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constitution, like yours, decrees that the judicial authorities must be elected by popular vote, and these elections are held in the most tranquil way. My own personal opinion is against this manner. of appointing judges and magistrates, as I do not think popularity is always the best qualification for the sacred duties of a judge.

The importance of public education is fully appreciated by the Federal and State authorities, and there is a complete system derived from the study by competent persons of the methods followed in foreign countries. The Federal government has not only adopted the systems considered the best, but has appointed boards of education to give to public education an impetus in the right direction and to make it uniform in the Republic.

In 1898 the number of schools in the Republic was 12,358, and of this number 6.738 were supported by Federal and State authorities, 2,953 by municipalities, and 2,667 by private parties. The average monthly attendance of pupils was 556,009. The expense of the established schools supported by the authorities amounted to $5,980,180.72, not including, the schools kept by private parties, of which I have no information. If we take as a point of comparison the cost of the schools paid by the authorities, we can calculate very approximately that $7,000,000 were expended for public education in Mexico in that year. The number of schools for girls was 3,296; for boys, 6,813, and mixed, 2,249. This total has certainly increased since then.

The attendance of pupils increases very rapidly year after year, and I was agreeably surprised, when visiting my country after an absence of many years, to observe the wonderful results attained by our educational system. There is yet much to be done, but what has been already accomplished is truly surprising, and the board of education is con

tinually improving and multiplying the means of instruction.

To make good teachers and to impress unity of method there are normal schools for men and women. In the normal school for women in the City of Mexico there are actually more than 1,600 girls who want to adopt the noble profession of teachers. Another excellent normal school exists in the State of Vera Cruz, and there are others in other States, but I have no data at hand concerning them.

For professional instruction there are, principally in the Federal districts, schools of jurisprudence, engineering in all its branches, commerce, agriculture, arts and trades, fine arts, one conservatory of music, and for all avocations required by the actual state of sciences and arts, and the government is continually giving to each one of them all means conducive to perfect instruction, beginning with a comfortable and hygienic building. The one, for instance, in use by the school of arts and trades for women has been extended because the actual attendance is more than 1,000.

The number of public libraries in 1898 was 130. The national library of the capital last year added to its catalogue nearly 10,000 volumes by purchase and 9,500 volumes by the donation of Mrs. Ysabel Pesado de Mier, widow of our late and lamented minister to the French Republic, Mr. Antonio de Mier y Celis, my dear friend, and one of the best and most patriotic citizens Mexico has ever produced.

The number of museums in the Republic is about 30. The National Museum of the capital, the richest of all, received last year valuable additions in the acquisition of a collection of archæological pieces from the State of Michoacan, a collection of antique objects from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and fac-similes of the codices existing in the European libraries relative to our history, donated

by the Bishop of Tehuantepec and the Duc de Loubat.

The newspapers published during that year numbered 533, and of that total 153 were published in the City of Mexico, among them being daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly journals. Very few, fortunately, were exclusively given to politics, the rest to the exposition and discussion of science, industry, commerce, agriculture, jurisprudence, medicine, political economy, mining and civil engineering, military art, etc.

These few facts, rapidly enumerated, will give some idea of the real state of the public education in Mexico.

Passing to our Department of Improvements, Commerce, and Industry, etc., our mining industry is the most important in every respect and deserves to be mentioned first. The number of mineral properties at the end of last year was 12,304, covering an area of 128,380 hectares, the equivalent of nearly 320,000 acres, besides six extensive zones in the States of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Michoacan and in the territory of Lower California, which were rented to parties under contracts made by the Executive and approved by the Federal Congress for the working of all mines that may be discovered in these tracts of land.

Our

The yield of our silver mines in the four years from 1892 to 1896 was $225,247.459. or a yearly average of $56,311,864. During the four years 1896– 1900 the production was $274,370, 157, a yearly average of $68,592,540. production of gold is also increasing. From 1892-1896 it was $14,123,876, and from 1896–1900, $31,108,425-that is, the output more than doubled during the last four years.

In the production of silver from 1899. to 1900 there was a decline of more than two millions of dollars, but General Diaz explains the cause very satisfactorily by recalling the instability of pro

duction, which is subject to many accidents and unforeseen circumstances that diminish or stop suddenly the output of a silver mine. Our mining enterprises are not now confined to silver and gold, but in the mining of many other metals, such as copper, antimony, lead, and mercury, large capital is employed.

