Local Transportation.-A Honduran air line operates a service connecting Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. A locally operated air line serves the larger cities of El Salvador.

Communication.-El Salvador is a member of the Postal Union, and has a parcel-post service. Letters from the United States require 3 cents postage per ounce or fraction thereof.

Telephone and telegraph services are operated throughout the Republic by the Government. All America Cables, Inc., which maintains an office in San Salvador, provides world-wide cable communication. A recently inaugurated system provides radiotelephone communication between Panama and the capitals of the Central American Republics, the capital and principal cities of Mexico, and all points in the United States.

ARRIVAL

Travelers' Documents.-Every traveler entering El Salvador must have a valid passport visa from the appropriate Salvadoran consulate. A vaccination certificate, or evidence of recent vaccination, may be required by any of the frontier authorities. Other documents, such as good-conduct certificate and health certificate, must be obtained before a Salvadoran visa will be issued.

Salesmen's Samples.-Samples of no commercial value are admitted free of duty or any other tax. To be considered as of this category, samples having commercial value must be marked, sealed, or defaced in such a manner as to preclude their being sold or used for any other purpose.

Samples having commercial value are admitted provisionally under guaranty by a bank or reputable firm acceptable to the Government authorities, or by a deposit of cash in an amount sufficient to cover the duties in case of eventual importation. Samples provisionally imported in this manner and not exported within 6 months are subject to the payment of full duties, plus 25 percent.

Persons offering merchandise for sale direct to the public-for example, agents and peddlers-are not considered as traveling salesmen, and are not, therefore, permitted to bring merchandise into the country for handling under the foregoing provisions. Those provisions do not permit the sale of such merchandise direct to the general public. Sale to established merchants, however, may be made upon presentation of acceptable proof of sale, and duties will be collected only upon those articles sold.

Samples should be cleared as rapidly as possible. The Customs Administration must notify the Ministry of Finance of the names of commercial travelers entering the Republic, as well as of the character and weight of the samples which they bring in; the commercial traveler must, therefore, present to the customs authorities a complete list of his samples.

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Baggage. Every person entering El Salvador is entitled to 100 kilograms of baggage free of duty. Any excess is dutiable, according to the specific classification in the customs tariff. The term "baggage" covers only articles and objects for the traveler's personal use which arrive with him on the same steamer, train, or other means of travel.

Advertising Matter.-Printed advertising matter (including chromos, almanacs, blotting paper, and similar articles), arriving alone or as baggage, is dutiable at the rate of $4.20 per 100 kilograms. Commodities, articles, or objects (such as matches, knives, inkwells, penholders, pencils, ashtrays) engraved, printed, or stamped with advertising legends-and, in general, anything subject to consumption, use, or wear-are subject to duties according to their specific classification in the customs tariff.

Taxes on Salesmen.-A commercial traveler going to El Salvador on a sales or survey trip, or for similar purpose, should be in possession of a letter from his firm accrediting him as such. This letter should also bear the signature of an official of a chamber of commerce or other merchants' association, and should be visaed (free of charge) at a Salvadoran consulate. Failure to present such a document will necessitate the payment of a salesman's tax of 25 colones ($10).

SALES TERRITORIES

San Salvador, the capital of the Republic, is the largest sales center of El Salvador. Most foreign firms doing an export business with El Salvador establish agencies or representation in the capital, and these agencies canvass the remainder of the country. This is to say that El Salvador may be classed as a single sales area, with the capital, San Salvador, as its chief commercial center. (Other cities of relative commercial importance are indicated under heading "Chief Commercial Centers.")

HINTS TO TRAVELERS

Entry into El Salvador can be made through the Salvadoran ports of La Union, La Libertad, and Acajutla; from Guatemala City, by highway or rail direct to San Salvador; and from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, by rail to the capital. The rail fare from Cutuco-La Union to San Salvador, via International Railways of Central America, is $5; time, 8 hours. From La Libertad, by motor: Time, 1 hour; cost, $1. From Acajutla, via the Salvador Railway Time, 51⁄2 hours; cost, $2.50. From Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, with change at Zacapa, by rail: Time, 20 hours; cost, $12. Rail service from Guatemala City to San Salvador represents approximately the same time and cost as the trip from Puerto Barrios. Travelers who can disembark at La Libertad should do so, as baggage and samples are passed through the customs on the dock at that port, and the trip to the capital is short and inexpensive.

Best Visiting Time. From a sales viewpoint, the best time to visit El Salvador is between the months of November and April, inasmuch as the economic activities of the country (dependent principally upon the annual coffee crop) are at their highest level during these months.

Clothing. Clothing for travelers in El Salvador should be of a type suitable for semitropical wear, and of such materials as white drill or light cashmeres.

