 1870 and 1882. The legislative power is vested in a Chamber of Representatives-one representative to every 10,000 inhabitants-chosen in electoral assemblies, the members of which are returned by the suffrage of all who are able to live 'respectably.' There were 537 electors in 1889, and 26 deputies. The members of the Chamber are elected for the term of four years, one-half retiring every two years. The executive authority is in the hands of a president, elected, in the same manner as the Congress, for the term of four years.

President of the Republic.-José Joaquin Rodriguez was popularly elected President on May 8, 1890.

The administration is carried on, under the President, by four ministers -viz. of the Interior; of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Worship; of Commerce and Finance; and of War and Marine.

Area and Population.

The area of the Republic is estimated at 20,000 English square miles. A census was taken in November 1883, and the official results show the population to number 182,073-89,789 males and 92,284 females-besides an additional 18,207 estimated or unenumerated, and 3,500 aborigines— giving a total of 203,780. In 1889 the population was estimated at 209,644; there were 1,228 marriages, 9,151 births (19.7 per cent. illegitimate), and 5,238 deaths, giving a surplus of 3,913. In the same year 6,330 persons entered and 3,706 left Costa Rica. The population of European descent, many of them pure Spanish blood, dwell mostly around the capital, the city of San José (population 18,000), and in the towns of Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Limon.

Instruction.

Education is compulsory and free. In 1890 there were 300 primary schools with 15,000 pupils, besides 90 private schools with 2,500 pupils. In 1884 the number of children between 7 and 14 years of age was 27,245. In the budget for 1889-90, 350,000 dollars were devoted to education.

'Justice.

Justice is administered by the Supreme Court of Justice, two Appeal Courts, and the Court of Cassation. There are also subordinate courts in the separate provinces, and local justices throughout the Republic.

Finance.

The revenue for the five years ending March 31, 1890, was, in pesos: 1885-86, 2,387,290; 1886-87, 2,435,189; 1887-88, 3,094,153; 1888-89, 3,687,594; 1889-90, 5,078,166. The expenditure for 1888-89 was, in pesos, 3,939,998; for 1889-90, 5,924,915 pesos. In 1889-90 the largest items of expenditure were: Debt, 2,046,647; war and national defence, 549,112; public instruction, 449,877; public works, 980,517

The foreign debt of the Republic consisted of a six per cent. loan of the nominal amount of 1,000,0007., contracted in England in 1871, and, a 7 per cent. loan, of the nominal amount of 2,400,0007.-issued at 82contracted in 1872. The amount outstanding in January 1887 was 2,691,3007., and the accumulated interest amounted to 2,119,512. This debt has been converted into a total amount of 2,000,0007. sterling at 5 per cent. from January 1, 1888, and has been taken over by the Costa Rica Railway Company. The total debt, external and internal, in 1890 amounted to 17,712,338 pesos (including 820,245 pesos paper money.)

To facilitate agricultural operations and immigration, a concession has been granted for an agricultural bank with a capital of 1,000,0007. The bank will not only make advances on the security of lands and produce, but will bring out colonists and settle them on lands which will be ceded to the company.

Defence.

Costa Rica has an army of 600 men, and on a war footing can command 31,824 militia, as every male between 18 and 50 is bound to serve.

Industry and Commerce.

Almost anything can be grown in Costa Rica, but in 1889 the principal agricultural products were coffee and bananas. Maize, rice, wheat, potatoes, are commonly cultivated. In 1888 the agricultural produce was valued at 16,523,014 pesos. Gold and silver mines are worked; the value of the produce in 1888 being 37,496 pesos. In 1889 the live stock consisted of 292,808 cattle, 59,742 horses, and 2,382 sheep, valued at, in all, 5,429,231 pesos.

The following is the value in pesos of the imports and exports for 1885-89:

.

1885

Imports 3,660,931 3,296,508

1886

3,537,651
3,225,807

5,601,225 5,201,922 6,306,408 6,236,563 5,713,792 6,965,371

Exports The imports in 1889 included railway materials to the value of 425,892 pesos.

The most important export is coffee, the quantity exported in the year 1889 amounting to 12,756 tons, valued at 6,186,656 pesos. The other important exports are bananas, 569,020 pesos; hides, 56,823 pesos; skins, 16,217 pesos; cocoanuts, 13,434 pesos; cocoa, 12,386 pesos; mother-of-pearl, 10,002 pesos; mora wood, 11,152 pesos; cedar, 10,046 pesos; also coined money 55,167 pesos. Of the coffee exported, 7,554 tons, value 3,633,739

INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE-MONEY, ETC.

