chicle,  tortoise-shell,  pearl  shells,  sugar  and
tobacco  form  the  principal  items  of  export.
The  exports  and  imports  during  1913  were
as  follows:

Country

Exports

Imports

Panama

...  $  2,467,556

$10,400,000

Costa  Rica

•  •  •  10,432,553

8,778,497

Nicaragua

3,861,516

4,966,820

Salvador

9,928,724

6,173,545

Guatemala

...  14,449,926

10,062,328

Honduras

3,300,254

5,132,678

British  Honduras....

2,850,000

3,500,000

The  bulk  of  the  export  and  import  trade  of
all  of  these  countries  is  in  the  hands  of  the
United  States,  due  to  our  geographical  position, ­
  and  the  fact  that  we  have  many  citizens
living  within  their  boundaries,  engaged  in
various  enterprises.  England,  Germany  and
France  are  our  closest  competitors.  Perhaps
Germany  has  more  real  money  invested  here,
and  there  is  a  great  preponderance  of  German
mercantile  establishments  throughout  these
nations.  The  following  table  gives  the  details ­
  for  1913: