Education.—The educational standard is low, in spite of three universities (so called), at Managua, Leone, and Gra nada. There are about 350 elementary schools.
Government.—The country is gov erned by a president (elected for four years), a legislative assembly of 40 members, and a senate of 13; both of these bodies are selected by the people, the former for four, the latter for six years.
Railroads and Finance.—There are about 150 miles of railway, connecting the chief towns with Corinto. There are several lines of railway. A new line was under construction in 1919 between the Bambana and the Ocongtias rivers, with a total length of 75 miles. Forty miles have been constructed during the year. The total debt in 1918 was about $6,000,000.
History.—Nicaragua, like the republic N. of it, was a center of Aztec civiliza tion; the Aztecs were preceded by an other race, likewise civilized, who have left stone sculptures and monumental re mains. The Aztec influence survives in archmological ruins and relics and in the Indian dialects. Columbus sailed along the Mosquito coast in 1502. Twen ty years later the country was overrun by the Spaniards under Gil Gonzales D'Avila, and in 1524 the city of Granada was founded. This town soon developed as the head of a stream of commerce that flowed up and down the San Juan river. In 1610 was founded Leon, the democratic rival of the aristocratic Gra nada. During the Spanish supremacy (after 1550) Nicaragua was a province of Guatemala. In 1821 it asserted its independence, and two years later joined the federation of the Central American states, a connection that lasted 16 years. The history of the country after the severance from Spain till 1865 is a record of war and dissension, war with Costa Rica, with Guatemala, and with Great Britain (1848), which had as serted a protectorate over the Mosquito Coast since 1655. This region was
given up to Nicaragua in 1860. Between 1855 and 1860 the aristocratic and the democratic party were fighting, the lat ter being assisted by the adventurer William Walker. Since then Nicaragua has made laudable efforts to develop her resources and to advance along the path of civilization, and she now compares most favorably with her sister republics in Central America.
A bill providing for the construction of a canal across Nicaragua connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was adopted in the United States Senate, Jan. 21, 1899. It provided that the canal should be completed in six years; should be capable of accommodating the largest ocean steamers; and should cost not over $115,000,000. The bill also guaranteed the neutrality of the canal. Politically, the most important provi sion of the bill was the authority it gave to the President to open negotia tions with Great Britain for the abroga tion of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. Un der this last provision a convention was signed in Washington, Feb. 5, 1900, by Secretary Hay, representing the United States, and Lord Pauncefote, represent ing Great Britain, in which that provi sion of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty pro viding for a joint control of any canal across the isthmus was annulled. This convention was ratified by the United States Senate, Dec. 20, 1900, but it failed to meet the approval of the British Gov ernment owing to amendments made by the United States Senate. On Nov. 18, 1901, a second convention was signed in Washington by Secretary Hay and Lord Pauncefote; was submitted to the United States Senate for ratification Dec. 4, and was ratified by a vote of 72 to 6 on the 16th following.