considerably for the year named, probably because that country reck. ons by the calendar and this by the fiscal year. The differences make the imports from this country larger, by the returns of Uruguay, by $1,504,719, and the exports to this country smaller by $1,495,241, varying the volume by only $9,478, but attributing a more favorable character to it, so far as this country is concerned, than it seems actually to possess. The following tables show our trade with Uruguay from the United States Treasury returns for the years named:

These tables show, among other facts, that the importation of farm products into Uruguay from the United States, during the five years considered, increased from $56,983 to $767,367 in value, and that its exports of pastoral products to this country decreased $3,019,592. In the meantime the volume of trade between the two countries has diminished over $1,000,000, while with France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Spain the trade of Uruguay is increasing slowly. From most European countries there are lines of steamers to the ports of Uruguay and the Argentine Republic, and also many sailing vessels, affording abundant shipping facilities, but the flag of the United States is most conspicuous by its absence from South American waters.

IMPORT AND EXPORT DUTIES.

Tables showing the existing import duties upon specified agricultural products introduced into Uruguay were published in the monthly report of this Bureau for September, 1890. Export duties upon certain animal products of that country were reported by Consul Hill, in October,

1890, to be as follows, reduced to pounds and to United States values as near as possible:

Uruguay is not alone interesting in itself as a rapidly developing agricultural country, but because it is representative of a much greater area, a large portion of which is less developed, in the Argentine Republic, including parts of the provinces of Entre Rios, Corrientes, and Santa Fé, and the territories of Misiones and Gran Chaco, and a portion Paraguay, of identical or similar character in many of their topographical, hydrographical, climatic, and soil features. The total of this area, including Uruguay, is over 500,000 square miles, and of this approximately two-thirds, or 300,000 square miles, is of similar physical characteristics; but this is a smaller area by 44,000 square miles than that of Texas and the Indian Territory together, a region which may be compared with the South American one in many respects without losing in the comparison.

VENEZUELA.

The Republic of Venezuela includes the northeastern portion of South America and a few adjacent islands, between latitudes 1° 8' and 120 16' north, and longitudes 53° 15' and 73° 17' west from Greenwich, and has an area stated in its latest statistical publication at 591,000 square miles; in The Statesman's Year Book at 632,695; in the American Almanac at 439,119, and in the report of the International American Conference relative to an international railway line, at 394,374 square miles. Adopting the Venezuelan authority, 282,000 square miles of the area are contained in the federal district and eight States, the remainder being divided into eight Territories. The boundaries are made by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic on the north, British Guiana on the east, Brazil and territories claimed by Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru on the south, and by Colombia on the west. It is larger in extent than Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado combined. In 1889 the population was estimated to be 2,234,385, of which 326,000 were Indians, 86,000 uncivilized. In this population the female excess was 64,200, and there were 35,000 foreigners, consisting of Spaniards, Colombians, English, Italians, Dutch, French, and Germans, proportioned in the order named, with scarcely a representative of the United States. All except 98,385 of the population dwelt in the States aud federal district, making for their area nearly 7.6 inhabitants to the square mile, or one-half of 1 per cent more to the square mile than the State of New York had in 1790.

It ought to be noted perhaps that the British authority known as The Statesman's Year Book, for 1885, gives the area of British Guiana,

*Diminished recently, however, by award on arbitration in favor of Colombia, to an unknown but not great extent.

bounding Venezuela on the east, as 76,000, and that the same annual for 1886 gives the area as 109,000 square miles; an increase during a year of 33,000 square miles to European possessions in America, and an equal loss to the Republic of Venezuela, so far unaccounted for by treaty or recognized conquest, and claimed by the latter country to be against her hitherto unbroken and undisputed right of possession acknowledged in the treaty of Munster, 1648, the definitive treaty of Aranjuez, 1791, and the treaty of London, 1814, which conferred what is now British Guiana upon Great Britian with the Essequibo as its permanent western boundary.

DISCOVERY BY COLUMBUS.

