Salvador Of The Twentieth Century - free ebook by Percy F. (Percy Falcke) Martin

PERCY F. MARTIN, F.R.G.S.

AUTHOR OF "THROUGH FIVE REPUBLICS OF SOUTH AMERICA," "MEXICO OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY," "PERU OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY," ETC. NEW YORK LONGMANS, GREEN &amp; CO., LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD 1911 [ All rights reserved ]...

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PREFACE

While it is quite reasonable to hope for a consistent improvement among the Central American nations, and as easy to discern the extent of amelioration which has already occurred, it is necessary to bear in mind some of the causes which have hitherto conduced to the turbulence and the tragedies which have characterized government by some of these smaller Latin Republics. Many writers, who can know but little of the Spanish race, have attributed the early failures of the States which broke away f

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CHAPTER I

Discovery of Salvador—Scenery—Volcanoes—Topographical features—Mountain ranges—Natural fertility—Lake Ilopango—Earthquake results—Remarkable phenomena—Disappearance of islands—Public roads improvement and construction under Figueroa government. It was in the year 1502 that Christopher Columbus, that remarkable and noble-minded Genoese, undeterred by the shameful treatment meted out to him by his adopted countrymen in Spain, sailed away to the East Indies in search of a new passage; and it was in

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CHAPTER II

Early Days of independence—"Central American Federation"—Constitutional Presidents—Executive power—Chamber of Congress—The Cabinet—Justice—The courts—Prisons and prisoners—Employment and treatment—Police force—How distributed—Education—Colleges and schools—State-aided education—Teaching staffs—Primary education—Posts and telegraphs—Improved interstate parcels post. The breaking away from Spanish dominion (although the seeds of revolution were laid as far back as 1811) did not take place until te

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CHAPTER III

Biographical—The President, Dr. Manuel E. Araujo—The ex-President, General Fernando Figueroa—The Cabinet—Dr. Francisco Dueñas—Don Rafael Guirola, D.—Dr. Teodosio Corranza—Dr. Manuel Castro, R.—Dr. Cecilio Bustamente—Señor José Maria Peralta Lagos—Dr. José A. Castro, V.—Dr. E. Bracamonte—Dr. Miguel Dueñas—Señor Carlos G. Prieto—Dr. Artúro Ramón Ávila. Dr. Manuel Enrique Araujo, President of the Republic of Salvador, although a comparatively young man, has long been regarded as one of the most dis

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CHAPTER IV

Government finances—London Market appreciation of Salvador bonds—History of foreign debt—Salvador Railway security—Central American Public Works Company—Changing the guarantee—Financial conditions to-day—Public debt at end of 1909—Budget for 1910-11—Small deficit may be converted into a surplus—Summary. The high opinion which the London Market entertains regarding Salvadorean Government securities is shown by the price at which they are quoted; and although judged upon their merits, these same s

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CHAPTER V

Salvador versus Honduras and Nicaragua—Attitude of the President—Proclamation to the people—Generals Rivas and Alfaro—Invasion of Salvador—Ignominious retreat of enemy—Conciliatory conduct of General Figueroa—Character of Salvadorean people—Treachery of Zelaya. There is no question that but for the prompt and conciliatory action of General Figueroa the events which took place in the last months of 1907 might well have involved the whole of the States of Central America in a long, serious, and sa

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CHAPTER VI

Outbreak of hostilities between Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala—Discreditable conduct of Nicaragua proved—Failure of United States and Mexican intervention—Dignified and loyal attitude of General Figueroa—Warning to Honduras—President Dávila used as Zelaya's cat's-paw—The latter's subsequent regret—Central American Court of Justice trial of claim for damages, and result of judgment. The true friends of interstate peace, of whom there are as many in Latin America as other parts of th

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CHAPTER VII

The army—Division of forces—Active reserve—Auxiliary—Republic's fighting strength—Military education—Strict training—Excellent discipline—Schools and polytechnics—Manual training—Workshops and output—Economies in equipments—Garrison services—Barracks—Destruction of Zapote Barracks—New constructions at Capital, Santa Ana, Santa Tecla, Sitio del Niño, Ahuachapán, Cojutepeque, San Miguel—Annual expenditure. The National Army of the Republic of Salvador is divided into three main sections, each of w

