were enrolled under one teacher. Neither the buildings nor the teachers were able to carry such a burden with a semblance of efficiency. It was thought wise, therefore, to attempt to do real educational work rather than make a show of numbers, notwithstanding the fact that an overwhelming school population for whom no provision could be made, seem to render a show of numbers almost essential. The school population in Porto Rico (5 to 18 years) is 419,282. Of these school children 331,233, or 79 per cent, live in the rural barrios, that is, outside of cities and towns which contain 2,500 people or more. There were enrolled at some time during the past year 91,966 pupils in all of the rural schools. This is only 27 per cent of the entire number of children of the school age in the rural districts. Even this meager enrollment had to be accomplished by giving to each teacher an average of 63 pupils. These figures give an idea of the magnitude of the task and of how little apparent progress has been made toward its accomplishment in spite of all our efforts, and yet the future of the island assuredly is in the keeping of the people who live in these rural districts. It seems that some heroic measures will have to be adopted to make within a reasonable time a serious impression upon this mass of illiteracy. The census of 1910 enumerated 70 per cent of the rural population as illiterate. If we turn to the urban centers we find that with their graded schools the conditions are much better, both in the quality of the schools and in the percentage of enrollment. There are in these centers some 88,000 pupils of school age, of whom 64,428 were enrolled at some time during the year, or about 74 per cent. The quality of the teaching must also have been much better, for not only were the teachers of higher grade and preparation for their work, but the number of pupils to each teacher was on an average not more than 56. A complete survey of the whole educational situation of the island produces upon the mind of an intelligent and earnest observer mingled feelings of encouragement and despair. Of encouragement when he considers how much has been done since the beginning of the American effort, of despair when he thinks of the colossal task yet to be accomplished with the limited resources at the command of the Porto Rican people. It does not seem possible that the island can possibly ever achieve the education of its masses without outside help. enormous population relative to area and wealth is too great. The An earnest and candid discussion of the entire educational system with full and complete statistics is contained in the report of the commissioner of education published elsewhere in this volume. The work of sanitation has been carried on with as much vigor and success as was possible in view of the large reduction in the appropriation for this service for the year just closed. One result of this reduction was the transfer to the municipalities of a considerable part of the work which had previously been performed by the insular sanitation service, and as a consequence there has been some loss of efficiency and an increase in the death rate. Unusual attention and labor have been bestowed by the officials and chemists of the department of sanitation upon studies of the water supply of the various cities and towns throughout the island. This work is very important and timely in view of the strong movement for the construction of waterworks by all the municipalities which have not yet secured them. EXTERNAL COMMERCE. The value of imports and exports during the fiscal year 1914-15 aggregated $83,241,203, an increase of $3,731,654 over the corresponding total of the previous year. Imports were valued at $33,884,296 and exports at $49,356,907, a decrease in the former of $2,522,491 and an increase in the latter of $6,254,145. The causes and the significance of these changes have already been discussed in this report. The following tables indicate the relative values and quantities of imports and exports during the year 1914-15 and previous years: TABLE NO. 1.-Merchandise shipped from Porto Rico to the United States and foreign TABLE NO. 2.—Merchandise shipped into Porto Rico from the United States and foreign TABLE NO. 3.-—Merchandise shipped into and from Porto Rico in trade with the United TABLE NO. 4.-Merchandise shipped into and from Porto Rico in trade with foreign TABLE NO. 5.-Statement showing annual trade balance resulting from the commerce between Porto Rico and other ports. Among the principal classes of imports during the past year were breadstuffs from the United States invoiced at $7,607,924, a slight increase of about $50,000. The chief items were as usual rice valued 9489°-WAR 1915-VOL 3- -4 at $4,851,533 and flour valued at $1,884,416. Importations of cotton goods aggregated $4,557,807; manufactures of iron and steel valued at $1,610,487, decreasing by more than a million dollars from the figures of last year; meat and meat products valued at $3,382,875, showing a falling off of nearly $300,000 from last year; leather goods valued at $1,302,123, a falling off of approximately $100,000 from last year. The importations of the year indicate some important changes as to the nature and source of certain commodities which are worthy of notice. The dairy products imported from the United States were valued at $267,491, an increase of about $60,000 over the previous year; on the other hand, those imported from foreign countries were valued at $291,906, a decrease of about $190,000. Jute bags imported from the United States were valued at $174,437, an increase of more than $132,000; those imported from foreign countries were valued at $296,810, a decrease of more than $186,000. Fish in various forms imported from the United States were valued at $722,376, an increase of about $96,000; the same articles from foreign countries were valued at $506,800, a decrease of $198,000. The importation of carriages, cars, and parts from the United States were valued at $653,943, an increase of more than $115,000. The importation of beans and dried peas from the United States were valued at $672,163, an increase of more than $200,000. Fertilizers imported from the United States were valued at $954,881, an increase of $431,000; during the same time the imports of fertilizers from foreign countries decreased about $88,000. The foreign merchandise imported into Porto Rico through the United States decreased from $1,709,584 to $1,142,748. TABLE NO. 6.-Merchandise brought into Porto Rico from the United States and foreign countries during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915. |