FIGHTING IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8185, 17 July 1906, Page 5

FIGHTING IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

SAN SALVADOR ARtJY DEFEATED. Reoeived July 16, 8.30 a.m. GUATEMALA, July 16. The Guatemala troops overwhelmingly defeated tbe invading San Salvador army, killing the latter's commander. Received July 16, 8.30 a.m. NEW YORK, July 15. P-esident Roosevelt, regarding Guatemala's forty thousand troops as a menace to South America, re quires that they be disbanded. He has communicated with President Diaz, offering to arbitrate between Guatemala and San Salvador.

HONDURAS DECLARES WAR AGAINST GUATEMALA.

Reoeived July 16, 9.30 p.m. GUATEMALA, July 16. Honduras has declared war against Guatemala.

(Honduras is a Republic in Central Amerioa, established in 1839, just before tbe Confederation of Central Amerioa broke qp. Governed by a President and Congress, elected by popular vote for four years. Religious liberty is guaranteed by the Constitution, but Roman Catholicism prevails. Education is free, compulsory from seven to fifteen years of age, and secular. Army about 500, but there is a militia of about 20,000. The country possesses great agricultural resources and much mineral wealth, but these have been negleoted because of the lack of capital and transport. Agriculture, however, is now showing signa of development. The revenue is derived mainly from the customs and from Government monopolies in spirit, powder, and tobacco. Chief products: Bananas, tobacco, sugar indigo, wheat, gold, silver, and cattle. Area, 43,000 square miles; population, about 600,000, the majority of whom are Indians. Capital, Tegucigalpa, population 12,600. President, Dr Bonilla, elected February, 1903.

Gautemala is tbe most northerly republic of Central America, bounded on the west and uorth by Mexico, on the east by British Honduras and Salvador, and on the south by the Pacific. It formerly formed part of the Confederation of Central America, but the Republic was established in 1817. Governed by a President, elected for six years. The legislative power is vested in a National Assembly, elected by universal suffrage for a term of four years, and a Council of State of thirteen, part elected by the Assembly and part by the President. Roman Catholicism is the chief religion, but liberty prevails. Education is free and compulsory. Army numbers about 7,000 offloers and men, with militia about 57,000. The soil is very fertile, and the cultivation of rubber is being encouraged. Minerals are [found, but are littlo worked. A new railway uniting the Central, Southern and Western Departments was opened on November 21st, 1903, and there are in' all over 400 miles of line open. Chief products: Coffee, rubber, , hides, bananas, and sugar. Area, ! about 50,000 square miles. Population, g1,647,300, of whom 6C per cent, are pure Indians, uapital, Guatemala la Nueva, population 75,000. President, M. Emsstrada Cabrera, elected »in 1899, and reelected 1904 for the period 1905-11. San Silvanor. is an independent republic of Central America sinoe the dissolution of the Central American Federation (whioh included Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Sao. Salvanor) in 1839. It is bouuded on tbe south by the Pacific, and on the north by Guatemala and Honduras, is governed by a President and a Congress of seventy Deputies, elected respectively for 4 years and 1 year, by universal suffrage. Education is free and obligatory. Tbe army numbers only 4,000 men, but there is a militia of about 25,000. The bulk of the population are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The chief products are ooffee, indigo, sugar, rubber and tobacco. Cotton growing now receives State encouragement. There is some mining done also. Trade is carried on chiefly with the United States, the United Kiagdlom, France and Germany. Area, about 7,225 square miles; population, 1,006,848, of whom about 75 per cent, are of mixed race and 25 per cent. Indians. Capital, San Salvador, population GO,COO. President Senor Escalou, assumed office Maroh Ist, 1904).

CABLE NEWS.

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