PORTO  RICO

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which  sugar  is  cultivated  being  along  the
coast.  The  climate  is  warm  but  equable  and
comfortable,  the  trade  winds  moderating  any
tendency  toward  excessive  heat.  Porto  Rico
is  a  land  of  continual  summer,  and  maintains
its  extreme  verdure  owing  to  its  rainfall  which
has  an  annual  average  of  77.30  inches.
Porto  Rico  has  about  500  miles  of  steam
railways,  and  nearly  1000  miles  of  excellent
roads.  There  are  no  navigable  rivers,  but
many  good  harbors.
Its  government  is  under  the  control  of  the
Insular  Board  of  the  United  States  War  Department, ­
  a  governor  being  appointed  by  the
President  of  the  United  States.  The  Governor ­
  has  as  Council,  six  resident  American
officials,  and  six  natives,  who  with  a  House  of
Delegates  of  33  members,  constitute  the  Legislative ­
  Assembly,  the  veto  power  being  held
by  the  Executive;  legislation  is  subject  to  the
final  revision  of  the  Congress  of  the  United
States.  A  Resident  Commissioner  to  the
United  States  having  a  seat  in  Congress  is
elected  by  the  people  every  two  years.