Our exports of copper in the last financial year amounted to nearly ten millions of dollars. Some of our mineralmelting establishments have disposed of the following quantities:

Campañía Metalurgica Mexicana de San Luis Potosí, from December, 1896, to September 30, 1900, 332,358 tons.

Gran Fundición Central de Aguascalientes, from December, 1896, to October, 1900, 625,855 tons.

Compañía del "Boleo" baja California, in the years from 1896 to the end of 1899, 40,422 tons.

A department of vital importance to us is that of colonization. Formerly the government made some efforts in this direction, and we now have 29 colonies in steady progress, 13 established directly by the government and 16 by private companies. Experience has taught us, however, that it is better to leave this matter to private enterprises, and the only positive aid given by the government is the tranquillity, security, and incessant and rapid progress of the whole Republic. When these advantageous conditions become universally known the current of immigration will flow into Mexico, where nobody can starve, where the poorest, with some exertion, can arrive at a comfortable situation-the middle class become rich and the rich can increase their capital by millions; and all this with a beautiful climate, salubrious everywhere, except on the coasts, and among a peaceful, industrious people, who have well earned the reputation of being one of the most courteous and hospitable upon the face of the earth.

(To be continued in the May number)

GEOGRAPHIC NOTES

OFFICIAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE PHILIPPINES

HE State Department has recently

THE published three handsome vol

umes on the Philippine Islands. The first two volumes are a history of Spanish work in the archipelago, with a cyclopedic

statement of the resources of the islands. The different peoples, their means of livelihood, their customs, and character are sympathetically portrayed by the editors, Rev. José Algué and the Jesuit Fathers of Manila. The third volume

is an atlas of about 60 colored maps. This atlas is the most comprehensive statement of what is known of the geography of the islands ever published. The collection of the material has been

the work of generations of the Jesuits, but under the Spanish régime want of money had prevented the publication of the mass of facts obtained. The map-makers of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey have systematized the material which the Jesuits supplied. Volumes I and II are in Spanish and illustrated with very good pictures. The set of three volumes may be obtained from the State Department by the payment of $20.

The Reports of the Taft Philippine Commission, which form a volume of 600 pages, may now be obtained from the State Department gratis.

The War Department has recently issued a large map of Luzon on the scale of 10 miles to the inch. It embodies all the latest information received by the department from its officers and agents in the islands. The department has also printed a third and revised edition of the large map of the archipelago based on the map of Montero Y. Gay, first published in Madrid.

The latest edition of the "Progress Map of Signal Corps Telegraph Lines

and Cables" in the Philippines shows all lines laid by the corps up to February 1, 1901. The lower hali of Luzon is now covered with a network of wire, while two trunk lines penetrate to the The extreme north end of the island. islands of Panay, Cebu, Negros, Leyte, and Bohol each have several hundreds of miles of wire, constructed by the corps, and are connected by military cables. There are now in operation in the islands 9,000 miles of wire and 400 miles of cable.

These maps may be obtained by responsible persons gratis.

THE CENSUS OF INDIA

TH

Τ

HE census of India, taken March 1, 1901, gives the population of that vast country as 294,266,000, an actual increase of only 1.49 per cent during ten years, while during the preceding decade the increase was 11.2 per cent.

The population in 1891 was 287,717,000, but as certain tracts are included in the census of 1901 that were not enumerated in 1891, the net increase is only 4,283,069. In numbers India has thus added to her population less than one-third of what the United States have gained, though the former has four times the population of the latteran increase of four millions as against thirteen millions for the United States.

The reasons of this small increase in the figures are two: first, the terrible ravages of the plague for four consecutive years in the Bombay Presidency and the two great famines of 1896-'97 and 1899-1900, and, second, the greater accuracy with which the work of the census has been performed.

The population of British India has increased considerably, while in the Native States it has fallen off. British

India now numbers 231,085,000 against 221,266,000 in 1891, and the Native States, 63,181,000 against 66,050,000

GEN. FOSTER ON MEXICO

in 1891. It is yet too early to analyze HON. JOHN W. FOSTER has been

the returns for the Native States, but there would appear to be an excessive decline in the birth rate.

