DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR REPORTS. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1914 ON THE TRADE, COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. EDITED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND THE BOARD OF TRADE. REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REPORT, Annual Series No. 5289. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty, LONDON: PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE To be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, 29, BREAMS BUILDINGS, FETTER LANE, E.C., and 28, ABINGDON STREET, S. W., and 54, ST. MARY STREET, CARDIFF; or H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE (SCOTTISH BRANCH), 23, FORTH STREET, EDINBURGH; or E. PONSONBY, LIMITED, 116, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN; or from the Agencies in the British Colonies and Dependencies, the United States of America and other Foreign Countries of T. FISHER UNWIN, LIMITED, LONDON, W.C. [Cd. 7620-87.] 1915. Price Twopence Halfpenny. CURRENCY, Weights and Measures, and Population. Currency. The United States currency is the legal medium of exchange, but there are still in circulation some Dominican dollars (pesos), which are legal tender at the rate of 20 per cent. of their face value, i.e., in the ratio of 5 pesos to 1 dol. of United States currency. Fractions thereof circulate at the same rate. The rate of exchange is based on that prevailing in New York, a commission of toper cent. being usually charged. Weights and measures.-The metric system is the legal basis, but old Spanish measures are occasionally used in local transactions. The English system is used in connection with some imported articles, e.g., lumber, flour and oil. Population. The official estimate is 750,000, but it is doubtful whether the population actually exceeds 600,000. The following are liberal estimates of the populations of the principal towns: Puerto The principal commercial centres are Santiago and Santo Domingo. Plata is the principal port for tobacco and coffee, Sanchez for cacao and San Pedro de Macoris for sugar. Chief products.-Sugar, cacao, coffee, tobacco, hides, bananas, rum, wax, honey, cotton and timber. Language.-Spanish is the language of the country, but English is frequently understood and spoken by the better class of Dominicans. Reference to previous Report, Annual Series No. 5289. Report on the Trade, Commerce and Navigation of the Dominican Republic for the Year 1914 by Mr. G. A. Fisher, British Chargé d'Affaires at Santo Domingo. General remarks.-The year 1914 was chiefly marked by a revolution of unusual intensity which affected almost every part of the Republic during a period of four months and plunged the country into a state of commercial stagnation. Recovery from this condition was delayed by the outbreak of the European war, which closed some important markets for Dominican products and greatly increased the prices of some of the necessary food-stuffs. The chief result of these misfortunes has been the lack of ready money and the consequent unemployment and distress in most of the towns. Another important result is the great increase in the indebtedness of the country. The state of the national finances is most unsatisfactory, as it is actually worse now than at the time of the introduction of the partial financial control in 1907. The revolution also prevented any great progress being made with the various public works which are of vital importance to the prosperity of the country. The establishment, however, in December of a duly elected permanent Government gives rise to the hope that the Republic is about to enjoy a long period of peace. With good prospects of tranquillity, and with the readjustment and reorganisation of foreign trade relations, business ought gradually to return to its normal condition. Such improvement will necessarily be slow unless the Government succeeds soon in floating a loan and discharging its local obligations. It is evident that the revolutions of recent years have not inflicted any permanent damage on the productive industries of the country, and a steady increase in exports may be expected as communications gradually improve. Imports. In 1914 instead of the customary annual increase in the value of the imports a large decrease was recorded which amounted to 2,543,271 dol. (523,3071.) or about 27 per cent. as compared with the imports in 1913. The decreases are general and are evidently the result of the blockade of Puerto Plata and of the cutting off of the other principal ports from communication with the interior. One of the few increases, A 2 (521) |