s.

In the remaining political divisions of South America the railroad
extended its dominion still more slowly. Paraguay opened as early as
1863 a line 45 miles long from Asuncion to Itangua, and in 1892 her
railroad system had increased to 159 miles in extent. British Guiana
completed in 1866 a line from Georgetown to New Amsterdam, but not one
mile of railroad has been built in that colony since. Of the islands of
South America Trinidad is the only one into which the railroad has been
introduced. The island has at present 50 miles of road, to 16 in 1878.

Central America has less than 600 miles of railway. The causes which
have retarded the development of the railroad system in South America
are also operative here. Of the five republics of Central America Costa
Rica has the largest number of miles of railroad, viz.: 161. It has
three different lines, of which the Limon and Carillo line, seventy
miles long, is the most important. This road, which connects with a New
York line of steamers at Limon, has greatly furthered the cultivation of
bananas in the Santa Clara valley.

Nicaragua completed its first road in 1880 between Corinto and
Chinandega, and has at present about 100 miles of railway in operation.
The Nicaragua Canal Company is constructing a road from Juan del Norte
to Ochoa, a distance of thirty-two miles, to be used in the construction
of the canal.

Honduras opened in 1871 its only line, thirty-seven miles long, between
Puerto Caballo and San Jago. In recent years an extension of nine miles
has been added to it.

San Salvador has, besides a street-car line between the cities of San
Salvador and Santa Tecla, only one line of railroad between Acajutla
and Armea, which was constructed with public funds and opened for
traffic on July 15, 1882.

Guatemala was the last of the Central American States to introduce the
railroad. Its first road, seventy-four miles long, and extending from
San Jose on the Pacific Ocean to the capital, Guatemala, was built by a
San Francisco company and opened on August 20, 1884. The state has at
the present time about 100 miles of road, with several short but quite
important lines under construction.

The West Indies have between 1,200 and 1,400 miles of railway, of which
more than 1,000 are in Cuba. The first road upon this island, 179 miles
long and extending from Habana to Guanajay, was opened as early as 1837.
The next ten years developed almost the whole of the railroad