Venezuela was the first portion of the main land of the New World discovered by Columbus, near the mouths of the Orinoco, and during his second voyage. Alonzo de Ojeda, who accompanied him upon his first two adventures, made an independent voyage in 1502, using copies of Columbus's maps, and coasting farther west discovered and entered Lake Maracaibo. Americo Vespucio accompanied Ojeda on this voyage, and being an Italian, the Indian villages, which the discoverers found built upon piles in the lake, suggested the name of Little Venice for the region-in Italian, Venecia, and in Spanish, Venezuela, which was ultimately extended to the entire captain-generaley and retained by the Republic.

FIRST CITY BUILT BY EUROPEANS.

In 1527 Spaniards, under the lead of Juan Ampuis and inspiration of Bartolomé de Las Casas, took possession of the coast at what is now Coro, in Venezuela, then called by its Indian name of Coquibacoa, erected a cross, which is still preserved, and founded finally the city which was for fifty years the capital of the country, and is still a State capital. This is probably the oldest city built by Europeans on the main land of the New World, and with its brass-bound cross, preserved under a canopy of masonry in the public square, and the remains of its church and Carmelite monastery built in 1540, is historically interesting. But as a capital or other rich city situated upon a narrow, low peninsula, or otherwise easily accessible from the sea, was not in early American historic times secure from the Morgans, Drakes, Knowleses, and independent gentlemen of enterprise who profitably amused themselves upon southern seas and along their shores, the Venezuelan capital was changed to Caracas, which lies 9 miles inland in a straight line, behind coast mountains about 8,000 feet high, and was for over two centuries inaccessible to artillery or a carriage from any near point upon the sea.

INDEPENDENCE OF SPAIN.

Venezuela, with Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, was liberated from the rule of Spain by Simon Bolívar and his compatriots in a war during years of which no prisoners were spared, according to a practice

initiated by the royalists, a declaration of independence having been adopted by a congress of delegates of the captain-generalcies named on the 5th day of July, 1811, at Caracas, and a union formed for the struggle against Spain. The war practically ended in Venezuela with her decisive victory at Carabobo on the 25th of June, 1821, but was continued longer in Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, to each of which Bolívar lent his efficient aid. In 1830 Venezuela withdrew from the successful coalition and has since remained independent. The 5th of July is annually celebrated in its principal cities by the officials, municipal bodies, and patriotic citizens, in assemblages before which addresses are made, and by processions to the churches and religious services therein. In these services the names of Bolívar "the Liberator" and Washington receive united honors.

CHARACTER AND FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

The form of government was originally modeled upon that of the United States, and is still similar thereto in leading points. The legis lative power is vested in the Senate and House of Deputies, which consist, respectively, of three senators from each State, and one deputy for each 35,000 inhabitants or fraction exceeding 15,000, forming a Congress of twenty-four senators and fifty-two deputies, all of whom are elected for four years.

The Congress elects from its body one senator and one deputy from each state, and one delegate from the federal district, who compose for two years a federal council, and this council elects from its own number the President of the Republic, who, like its members, is ineligible to a continuous reëlection. The President exercises his powers with the concurring vote of the council, and can suspend the operation of a law, but not veto one without the approval of the States. Thus, with the approval of the council, the Executive may exercise in various ways extraordinary powers, even to the extent of organizing an army in time of peace, suspending guarantees, removing all public officers, or expelling individuals. Under such conditions the constitutional provisions for popular but open suffrage, free speech, a free press, security of person and property, etc., scem sometimes to fail in efficacy, though less frequently of late than in former years. The judicial officers are elected by Congress for terms of eight years.

NATURAL CHARACTER AND PRODUCTIONS.

The country is naturally divided into three zones, characterized by their principal productions. The first, embracing about 134,000 square miles, equal to Missouri and the Indian Territory in extent, is mainly agricultural, and contains the plantations producing coffee, cacao, sugar cane, cotton, cereals, and fruits, and also sustaining many cattle. The second, of about 153,600 square miles, nearly the extent of California, is the interior grazing region and sustains large herds of cattle,