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CHAPTER VIII

British Minister to Salvador—Lionel Edward Gresley Carden—British Legation hospitality—Mrs. Carden—Government indifference to valuable services—British Consul—No report for twenty years—Foreign Office neglect—Salvadorean Consuls and their duties defined—Correspondence with the Foreign Office—Imports and Exports—British Supremacy in 1904—Germany's position. For some reason known to the Foreign Office, but understood and appreciated by no one else, Salvador is incorporated with Guatemala, Nicaragu

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CHAPTER IX

United States information for traders—Improved Consular services—Mr. W. E. Coldwell—United States and Salvador Government—Bureau of Pan-American Republics—Mr. Mark J. Kelly—Exceptional services—The American Minister, Major W. Heimké—Salvadorean Minister to U.S.A., Señor Federico Mejía—Central American Peace Conference and the United States. How beneficial is the attitude of the United States of America in collecting and disseminating every particle of information which can prove of the slightest

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CHAPTER X

Latin-American trade and British diplomacy—Serious handicap inflicted by the Government—Sacrificing British interests to American susceptibilities—The British Foreign Office's attitude towards its diplomatic representatives—Why British trade has been lost to Salvador—Free Trade and its advocates—The Salvadorean view—German competition—Methods of bribery in vogue—The Teutonic code of trade honour. If ever the secret veil which shrouds diplomacy in all countries from betrayal could be drawn aside,

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CHAPTER XI

British trade declines—Suggested remedy—Distributing centres—Trading companies and branches—Unattractive cheap goods—Former hold upon Salvadorean markets—Comparative statistics between Great Britain, Germany, and the United States—Woollen and cotton goods—Absence of British bottoms from Salvadorean ports—Markets open to British manufacturers—Agricultural implements. While everyone who has studied the question of British trade abroad is practically agreed that it is at present suffering from more

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CHAPTER XII

British fire apparatus—Story of a British installation—Coffee and sugar machinery—Cane-mills—Fawcett, Preston and Co.'s installations—High reputation enjoyed by British firms—United States coffee equipment—German competition—Methods of German commercial travellers—Openings for British trade—Effect of Panama Canal—A libel upon Salvador manufacturers—Salvador Chamber of Commerce. View of the picturesque town of Marcala. There are, on the other hand, certain classes of machinery and appliances of B

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CHAPTER XIII

Systems of business—Long credits—British and United States methods versus German—Making "good" stock losses—Question of exchange—Effect upon business—Drafts and speculators—Customary terms of payment—Central American banks as agents—Prominent Salvadorean Banks—The Press of the Republic—Prominent newspapers—Some of their contributors—Central American Press Conference. The general idea prevails among both British and North American manufacturers, who have had little personal experience of the Lati

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CHAPTER XIV

Mining—Ancient workings—Precious metals found—Copper deposits—Iron ores—Treatment of ores in England—Difficulties of transport—Some deceased authorities—Mines in operation—Butters' Salvador mines—History of undertaking—Large profits earned—Directorial policy—Machinery and equipment—Butters' Divisadero Mines—Butters' cyaniding plant. Tradition points to the fact that the whole of the Central American States were more or less mineralized, while some of them, such as Honduras and Salvador, have lon

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CHAPTER XV

Transportation—Salvador Railway Company—Early construction—Gauge—Bridges—Locomotives—Rolling-stock— Personnel of railway—Steamship service—Extensions—Increasing popularity—Exchange, and influence on railway success—Importers versus planters—Financial conditions—Projected extensions—Geological survey—Mr. Minor C. Keith's Salvador concession. The means of internal communication are perhaps more apparent and more systematically undertaken than in any of the smaller States, Salvador possessing at pr

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CHAPTER XVI

Ports and harbours—La Unión—Population—Railway extensions—Lack of British bottoms—Carrying trade—H.B.M.'s Vice-Consul—Port of Triunfo—Bad entrance—Proposed railway—Acajutla—Loading and unloading facilities—Proposed improvements—Salvador Railway connections—La Libertad—Comandante and garrison—Loading and unloading facilities—Cable station and the service provided by Government—The staff of operators. The western arm of the Gulf of Fonseca forms the capacious and land-locked harbour of La Unión, w

