XI. COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.

Joaquin Bernardo Calvo, in his work on Costa Rica published in 1890, observes that “at the beginning of the Colonial Government the Port of Suerre, on the Atlantic coast, had some commercial importance, but that the Port of Rivera on the west coast of the Gulf of Nicoya was greater, as were also Coronado del Norte on the Island of Caño and the Golfo de Ossa, now Golfo Dulce.

“All the ships then plying on the Pacific between Mexico, Panama, Perú and intermediate ports were wont to ride at anchor at the Island of Caño. The most important centre of commerce in those times was the City of Santiago de Talamanca, now extinct, whence cargoes were sent in three days’ time to Porto Bello. The exports of that age were cacao, potatoes, honey, wax, sarsaparilla and hemp. When the city was destroyed its traffic was dispersed.

“In 1638 the opening of the Matina road was the beginning of a new era. The cacao haciendas in the valley of that name acquired a new importance. At the same time the Gulf of Nicoya became a centre of traffic. Costa Rica was then in a flourishing condition and would have prospered finely but for the pirates and Mosquito Indians, who constantly menaced its welfare and whose vandalism ravaged the coast settlements.

“After that period Costa Rica was reduced to woeful misery, carrying on an insignificant commerce overland with Panama by mules and sending a few unimportant articles to Nicaragua. Thus more than a century passed.

“In the present century (1813) the Captaincy General imposed severe restrictions on the commerce of the Province. At the time of declaring independence the situation of Costa Rica was wretched.

“Just beginning an independent career, struggling to inaugurate a system of government wholly new and opposed to the preceding one, contending with poverty, in a state of complete upheaval, the work undertaken by the forefathers of the present Costa Ricans was full of difficulties.

“Coffee culture gave a new impulse and importance to Costa Rica. At the close of the first half of the Nineteenth Century commerce was carried on with the north through Matina and Sarapiqui, and through Caldera on the Pacific.

“The greater facilities available on the Pacific coast, however, especially when a line of steamers connecting with the Panama Railroad opened a new way to the Atlantic, turned the course of business to Puntarenas, a new port which soon became the sole commercial route.

“This state of things, unnecessarily adding to the expense of importations, continued for years. When the Port of Limon was opened to commerce the competition of two routes and the new facilities of a railroad and a wagon road to the Atlantic greatly promoted traffic and contributed to the general wealth.”

In 1848 seventy vessels entered Puntarenas, having a registration of 7180 tons. In 1884 this number had increased to 113, having 137,368 tons registration, and in the same year there entered Port Limon 121 vessels of 126,875 aggregate tonnage. In 1894 there entered 158 vessels with 155,869 tons at Puntarenas, and 294 vessels with 348,355 tons at Port Limon. The freight in 1858 on coffee to Panama by steamer alone was five-eighths of a cent per pound. In 1870 the West India and Pacific Company’s steamers received as freights from Puntarenas to Liverpool, £5 10s. 0d. per ton; from Puntarenas to London, £6 2s. 6d. per ton.

In 1888 freights from Puntarenas to European ports were £4 per ton, and from Port Limon £2. To-day the freight rates are cheaper still.

The present tariff is in many ways inequitable. It is based on no principle, and, with the exception of some later laws especially enacted, it does not correspond with the economic condition and commerce of the country. Yet on a great number of articles the tariff is less than in Mexico, Guatemala, Salvador, Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay.

The custom-duties are collected on gross weight, and generally amount to from twenty to twenty-five per cent. on the valuation of imports. They are paid one-half down and one-half within three months’ time. All goods for Costa Rica have to come accompanied by corresponding consular invoices. The principal importations are silk, wool, linen, cotton, machinery, implements and tools for agriculture and other industries, furniture, glassware, tinware, hardware and haberdashery, ornaments, articles of luxury, mercury and perfumery, beer, wines, liquors, soap, coffee-sacks, flour, sugar, shoes, saddles, harnesses, butter, etc.

Table of Exports and Imports of Costa Rica Since 1884.

Exportations. Importations.

1884 $3,745,400 gold. $3,521,900 gold.