439 pesos, went to England, and 4,780 tons, valued at 2,339,020, went to the United States. The value of the imports from Great Britain in 1889 was 1,862,280 pesos; from the United States, 1,780,156 pesos; Germany, 1,229,340 pesos; and exports to Great Britain, 3,647,427 pesos; United States,3,035,288 pesos; Germany, 201,079 pesos. Coffee fluctuates so much in yield that efforts are being made to develop other cultures, as bananas, tobacco, sugarcane, &c.

The commercial intercourse of Costa Rica is largely with the United Kingdom, but it is not reported on in the Annual Statement' published by the Board of Trade, which throws the statistics of the Republic, together with other States, under the general heading of Central America.' (For the value of the imports and exports thus given see GUATEMALA.)

Shipping and Communications.

In 1888 there entered the ports of Costa Rica 303 vessels. In 1889 the number of vessels was 309, of 367,052 tons (136 British of 149,062 tons).

In 1890 Costa Rica had railways of a total length of 180 miles on the Atlantic Coast and San José, and between Limon and Reventazon; a further extension to Cartago, 51 miles, is nearly completed (Dec. 1890).

In 1887-88 (March 31), 2,633,809 letters, newspapers, &c., circulated through the post-offices.

There are (1889) telegraph lines of a total length of 600 English miles, with 31 telegraph offices. The number of messages in 1887-88 was 112,639, the receipts being 31,176 pesos.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of Costa Rica, and the British equivalents, are

MONEY.

The Dollar, of 100 Centavas: normal value, 48.; approximate value, 3s. 1d. 6 dol. 50 c.=17. (1888).

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

The metric system is now in use; the following are the old weights and

The old weights and measures of Spain are in general use, out the introduction of the French metric system is contemplated.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. OF COSTA RICA IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Minister. Manuel M. Peralta.

Consul-General.-John A. Le Lacheur.

2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN COSTA RICA.

Minister and Consul- General.--Audley C.Gosling, resident at Guatemala. Consul.-Cecil Sharpe.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Costa Rica.

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Anuario estadistico de la República de Costa Rica. Año de 1889. San José, 1890.

Calvo (J. B.), República de Costa Rica. Apuntamientos geográficos, estadísticos e históricos. San José, 1887.

Estadística del comercio exterior de la República de Costa Rica. 1889. San Jose, 1890. Memoria de la secretaria de gobernación, policia y fomento. San José, 1890.

Memoria de la secretaria de guerra y marina. San José, 1890,

Memoria de la secretaria de hacienda y comercio. 5. San José, 1890.

Villavicencio (Enrique), Director of Statistical Bureau. República de Costa Rica. Año de 1886. San José, 1886.

Report by Consul Sharpe on the Trade and Commerce of Costa Rica in 1889, in No. 694 Diplomatic and Consular Reports.' 1890.

Trade of Central America with the United Kingdom, in ‘Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1889. Imp. 4. London, 1890.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Bates (H. W.), Central and South America. New edition. London, 1882;

Belly (Félix), A travers l'Amérique centrale. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1872.

Biolley (Paul), Costa Rica and her Future. Washington, 1889.

Boyle (Frederick), Ride across a Continent: a Personal Narrative of Wanderings through Nicaragua and Costa Rica. 2 vols. 8. London, 1868.

Caceres (J. M.), Geografía de Centro-America. Paris, 1882.

Fröbel (Julius), Aus Amerika. 2 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1857-58.

Marr (N.), Reise nach Centralamerika. 2 vols. 8. Hamburg, 1863.

Morelot (L.), Voyage dans l'Amérique centrale. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1859.

Peralta (Manuel M.), Costa Rica: its Climate, Constitution, and Resources. With a survey of its present financial position. 8. London, 1873.

Scherzer (Karl, Ritter von), Statistisch-commerzielle Ergebnisse einer Reise um die Erde. 8. Leipzig, 1867.

Scherzer (Karl, Ritter ron), Wanderungen durch die mittelamerikanischen Freistaaten. 8. Braunschweig, 1857.

Wagner (Moritz), Die Republik Costa Rica in Centralamerika. 8. Leipzig, 1856.