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CHAPTER XVII

Agriculture—Government support and supervision—Annual productions—Agricultural schools—Cattle-breeding—Coffee—Sugar—Tobacco—Forestry—Rice—Beans—Cacao—Balsam—Treatment by natives. It is only natural, in a country where agriculture forms one of the most important sources of revenue, that the Government should have directed its particular attention to the supervision and control of the industry. The Land Law of Salvador consists of no fewer than 245 separate articles, which are contained under eigh

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Department of San Salvador.

Cities. —San Salvador, Tonacatepeque (2). Towns. —Mejicanos, Apopa, Nejapa, Santo Tomas, Panchimalco (5). This was one of the first of the original divisions into which the Republic was divided in the year 1821, at which period the separation from the neighbouring kingdom of Guatemala took place. San Salvador is bounded on the north by the Departments of Chalatenango and Cuscatlán, on the east by Cuscatlán and La Paz, on the south by La Libertad and La Paz, and on the west by La Libertad. A grea

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CHAPTER XIX

City of San Salvador—San Salvador as place of residence—Theatres—Parks—Streets—Hotels—Domestic servants—Hospitality of residents—Societies and associations—Educational establishments—Government buildings—Religion and churches—Casino—Hospitals and institutions—Disastrous conflagrations—Public monuments. There are few more pleasant cities as a place of residence for all the year round than San Salvador. The climate is very agreeable, while the situation of the city, scenically speaking, is excepti

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Department of Chalatenango.

City. —Chalatenango (1). Towns. —Tejutla, San Ignacio, San Francisco, Morazán, San Rafael, and Citalá (6). Fully two-thirds of this portion of the country consist of mountain ranges, with long timber-covered spurs, very beautiful to the eye, running from their bases in every direction. The Department is bounded on the north by the Republic of Honduras; on the east by the same Republic and the Department of Cabañas; on the south by the Departments of Cabañas, Cuscatlán, San Salvador, and La Liber

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Department of Cuscatlán.

Cities. —Cojutepeque, Suchitoto (2). Towns. —San Pedro Perulapán, Tenancingo, San Rafael, and Guyabal (4). At one time this Department was the largest, or one of the largest, in Salvador; but successive rearrangements of the area of the Department for political purposes have robbed it of much of its original territory. It was established as a separate entity in May, 1855, before which it was made up of a great deal of land which now belongs to Chalatenango. Again, in 1875 it was forced to contri

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Department of Cabañas.

Cities. —Sensuntepeque, Ilobasco (2). Towns. —Victoria, Dolores, San Isidro, Jutiapa, Tejutepeque (5). This Department is principally of interest on account of the gold (see Chapter on Mining) which has been found, as well as the prosperous industry in indigo which is carried on there. It is bounded on the north and north-east by the Republic of Honduras, on the east by the Department of San Miguel, on the south by the Departments of San Vicente and Cuscatlán, and on the west by the last named o

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Department of San Vicente.

It would be no exaggeration to describe this Department as scenically the most beautiful in the Republic of Salvador. It affords almost every style of scenery—high mountains, towering volcanoes, delightful valleys, and a perfectly astounding collection of hot springs, or infiernillos . The Department is bounded on the north by the Department of Cabañas, on the east by the Departments of San Miguel and Usulután, on the south by the Pacific Ocean, and on the west by the Departments of La Paz and C

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Department of la Libertad.

Cities. —Santa Tecla, Opico (2). Towns. —-La Libertad, Teotepeque, Quezaltepeque (3). This Department, ranks second in importance to San Salvador, although its population is less than that of either the Departments, of Santa Ana, of Cuscatlán, or of San Miguel. It is joined by excellently-made cart-roads to both the Capital and to San Vicente. As far back as 1896, Mr. J. Imbrie Miller, an American engineer, formerly a member of the Intercontinental Railway Commission, was engaged in surveying a

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The Department of Sonsonate.