1885 2,535,500 ” 3,660,900 ”

1886 2,257,600 ” 3,537,600 ”

1887 4,689,100 ” 5,601,200 ”

1888 4,052,300 ” 5,201,900 ”

1889 4,612,800 ” 6,306,400 ”

1890 6,664,700 ” 6,615,400 ”

1891 6,116,800 ” 8,351,000 ”

1892 4,725,900 ” 5,389,700 ”

1893 4,294,200 ” 5,849,500 ”

1894 { 5,053,113 ” 4,094,853 ”

{12,488,263 silver.

1895 { 5,922,204 gold. 3,851,460 ”

{14,509,440 silver.

1896 5,597,727 gold. 4,748,818 ”

Imports and Exports by Countries.

1892.

Imports in gold. Exports in silver.

Great Britain $1,702,145 $4,916,287

Germany 947,647 386,737

France 526,382 70,004

Spain 189,623 —

Italy 32,412 —

Belgium 7,280 —

United States 1,295,682 3,642,896

Mexico 18,725 —

Colombia $82,326 $20,912

Ecuador 125,416 800

Peru 3,890 502

Cuba 123,921 —

Jamaica 81,609 —

Central America 252,691 75,810

1893.

Imports in gold.

Great Britain $1,697,944

Germany 1,123,836

France 807,761

Spain 192,026

Italy 39,829

United States 1,399,615

Mexico 11,993

Colombia 228,036

Ecuador 94,387

Cuba 40,023

Jamaica 25,939

Central America 143,437

Total $5,804,926

1894.

Imports in gold.

Great Britain $907,462

Germany 566,367

France 223,479

Spain (Cuba) 103,276

Italy 40,215

United States 940,640

Colombia 32,138

Ecuador 36,917

Belgium 7,082

Commodities Imported in 1894.

Gold. Pesos.

General merchandise $2,857,580 56 7,062,224 60

Merchandise not dutiable 944,835 09 2,335,065 44

Coined money 4,183 46 10,339 00

Silver bars 89,018 37 220,000 00

Animals 30,929 84 76,440 00

Animals coming overland 91,041 52 225,000 00

Lumber 15,911 27 39,323 12

Passengers’ baggage 6,352 45 15,699 45

Merchandise from custom houses 5,000 00 12,357 00

Merchandise by post 50,000 00 123,570 00

Total $4,094,852 56 10,120,018 61

Total Exports for 1894.

Gold. Pesos.

Coffee $4,198,252 08 10,375,560 19

Bananas 443,315 37 1,095,609 60

Coined money 58,611 78 144,852 95

Gold, not coined 23,500 00 58,078 10

Woods 144,584 66 357,326 53

Various products 115,231 68 284,783 58

Unspecified products 69,617 57 172,052 86

Total $5,053,113 14 12,488,263 81

Imports by Countries.

1895.

Gold.

Great Britain $851,849

Germany 684,118

France 261,534

Spain (Cuba) 223,441

Italy 33,088

Belgium 5,978

United States 1,179,546

Central America 263

South America 65,633

1896.

Gold.

Great Britain $1,264,856 33

Germany 893,816 66

France 378,906 35

Spain (Cuba) 162,825 54

Italy 71,769 52

Belgium 3,089 48

Denmark 103 05

Portugal 24 00

United States 1,401,074 25

Central America 813 75

Colombia 16,951 48

Ecuador 38,385 27

Peru 15,791 35

Commodities Imported in 1896.

Gold.

Merchandise entered at custom houses $4,226,925 05

Merchandise sent by post 61,622 93

Baggage of marine passengers 6,095 84

Baggage of overland passengers 5,000 00

Woods 21,481 98

Animals 423,069 23

Coined money 4,623 59

Total $4,748,818 62

Total Exports for 1896.

Gold.

Coffee, 11,089,523 kgs., valued at $4,318,285 90

Bananas, 1,692,102 bunches, valued at 670,072 40

Woods, valued at 485,695 35

Coined and other metal, valued at 29,459 50

Re-exports and provisions, valued at 11,328 59

Various commodities 82,885 27

Total $5,597,727 01

Imports by Countries for First Half of 1897.