The following table gives the population in thousands, the third column showing the percentage of increase or decrease:

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contributing to the New York Tribune a series of very pointed papers on the condition of Mexico of today. General Foster began his distinguished diplomatic career in 1873 as the United States Minister to Mexico, where he represented his nation for seven years. Until this winter he had not revisited the country in the twenty years since his recall. In the meantime he has been the United States minister to the courts of Russia and Spain, and held the high-. est diplomatic office in the United States, that of Secretary of State.

Instead of geographic isolation, Mexico is now bound to the United States by the iron ties of four railroads, while many steamship lines ply between Vera Cruz and foreign ports. Security of life and property is now assured. The evidences of progress and prosperity are seen on Mexico, the capital city, every hand. has doubled in numbers, and in its conveniences and wealth-bringing attractions may vie with the great cities of the continent.

Sev

In its foreign relations Mexico has risen to a position of dignity and gained the respect of all nations. "A marked feature of the recent diplomatic relations of Mexico has been the extension of these relations to the Far East. eral years ago a treaty of amity and commerce was effected with Japan, and missions are now maintained at the two capitals of both governments. Last year a similar treaty of a very liberal character was signed at Washington by the Mexican Ambassador and the Chinese Minister. By it Chinese laborers are admitted into the country, and they are already coming, especially to the Pacific Coast, in considerable numbers, and by their industrious and persistent habits are making themselves felt as an important element of the country."

To the able management of affairs by

President Diaz Mr. Foster attributed the prosperity of the country. The result of the President's good judgment is especially evident in the present confidence in the financial condition of the country, both official and private. "The revenues which before (the election of General Diaz) had been barely $20,000,000 annually, soon doubled, then trebled, and within ten years had increased more than sixfold, reaching as high as $120,000,000."

This increase made possible the abandonment of the old system of taxation of goods passing from state to state and of taxes collected at the city gates on all articles of consumption entering the city. By this reduction in the branches of taxation the national revenues have diminished to $60,000,000, which is sufficient for all the current needs of the government, and yields a surplus to be expended for special purposes.

The entire indebtedness of the Republic amounts to about $177,178,000, borne by about 13,570,000 souls. Mexico's debt per capita is thus only $13, while that of Canada is $71.

EXPLORATION DURING VICTORIA'S REIGN

A

PERUSAL of Gen. A. W. Greely's able article shows that nearly all the enormous advances in geographic knowledge during the past 100 years were made during Queen Victoria's reign. In 1837 Livingstone was attending medical and Greek classes in Glasgow, and Stanley had not been born. Victoria had reigned 16 years before McClure, in 1853, attained the Northwest Passage, and 43 years before Nordenskjold, in 1880, solved the problem of the Northeast Passage. Sir James Ross, Wilkes, Weddell, and D'Urville all won their Antarctic laurels within her reign. Australia was not crossed from north to south by Stuart till

1862, 25 years after her accession, and from east to west by Colonel Warburton till 1873, 36 years after her accession. Huc, the explorer of Tibet; Pumpelly and Richthofen, pioneers in China, and Nevelskoy, who ascended the Amur from the sea, gained their fame within Victoria's reign. Frémont, Powell, Dallnames illustrious in the exploration of the American continent-also did their work since 1837.

From her accession Victoria was Patron of the Royal Geographical Society, and to her encouragement are due many of the great enterprises planned and successfully carried out by the Socity. She was ready also to reward the work of British explorers. James Ross, Leopold McClintock, John Franklin, Samuel Baker, Robert Schomburgk, Henry M. Stanley, and others, she knighted in recognition of their achievements. The Founder's Medal and the Patron's Medal, awarded annually by the Royal Geographical Society, were granted by her.

PHENOMENAL INCREASE IN POPULATION OF ITALY

TH

HE population of Italy has practically doubled in the last twentyyears, a rate of increase that surpasses that of all nations of Europe and even the United States. This, too, notwithstanding the burdens of excessive taxation, that would tend to diminish the birth rate. The last census was taken twenty years ago, in 1881, and showed a population of 21,000,000. According to the census taken early this year the population now numbers 35,000,000. It is safe to estimate the number of emigrants during the twenty years as at least 5,000,000, so that the increase by birth has been about 20,000,000. It has taken the United States thirty years, aided by 12,000,000 immigrants, to double its numbers.

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