I make no claim in this volume to having written anything startlingly new, nor yet to have made any particularly valuable contribution to the history of the world; but what I have endeavoured to effect, and what I trust I have accomplished1 at least in part, is to put before my readers what I know to be facts concerning a very interesting country which has hitherto received but scant2 attention at the hands of financial writers. Bulwer Lytton has said that no author ever drew a character, consistent to human nature, but what he was forced to ascribe to it many inconsistencies. So it is with a book which purports3 to be a true description of a country; for in portraying4 its attractions one must of a necessity expose its drawbacks and deficiencies.
It must be remembered that the Republic of Salvador has yet to celebrate its centenary, being one of the youngest of the Latin-American States; but considering the different troubles and tribulations5 which this country—in common with all of the Latin-American Republics without exception—has gone through, the present condition of her civilization, of her arts and her commerce, is eminently6 encouraging.[318] The great advance made by this State has been achieved in spite of the many obstacles which it has encountered. If the permanency of a Republic mainly depends upon the general intelligence and morality of the people constituting it, I look for a continued and even an increased prosperity for the Salvadoreans, since they are indubitably among the Central American nations the most developed and the most intellectual.
No longer subject to and borne down by an immoral7 and corrupt8 Government, and freed from the exactions of hungry office-seekers, this naturally richly-endowed little State should pursue an even and enviable road to prosperity, upon which foreigners will be heartily9 welcome to journey.
In 1895, when Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was Colonial Secretary, a circular letter was addressed to all British Consuls10 of the British Empire, asking for information regarding the effect of foreign competition upon British trade abroad. In the answers received, and subsequently published in the form of a bulky Blue Book, some critics professed11 to see much comfort; but to the minds of others, who looked more deeply into matters and judged more from what was likely to occur than what had actually happened, the future appeared gloomy in the extreme. To enact12 the role of Cassandra is never an agreeable nor a profitable occupation; but upon occasions it becomes necessary to sound the alarum, if only to awaken13 the slumberer14 from his too-long repose15, and remind him that the world is marching onwards and ever onwards. At no time has this been more imperative16 than the present, when British trade and commerce, British influence and British prestige, in Central America, at one time[319] predominant, are threatened, not alone with supersession17, but with practical extinction18. This is no phantom19 of the imagination, nor yet any unfair exaggeration of existing conditions. It is a plain and incontrovertible fact, which anyone travelling through the smaller Latin-American Republics may ascertain20 for himself.
The decline of British trade in these countries was clearly foreshadowed in the Blue Book above referred to; but the public, with some few exceptions, complacently21 closed their eyes, the Government as usual did nothing to avert22 the threatened evil, and the results are such as were inevitable23 under the circumstances. The Consular24 reports upon these States as they are issued (when they are issued at all) tell the tale of our diminishing trade, and of the slow but sure rise of our competitors to the position of dominance which once was ours. There is little occasion to criticize the figures or to call them into question; it may, perhaps, have served some useful purpose to have examined, as I have done in these pages, into the principal causes which have helped to bring about a condition of things which is gradually going from bad to worse.
I shall be abundantly satisfied, and consider myself sufficiently25 recompensed for the trouble to which I have put myself and the not inconsiderable expenses which I have incurred26 in preparing this volume, if I can awaken some interest among my countrymen—upon the British Government I do not for an instant expect to make any impression whatever—to the critical position in which our national trade stands to-day in Latin-America generally, but in the Republic of Salvador in particular. The time has apparently[320] gone by when British trade abroad could depend at least upon the countenance27, if not always the active support, of the Ministry28 of the day.
In the days of William Pitt the Elder it was the proud boast of our rulers that "not a gun should be fired throughout the world without Britain knowing why"; but to-day commercial treaties of the utmost import to British merchants are entered into, new imposts which seriously threaten their existing trade are levied29, and favoured-nation terms to their most dangerous commercial rivals are granted, without the Home Government knowing or caring one pin's head about it. Where are "the eyes and the ears" of the State that such things can occur, and where is the patriotism30 which permits of them occurring? No British Government within the past half-century has as much as inquired about the status of British trade in Latin-America, nor has it troubled its head to find out whether it flourished or failed. For the despicable purpose of currying31 favour with our keenest rivals in that great field—the United States—such position as we still occupy in that portion of the world is being recklessly and ignorantly sacrificed. How this crime—for crime it assuredly is—is likely to be perpetrated I have shown conclusively32 in the preceding pages. Let those who are accused answer to the charges—if they can or if they dare!
July 31, 1911.
The End
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1
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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purports
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| v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的第三人称单数 ) | |
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portraying
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| v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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tribulations
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| n.苦难( tribulation的名词复数 )；艰难；苦难的缘由；痛苦 | |
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eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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immoral
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| adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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enact
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| vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演 | |
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13
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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slumberer
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| 睡眠者，微睡者 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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supersession
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| 取代，废弃； 代谢 | |
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extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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consular
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| a.领事的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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levied
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| 征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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currying
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| 加脂操作 | |
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conclusively
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| adv.令人信服地，确凿地 | |
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