Gold.

Great Britain $518,833 37

Germany 357,652 02

France 167,303 77

Spain 55,154 48

Cuba 20,543 78

Italy 83,070 50

Belgium 4,893 50

United States 871,646 91

South America 94,571 90

Santo Tomas 445 00

Nicaragua 10,739 90

Guatemala 288 06

Salvador 21,334 50

Postal packages 44,999 30

Merchandise in passengers goods 1,493 40

$2,252,970 39

Additional for 3816 animals, valued at 74,743 60

Total $2,327,713 99

The following list, which I owe to the amiability of the highly competent Director General of the National Department of Statistics, Hon. Manuel Aragon, shows the principal articles of import and their value in gold pesos by countries since 1893:

(Part 1 of 2)

United States. Great Britain.

1893. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1896.

Wheat flour 289,418 139,421 191,478 234,528 .. .. .. ..

Wheat 21,418 27,768 31,354 35,925 .. .. .. ..

Corn 42,818 50,486 2,001 2,039 .. .. .. ..

Beans 29,416 9,056 3,818 8,777 .. .. .. ..

Rice 57,429 4,561 34,182 42,233 .. 3,109 1,785 ..

Tobacco 6,437 .. .. 1,472 .. .. 50 ..

Butter, lard 78,416 114,866 120,283 65,530 .. .. 66 ..

Beer 20,436 13,353 21,520 20,015 6,593 5,309 770 ..

Wine 14,318 541 6,915 18,584 46,431 1,657 4,665 ..

Drugs and medicines 37,469 26,187 8,107 12,718 52,395 18,916 7,910 ..

Perfumes 5,693 1,196 862 1,064 5,385 462 332 ..

Oil paints .. 1,326 2,898 2,886 9,353 1,838 2,760 ..

Fence wire 28,416 13,264 18,378 33,065 47,769 245 948 ..

Sacks for coffee .. 1,005 1,459 2,063 43,628 27,476 37,141 ..

Furniture 6,409 11,359 21,328 15,310 6,823 1,601 2,977 ..

Shoes 9,416 14,084 6,918 7,460 14,421 6,836 2,758 2,250

Hardware 30,268 27,116 931 159 23,462 .. 7,461 967

Cashmeres .. .. 2,263 1,803 28,791 18,760 36,242 58,417

Implements 6,326 1,779 .. 12,720 3,246 193 .. 1,176

Machinery 19,816 19,086 45,237 52,352 49,762 6,226 961 13,952

Mercury 32,416 .. .. 1,720 31,945 .. .. 968

Cloth .. .. .. 202 37,626 9,161 6,606 7,409

Cotton goods 29,491 461 3,314 27,582 72,416 .. 5,823 60,369

Mixed cotton and woolen .. .. .. .. 12,119 .. 13,009 72,335

Prints 31,896 20,821 18,556 31,097 182,129 92,498 110,224 141,659

Fancy articles 23,418 .. .. .. 4,236 .. .. ..

Sugar 29,437 4,561 .. .. 6,128 103 .. ..

Cotton shirts .. 1,859 3,007 .. 1,094 17,563 18,143 ..

Preserv. meats 8,211 .. 8,062 .. 3,497 1,673 6,147 ..

Coal 23,416 7,065 2,818 .. 78,543 23,828 13,136 ..

Ready-made Clothing .. 1,434 .. .. .. 1,656 .. ..

Cognac 2,896 137 246 .. 9,461 219 .. ..

Cotton drills .. 1,516 2,585 .. 43,897 15,803 14,178 ..

Preserv. Fruits 13,228 .. .. .. 8,976 .. .. ..

Railroad material 77,262 .. 4,023 .. 155,346 .. 8,502 ..

Galvan. iron .. 263 3,498 .. 9,896 33,740 42,701 ..

Ordinary soap .. 1,064 2,627 .. 13,418 3,058 3,192 ..

Fine jewelry 1,028 321 115 .. 32,466 .. .. ..

Cotton shirting .. 380 1,061 .. 75,417 15,844 37,158 ..

Chinaware .. 521 256 .. 8,423 2,436 1,657 ..

Machetes .. 4,472 6,525 .. 5,202 6,069 6,029 ..

Manta-cruda 19,416 16,932 41,437 .. 14,617 20,508 15,098 ..

Sewing machines 21,640 6,379 9,156 .. 3,201 102 851 ..

Cotton handkerchiefs .. .. .. .. 12,819 24,721 20,778 ..

Sardines .. .. .. .. 8,619 1,263 .. ..

Candles .. 1,965 923 .. 35,709 29,963 23,891 ..

Matches .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Cigars .. 206 .. .. .. .. .. ..

(Part 2 of 2)

Germany. France.

1893. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1896.

Wheat Flour .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Wheat .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Corn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Beans .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Rice 7,128 29,998 14,622 .. .. .. 28 ..

Tobacco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Butter, Lard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Beer 58,934 46,189 63,034 .. 8,101 .. .. ..

Wine 25,418 3,527 7,730 .. 73,648 21,174 24,792 ..

Drugs and medicines 45,631 4,993 16,421 .. 35,841 4,343 2,687 ..

Perfumes 7,826 143 1,840 .. 10,942 3,301 7,450 ..

Oil paints 15,821 3,904 4,188 .. .. .. .. ..

Fence wire 30,418 16,494 9,512 .. .. .. .. ..

Sacks for coffee 17,620 9,414 10,049 .. .. .. .. ..

Furniture 12,345 4,792 17,752 .. .. .. 3,117 ..

Shoes 12,427 11,793 5,598 5,106 8,492 1,403 2,546 2,290

Hardware 14,416 2,764 5,051 .. 5,892 .. 53 ..

Cashmeres 92,416 28,027 58,902 49,632 139,818 12,600 8,286 10,318

Implements 17,721 363 .. 1,478 .. .. .. 267

Machinery 2,389 1,835 1,252 497 1,926 20 .. 360

Mercury 38,893 3,103 .. 3,777 47,328 6,439 .. 3,661

Cloth 9,681 2,075 2,236 418 18,435 .. 4,060 486

Cotton goods 12,401 10,230 5,374 47,070 7,281 464 .. 2,590

Mixed cotton and woolen 8,419 4,368 .. .. 1,049 .. .. 202

Prints 131,416 1,983 8,035 9,912 32,768 .. 743 945

Fancy articles 108,412 .. .. .. 75,417 .. .. ..

Sugar 7,128 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Cotton shirts .. .. .. .. .. 151 752 ..

Preserv. meats .. .. .. .. 1,795 3,147 6,870 ..

Coal .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Ready-made Clothing 20,457 1,223 .. .. 14,431 .. .. ..

Cognac 13,419 2,137 2,676 .. 87,468 14,973 23,801 ..

Cotton drills 29,617 37,266 46,322 .. 5,712 .. 176 ..

Preserv. Fruits .. .. .. .. 7,626 .. .. ..

Railroad material .. .. 4,185 .. .. .. .. ..

Galvan. iron .. 4,837 9,795 .. .. .. .. ..

Ordinary soap 7,382 4,080 4,896 .. .. 154 .. ..

Fine jewelry 3,726 .. .. .. 7,893 .. 3,021 ..

Cotton shirting 16,893 87 .. .. .. .. 126 ..

Chinaware 7,521 10,677 12,130 .. .. .. 86 ..

Machetes 4,289 5,620 6,539 .. .. .. .. ..

Manta-cruda .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Sewing machines 5,028 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

Cotton handkerchiefs .. 6,313 8,780 .. .. .. 18 ..

Sardines 5,262 5,675 7,241 .. 5,102 .. 2,378 ..

Candles 8,645 13,719 7,348 .. .. 243 746 ..

Matches 14,527 12,335 17,970 .. .. .. .. ..

Cigars 14,427 4,965 8,248 .. .. .. .. ..

Among other countries Spain, including Cuba, imported in 1893, alcohol ($26,346), cigarettes ($11,418), cognac ($8976), liquors ($14,719), cotton cloth ($19,416), and wines ($126,417); in 1894, alcohol ($15,500), cigarettes ($7753), wines ($30,436); in 1895, alcohol ($81,000), cigarettes ($10,800), tobacco ($6288), wines ($46,957).

