All the railroads are single track, and the gauge is 1 meter 20 centimeters, or 3 feet 11 1/4 inches.

The following are the railways of 1-meter gauge: 

(1) San Juan to Rio Piedras, 11 kilometers. (2) Catano to Bayamon, 10 kilometers. (3) Anasco to San Sebastian and Lares, 35 kilometers.

Total of three lines, 56 kilometers.

The lines are all in good shape; have plenty of engines and cars; speed, 20 kilometers per hour; use coal for fuel imported from the United States; supply usually large, may be small now; hard coal; fine stations; plenty of water, and everything in shape for business.

Telegraphs.—­The capital communicates with the principal towns of the coast and interior by means of a well-connected telegraph system.  There are in all some 470 miles of telegraph.

Telephones.—­The British Consular Report says that the telephone system of San Juan, Ponce, and Mayaguez have recently been contracted for by local syndicates.  In Ponce a United States company obtained the contract for the material.  There are 100 stations already connected, and it is expected that 200 more will be in operation shortly.

Administration.—­From an administrative standpoint, Porto Rico is not considered as a colony, but as a province of Spain, assimilated to the remaining provinces.  The Governor-General, representing the monarchy, is at the same time Captain-General of the armed forces.  In each chief town resides a military commander, and each town has its alcalde, or mayor, appointed by the central power.  The provincial deputation is elected by popular suffrage under the same conditions as in Spain.  The regular peace garrison is composed of about 3,000 men, and the annual budget amounts to some 20,000,000 pesos.

Education.—­In 1887 only one-seventh of the population could read and write, but of late years progress in public instruction has been rapid.

Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce.—­In 1878 there arrived in the harbors of the island 1,591 vessels of different nationalities and 1,534 departed.  The value of products imported was 14,787,551 pesos, and that of articles exported was 13,070,020 pesos.  The following are the relative percentages of values: 

Flags.  Relation. 
Per Cent. 
Spanish 49.91
American 13.47
English 21.43
Various Nations 15.19
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Total 100.00

Navigation is very active, but the part the inhabitants take in the commercial fleet is small.  The Porto Ricans are not seagoing people.  The eastern part of the island offers less advantage to commerce than the western, being to the windward and affording less shelter to vessels.