REPORTS of the Annual Series have been recently issued from His Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Officers at the following places, and may be obtained from the sources indicated on the title-page:

EDITED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND THE BOARD OF TRADE.

REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REPORT, Annual Series No. 4287.

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty,
JUNE, 1910.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE,
BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE,
PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS LATE MAJESTY.

And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from
WYMAN AND SONS, LTD., FETTER LANE, E.C.; and

32, ABINGDON STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.; or
OLIVER AND BOYD, TWEEDDALE COURT, EDINBURGH; or
E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN.

The State of Colima is situated on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Mexico; it has an area of some 2,950 square miles and extends from Lat, 18° 20′ to 19° 20′ N. and from 103° 25′ to 104° 50′ W. Long. (approximate).

Population, according to the census of 1900 is 65,130, consisting of 31,628 males and 33,502 females, but has probably increased since then about 10 per cent. Birth-rate of the entire State, as registered, is about 4 per cent.

Death rate of the entire State, as registered, is about 6 per cent.

The city of Colima, the capital of the State of Colima, is situated at an altitude of some 1,650 feet, distant some 30 miles from the coast, Lat. 19° 10′ N., in the centre of a large valley. It is the principal city on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Mexico and has a population of about 25,000.

Births for the year 1909, as registered, were 734, consisting of 388 males and 346 females.

Deaths for the year 1909, as registered, were 1,176, consisting of 673 males and 503 females.

Marriages for the year 1909, as registered, were 32.

Railroads. There is only one line of railroad which, traversing the State from east to west, comes from the city of Mexico (distant some 502 miles) viâ Guadalajara and passing by the city of Colima has its terminus at the harbour and seaport of Manzanillo (distant some 56 miles). This line is part of the national railroads of Mexico, controlled by the Government. There are no other public railroads building or under consideration at the present moment.

Shipping. The following steamship lines call regularly at Manzanillo :-Pacific Mail, Kosmos, Canadian-Mexican, Japanese (Toyo Kisen Kaisha), Pacific Navigation, China-Mexican, Jepson and Iberri,

Reference to previous Report, Annual Series No. 4287.

Report on the Trade of the Consular District of Colima for the Year 1909

By MR. CONSUL D. MACNEILL.

Trade and commerce.-The year 1909 will long be remembered on the Pacific coast of the Republic of Mexico as one of the worst years for general trade and commerce. The effects of the financial crisis of 1907 were not fully felt until the commencement of 1909; and when, to the stringency of the money market, was added the partial, and in some cases total, loss of the principal crops, several important commercial houses were forced to suspend. The crisis was apparently reached in September and October, for by the end of the year conditions began to improve, and the present outlook is promising. This is due to the fact that a very large proportion of the lands suitable for agriculture by irrigation, hitherto neglected, has been brought into cultivation, and the year 1910 will probably see the largest crop of irrigated agricultural produce ever grown on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Both the Mexican Government and the Mexican people seem to have arrived at the conclusion that the true wealth of the country lies in agriculture, and the Government is making every effort to promote and aid the cultivation of the large area of very fertile but uncultivated and unproductive land at present existing. The impulse given to agriculture has caused a decided increase in the demand for agricultural implements, such as ploughs, harrows, cultivators, hoes, shovels, chain traces, iron hames, &c., also jute sacks. In regard to agricultural machinery, the United States seem to be in almost undisputed possession of this branch of trade, owing to their proximity and the cheapness and lightness of the articles in question. In regard to ordinary iron implements, the same may apply. In regard to steel of all kinds, belting, enamel ware and all better class articles of steel or iron, British goods are preferred, and generally demanded by the native population.

There has been a decided increase in the amount of cotton planted during the past year, and the prospects for a large crop are good. Up to the present moment there has been no exportation of cotton from here, the entire crop being consumed by the two local factories, which manufacture a cheap grade of cotton cloth and twines,

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A British company (the Salinas of Mexico) has acquired the control of the big salt deposits of Cuyutlan (distant from Colima some 30 miles), the exploitation of which constitutes one of the principal industries of this district, the annual production running from 6,000 to 10,000 tons. A British company is reported to have secured long leases on the immense cocoanut groves (coquito de aceite) situated on the coast near Manzanillo, with a view to crushing the nuts and shipping the oil to the United Kingdom.

A United States company controlling some 100,000 acres of timber land has almost completed the construction of a 25-mile narrow gauge railroad to the heart of its property, and is erecting a mill at the station of the National Railway at Colima, which will probably be working by next July.

A United States company controlling some 70,000 acres of timber land north of Manzanillo has surveyed and partially graded a 20-mile narrow gauge line from the heart of its property to the sea coast some 10 miles north of Manzanillo. It has a Government concession for the erection of docks at its sea terminal.

In regard to the concession for the erection of coal docks and a coaling station at Manzanillo, given by the Government over a year ago, nothing has been done in the way of actual construction.

The Pacific coast trade, from British Columbia and Puget Sound ports to Mexico and Central America, has grown to considerable size and importance, with promise of a great future. This trade, which was once controlled by a British company, has passed into the hands of a German company.

Mining. Considerable interest has been aroused in the past year by the report and partial verification of gold-bearing gravel (placers) in the State of Michoacan, at a point some 80 miles south of Colima, which latter is the nearest railroad point. Considerable acreage has been denounced and some foreign companies formed for the exploitation of the same. In the rainy season the native Indians panned out small quantities of gold, some of the nuggets weighing as much as

1 oz.

Apart from this there has been nothing new of interest in regard to mining in the district during the year.

Rubber.-A little crude rubber is brought into the city and sold by the Indians from time to time. There is no cultivation of the rubber tree, and the rubber is procured entirely from the wild trees. Some attempts have been made to cultivate the rubber tree, but up to the present moment without success, and British investors are warned to carefully investigate before investing in so-called rubber plantations in this district.

Public health.-Five cases of yellow fever were reported in the city of Colima during the summer of 1909, but it was of a mild type, and in no case resulted fatally. There were no epidemics during the year, and less small-pox than usual, but more intestinal fever.

Public works. Very little was done by the Public Works Department during the year 1909. Construction on the new hospital was almost entirely suspended, and it will probably be several years before it is concluded. A small amount of work was done on the new public