Colombia imported in 1893, alcohol ($7783), cacao ($4229), cattle ($115,847); in 1894, cacao ($9710); in 1895, cacao ($11,720), tobacco ($6959).

Italy imported in 1893, marble ($4623), wines ($14,791); in 1894, wine ($3491); in 1895, butter ($2209), hats ($1240), cotton cloth ($1568), and wines ($6933).

Central America imported in 1893, tobacco ($112,418), sugar ($9895), cacao ($2846), maize ($6891), butter ($2893), cigars ($7626).

The exportation during the first six months of 1897 was as follows:

Total value. Port of Limon. Port of Puntarenas.

Kilos. Value. Kilos. Value.

Gold.

Coffee, in pargement $538,462 20 1,794,874 $538,462 20 .. ..

Coffee, in oro 4,127,698 05 10,139,879 3,548,957 65 1,653,544 $578,740 40

Bananas 225,267 50 27,400,966 225,267 50 .. ..

Silver.

Cedar wood 525,042 09 .. .. 656,451 525,042 09

Mora wood 67,831 16 .. .. 3,322,435 67,831 16

Hides 41,443 59 125,397 37,665 80 7,945 3,777 79

Rubber 13,961 95 7,587 11,095 75 2,194 2,866 20

Gold, in bars 7,200 00 12 7,200 00 .. ..

Gold, coined 6,117 17 6 6,117 17 .. ..

Skins 5,977 59 49 60 00 6,557 5,917 59

Cacao 2,898 15 1,294 1,548 40 659 1,349 75

Guaygacum wood 2,809 96 .. .. 138,000 2,809 96

Potatoes 1,590 14 597 112 00 11,535 1,478 14

Plants, alive 1,487 00 1,846 1,487 00 .. ..

Blue thread 1,679 00 .. .. 134 1,679 00

Hule or rubber 1,767 00 1,350 1,767 00 .. ..

Soap 700 00 .. .. 1,890 700 00

Cocobola wood 640 67 .. .. 31,465 640 67

Dulce (mas cabado) 606 04 175 52 00 3,565 554 04

Zarzaparrilla 377 15 468 360 90 29 16 25

Cedron 143 75 .. .. 264 143 75

Sugar 223 02 .. .. 732 223 02

Pita-hats 68 00 .. .. 70 68 00

Caoba (mahogany) 374 32 .. .. 111 374 32

Pearl shell 350 00 .. .. 2,241 478 00

Turtles, alive 200 00 2,000 200 00 .. ..

Turtle shell (carey) 150 00 16 150 00 .. ..

Total $5,201,966 58 39,491,033 $4,348,123 5,231,835 $853,843 27

In regard to coffee there were exported from October 1, 1896, to June 30, 1897, 231,904 sacks (13,843,088 kilos), of which 84.67 per cent., or 196,343 sacks, in oro, and 15.33 per cent., or 35,561 sacks, in pargement. From this amount 87.93 per cent., or 203,913 sacks (12,184,027 kilos), went through Port Limon and 12.07 per cent., or 27,991 sacks (1,659,061 kilos), through Puntarenas.

From Limon 61.329 per cent. was transported by the Atlas Line, 32.300 per cent. by the British Royal Mail, 2.271 per cent. by the French Steamship line, 3.299 per cent. by the German Line, O.801 per cent. by other lines.

It will be interesting to know the places to which this large amount of coffee is shipped. These particulars are found in the following list:

Sacks. Kilogr.

London 133,676 7,903,450

San Francisco 19,946 1,183,980

New York 33,887 2,072,289

Hamburg 24,833 1,502,311

Bordeaux 5,827 346,822

Paris 206 12,524

Bremen 12,373 }

Montreal 37 }

Antwerp 310 }

Lockport 1 }

Chicago 1 }

Malaga 1 } 821,712

Geneva 439 }

Trieste 254 }

Valparaiso 50 }

Panama 62 }

Barcelona 1 }

Total 231,904 13,843,008

In connection with the coffee trade there are here given interesting statistics concerning the average annual consumption of coffee per capita of the population of different countries:

Pounds. Pounds. Pounds.