Cities. —Sonsonate, Izalco (2). Towns. —Nahuizalco, El Progreso, Armenia (3). This Department gains importance from two circumstances: Firstly, it contains the principal port of the Republic—Acajutla—of which a full description will be found under Chapter XVI., "Ports and Harbours"; and, secondly, because its main city, bearing the same name, has already attained great commercial significance, and is rapidly rivalling the Capital itself in the volume of its trade. The boundaries of the Departmen

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Department of Ahuachapán.

Cities. —Ahauchapán, Atiquizaya (2). Being the immediate neighbour of the sister Republic of Guatemala, this Department was once destined to become the route for the railway which was to—and may yet—connect up the two States by an iron link. It is bounded on the north and the west by this Republic, and on the east by the Departments of Sonsonate and Santa Ana. Very rugged and very wild is the northern part of the country, but there are several level plains north of the coastal range of mountains

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Department of Santa Ana.

Cities. —Santa Ana, Chalchuapa, Metapán (3). Towns. —Texistepeque, Coatepeque (2). The boundaries of this Department bring it into immediate contact with Honduras and Guatemala on the north, while on the east are the Departments of La Libertad and Chalatenango. Sonsonate is on the south, and Guatemala and the Department of Ahuachapán are on the west. Two extensive ranges of mountains cover this territory, one on the north, and the other from east to west, two imposing mountains, Santa Ana and Ma

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Department of La Paz.

City. —Zacatecoluca. Towns. —Santiago Nonualco, San Pedro Mazahuat, San Pedro Nonualco, Olocuilta (4). The Department of La Paz belongs to the group of central and coast (or maritime) Departments. It has a decidedly quadrangular form, and is bounded on the east by the Department of San Vicente; on the north by the same with that of Cuscatlán and of San Salvador; on the west by the Department of San Salvador and by that of La Libertad; and on the south by the Pacific. It lies between the parallel

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Department of San Miguel.

Cities. —San Miguel and Chinameca (2). Towns. —Uluazapa, Moncagua, Chapeltique, Cacaguatique, Sesorí (5). One of the most diversified of the Departments of the Republic is San Miguel, since it offers almost every kind of scenery to be found in Central America: wild and rugged coastline, steep and craggy mountains, beautiful verdant valleys and at least one active volcano—active, that is to say, in emitting much smoke and more noise, but otherwise, for the time being, unobjectionable. The Departm

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Department of Morazán.

City. —Gotera. Towns. —Sociedad, San Carlos, Jocoro, Osicala, El Rosario (5). This is one of the most recently created of the various Departments, having come into official existence in 1875. Formerly much of its territory was comprised in San Miguel. Even its name has been altered, since until 1887 it was known as "Gotera," which is now the title of its one city. In this year the name was altered to Morazán by decree of Congress, in memory of the last President of the Central American Federatio

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Department of La Unión.

Cities. —La Unión, San Alejo, Santa Rosa (3). It was to form this Department that San Miguel had once again to give up a goodly portion of its original territory. It is now one of the most important of the Republic's various political Divisions, by reason of containing the port of La Unión, of which I give a fuller description elsewhere under the title of "Ports and Harbours" (see Chapter XIV.). Its boundaries are as follows: North, by the Republic of Honduras; east, by that Republic also and th

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Department of Usulután.

Cities. —Usulután, Jucuapa, Alegría (3). Towns. —Santa Elena, Jiquilisco (2). This Department belongs to the eastern section of the Republic, and formerly its territory was embraced in the Department—or, as it was then called, the Province—of San Miguel (ó Provincia) de Chaparrastique, now known simply as "San Miguel." It became a separate Department in 1865. It is bounded on the north and east by the Department of San Miguel, on the south by the Pacific Ocean, and on the west by the Department

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CONCLUSION

I make no claim in this volume to having written anything startlingly new, nor yet to have made any particularly valuable contribution to the history of the world; but what I have endeavoured to effect, and what I trust I have accomplished at least in part, is to put before my readers what I know to be facts concerning a very interesting country which has hitherto received but scant attention at the hands of financial writers. Bulwer Lytton has said that no author ever drew a character, consiste

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