Cattle are numerous, and of a good breed ; sheep do not succeed very well; hogs are everywhere abundant. Turkeys and fowls are plentiful ; but there are few ducks and geese. An inferior kind of cheese is made in large quantities; butter is seldom made.
The mineral wealth of the state appears to be considerable, but it has been very imperfectly developed. Gold has been obtained in several places. Some rich silver-mines were formerly worked, but, owing to the general insecurity of life and property, they have been for many years almost entirely neglected. Excellent iron-ore is obtained near Metapa. Lead and copper have also been found.
The only manufactures are of the common articles of domestic consumption. They consist chiefly of coarse cotton goods, cutlery, and iron ware, and some of them used to be in considerable request throughout Central America. The foreign trade is of comparatively little importance. The exports iu 1852 amounted in value to 700,000 dollars; the imports to 1,360,000 dollars.
San Salvador is divided into four departments, which are named after their respective capitals—San Salvador, San Vicente, San Miguel, and Santa Anna. In all, the republic contains 6 principal towns, 142 smaller towns, and 62 villages. The following are the more important places; the populations are merely a loose approximation : San Salvador, the capital of the republic, is situated on the Rio de Aselhuate, a small affluent of the Lempa, in 44' N. lat., 8' W. long. The site of the city is more than 2000 feet above the level of the sea, on undulating ground, in a kind of valley, surrounded by high hills covered with wood, among which,in a north-eastern direction, and at a distance of about nine or ten miles, is the volcano of San Salvador, which at different periods has caused great devastation by its eruptions. The city itself was laid out with considerable regularity, and had in the centre a plaza, or square, three sides of which were lined with shops, with porticoes before them, supported by a colonnade; while on the fourth side was the cathedral, an edifico which bad uo great claims to architectural beauty. The population was about 20,000.
But on the night of the 16th of April, 1854, the city was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, and a very large number of the unfortu nate inhabitants killed. For several days previous to the sad catastrophe there had been slight tremblings of the earth, but as they caused no mischief, little heed was given to their premonition. On the evening of the night named however the shocks became more frequent and severe, and, being unattended with noise, the inhabitants became seriously alarmed, and many of them assembled in the great square. At length, at about ten minutes to II o'clock, a violent heaving motion of the earth occurred, which in a few seconds levelled the cathedral, churches, university, and every other public building iu the place. Of the private houses a few were left standing, but theso were rendered uninhabitable ; and the wells and fountains were either filled or dried up. Many of the inhabitants, as we have said, perished. and
of the survivors many fled to other town& The movements of the earth continued for some time after the fatal night ; and the president of the republic. in his address to the departments calling on them to assist the destitute citizens, intimated that measures were to be imme diately taken for the selection of a better site on which-to rebuild the city; but we have not heard whether this intention has been carried into effect. Some manufactures of iron, especially of cutlery and coarse cotton stuffs, were carried on here; and some sugar and indigo used to bo exported. Sugar-plantations are numerous in the neigh bourhood, as are also extensive orchards. 5Ieatizoes, or ladinoes, as they are called here, constituted the bulk of the population. Near the city there are some warm and some cold rivnists, which afterwards unite, affording the inhabitants the advantage of haring natural baths of every degree of temperature.
Son Miguel, some distance east of the Rio Lempa, population about 7000, is noted for its fairs, of which the most importaut is held in November after the indigo crop.
Sea Vieente, on the right bank of the Lemps, contains about 8000 inhabitants In the town and its suburbs. In its neighbourhood are extensive plantations of indigo, and near the village of Istepeque excellent tobacco is grown, which is known under that name all over Central America.
Santa dam, situated in the western part of the state, at a con siderable elevation above the sea, population about 9000, has in its neighbourhood extensive plantation, of indigo and sugar ; in the mountains near the town are irownsioes, which were formerly profitably works 1.
Sonsenate, near the western extremity of the state, population about 8000, carries on at present considerable commerce by maws of the port of Acajutla, exporting sugar to Peru and Chili, and rum, &e, to California. The Indians iohabiting the country about the town make very beautiful mats, which are also exported. In the neighbourhood , of Suwonnve is the Ysalco, a very active volcano.
The other more populous towns are—Aguathapa, Apaatepeque, Cojntapec, Metapa, Swastecolucs, ke.; but none of them requires further notice.
San Salvador is a republic with a legislative chamber of 25 deputies, but the government is really vested in the president. The history of San Salvador is similar to that of the other republics of Central America. (Com RICA; OUATEMA ; NDURAS ; NICARAGUA.] On the formation of the republio of the United States of Central America, San Salvador because one of the federal states, and its capital was made the seat of the federal government ; but the union was speedily dissolved, and San Salvador, like the Other states, became an Inde pendent republic, and like them its progress has hitherto been arrested by constant internal discord.
(Juarros. Illatory of Guatemala ; Haefleas, Reim moor Gisesteasato ; and Centred A aserika ; Baily, C'eatral A weans, &c.)