Holland 21.00 United States 7.61 Greece 1.24

Denmark 13.89 Sweden 6.11 Italy 1.00

Belgium 13.48 Germany 3.94 Great Britain 1.00

Norway 9.80 France 2.73 European

Switzerland 7.03 Austria 2.13 Russia 0.19

Industries.—The scarcity of working people and the absence of capital were formerly the greatest barriers to the progress of industry, while at the same time the abundance and relative cheapness of imported articles rendered useless all attempts at home production.

In regard to industrial and manufacturing establishments and workshops, there were in 1892:

842 in the Province of San José.

700 ” ” Alajuela.

193 ” ” Cartago.

272 ” ” Heredia.

187 ” ” Guanacaste.

89 ” Comarca de Puntarenas.

20 ” ” Limon.

2303

Distribution of industrial and manufacturing establishments in Costa Rica.

Key to column headings:

A = San Jose. D = Heredia. G = Limon.

B = Alajuela. E = Guanacaste.

C = Cartago. F = Puntarenas. T = Total.

A B C D E F G T

Iron foundries 2 .. 1 .. .. .. 1 4

Blacksmith-shops 25 11 5 7 9 9 2 68

Gunsmith-shops 3 1 .. .. 1 2 .. 7

Flour-mills 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Soap factories 5 .. 1 1 .. .. .. 7

Breweries 3 .. 1 .. .. .. .. 4

Ice Factories 2 .. .. .. .. 1 .. 3

Distilleries 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Brick and tile factories 22 29 34 4 18 2 .. 109

Fine brick-yards 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2

Lime-kilns 7 12 10 1 3 1 .. 34

Cartridge factories 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Sugar factories 1 6 2 .. .. .. .. 9

Sawmills 16 35 9 6 4 1 3 74

Coffee-mills 80 75 16 85 .. .. .. 256

Iron sugar-mills 205 154 32 46 10 2 .. 449

Wooden sugar-mills 248 258 21 13 82 17 .. 639

Marble yards 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Stone-cutting yards 1 1 1 .. .. .. .. 3

Carpenter-shops 31 28 8 37 19 15 3 141

Cabinet-shops 5 2 3 1 .. 2 .. 13

Tailor-shops 25 13 10 17 14 7 3 89

Tanneries 9 5 3 5 16 .. 1 39

Shoemaker-shops 38 17 9 16 12 8 3 103

Barber-shops 17 9 3 12 4 6 2 53

Saddleries 11 8 5 1 4 .. .. 29

Bakeries 22 7 3 3 2 7 1 45

Confectioners 5 1 .. 1 .. .. .. 7

Drug stores 15 16 8 9 4 5 1 58

Dyeing establishments 5 5 .. 2 1 1 .. 14

Photograph galleries 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 3

Printing establishments 9 1 .. .. .. .. .. 10

Lithographers 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1

Book binderies 4 .. .. .. .. .. .. 4

Watchmakers 7 1 4 3 .. .. .. 15

Silversmiths 4 5 4 2 4 3 .. 22

Candle factories 5 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5

Total 842 700 193 272 207 89 20 2323

There are in San José the San José Foundry and the National Workshop, which contributed greatly to the progress of mechanical arts, iron manufactures, cabinet work, machinery, implements, farming utensils, tools, etc.

There also exist a silk and cotton factory, manufacturing fine articles like shawls, scarfs, wraps, in the favorite colors of the people; also an ice factory, a shoe factory and a flour-mill.

Among the miscellaneous companies we have to mention the Agency Company for unloading and loading vessels, capital 200,000 pesos; San José Market Company, capital 215,000 pesos; Cartago Market Company, capital 100,000 pesos; Heredia Market Company, capital 100,000 pesos; Monte de Aguacate Mining Company, capital 500,000 pesos; La Trinidad Mining Company, capital 250,000 pesos; Costa Rica House Construction Company, capital 250,000 pesos; Costa Rica Pacific Gold Mining Company, Limited; Electric Light Company.