Hotels. Hotel rates (per day) in the capital and one or two other localities are as follows: Pension Clark, San Salvador, $3, including meals, afternoon tea, and laundry; Hotel Astoria, San Salvador, $5, with meals and private bath, or $3.50, with meals; Hotel Nuevo Mundo, San Salvador, $4 and $5, with meals and private bath, or $2 and $3 with meals; Hotel Internacional, San Salvador, $2 for outside rooms, and $1.60 for inside, both including meals; Annex Hotel Internacional, $1.60 for outside rooms, and $1.20 for inside, both including meals; Hotel Espana, San Salvador, $1.60 for outside, and $1 for inside, both including meals; Hotel Florida, Santa Ana, $2.40, including meals; Hotel Hispano, San Miguel, $1.20, including meals.

Holidays. Recent legislation has fixed the following days as national holidays: January 1, February 1, March 1 (every 4 years), April 14, May 3, June 22, July 1, August 3, August 29, September 15, October 5, October 12, and November 5. There are in addition, several religious holidays which, while not generally observed by commerce, usually find Government and municipal offices closed.

Legal Time. The legal time in El Salvador corresponds to central standard time in the United States.

CURRENCY, EXCHANGE, AND BANKING

The currency unit, the Salvadoran colon, is equal to $0.50, United States currency, at par; but the country has been on an inconvertible paper-money basis since 1931, and the value of the colon in American dollars has averaged $0.40 since November 1934. Silver pieces are issued in denominations of 50 and 25 centavos, and nickel pieces represent 1, 3, and 5 centavos. Bills of exchange are issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 100 colones. American currency circulates fairly freely, and there are no exchange restrictions in force at present.

The bank of issue is the Salvadoran Central Reserve Bank (Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador), established in 1934. The private banks, all located in San Salvador, are Banco Occidental; Banco Salvadoreno; and Bank of London and South America, Ltd. The Banco Salvadoreño and the Banco Central de Reserva have branches in the more important commercial centers of the country. A semiofficial mortgage bank was established in 1935.

CHIEF COMMERCIAL CENTERS

The following cities are believed to be of most importance to American commercial travelers:

ACAJUTLA.-Department of Sonsonate; population, 3,000; on Salvador Railroad. Port with open roadstead; landing very difficult; lighters used to reach iron pier. Distant 12 miles (20 km.) from Sonsonate; 65 miles (105 km.) from San Salvador; 62 miles (100 km.) east of San Jose, Guatemala.

How Reached.-From United States (San Francisco), by steamer; from San Salvador and Sonsonate, by Salvador Railway.

Hotels. Occidental; Las Americas.

Note.-Landing is from steamer to boat by swing; thence to pier, where passengers are again carried up by swing. Accommodations are very poor here. Travelers should endeavor to make quick connections and leave promptly for the interior. Acajutla is of no commercial importance.

AHUACHAPAN.-Capital of Department of Ahuachapan; population, 31,281; altitude, 2,470 feet. Distant 72 miles (116 km.) from San Salvador; 22 miles (36 km.) from Sonsonate. Climate: Tropical, but healthful. Principal products: Coffee, cereals, tobacco, sugar, and rice. Industries: Cattle raising; some mining.

How Reached.-From Sonsonate, by motorcar via Progreso; from Santa Ana, by International Railway of Central America. Hotel.-Palace.

Bank. Banco Salvadoreno (agency).

Note.-Ahuachapan is an important distributing point for the southwestern part of El Salvador. It is usually visited only by salesmen who canvass closely.

COJUTEPEQUE.-Capital of Department of Cuscatlan; population, 21,500. Located 17 miles (28 km.) from San Salvador, near Volcano Cojutepeque and Lake Ilopango. Climate, temperate. Principal products: Rice, coffee, indigo, sugarcane. Manufactures: Chiefly cigars, for which this place is famous.

How Reached.From San Salvador, by motorcar and railroad. Roads lead from Cojutepeque to Ilobasco and Sensuntepeque. Numerous small villages are located in the vicinity.

Hotel. America.

Bank.-Salvadoreno (agency).

Note.-Cojutepeque is well known for its annual fair (held on August 29), which is largely attended. The town is easily accessible from San Salvador. It has considerable transient trade and is usually visited by salesmen who are accustomed to work the small towns.

ILOBASCO.-Department of Cabanas; population, 19,050. Located 22 miles (36 km.) west of Sensuntepeque and 40 miles (64 km.) northeast of San Salvador. Products: Coffee, sugar,

limes, indigo, cereals. Industries: Cattle raising and manufacture of pottery.

How Reached.-From San Salvador by automobile.

Hotel.-Torres.

Note.-Annual fair, held on September 29. Ilobasco is easily reached from San Salvador by automobile; usually not included in the itineraries of foreign salesmen.

LA LIBERTAD.-Department of La Libertad; port on Pacific, 25 miles (40 km.) from San Salvador; population, 4,000; principal products: Grain, coffee, cattle, sugar, rice, indigo.

How Reached. From San Salvador, by automobile, 1 hour and 15 minutes; from Acajutla, by steamer.

Hotel. Miramar.

Note.--Steamers discharge by lighter. Although La Libertad is the second port of the Republic, the business done is not important.

LA UNION.-Capital of Department of La Union; population, 8,362. Port on Gulf of Fonseca; steamers lie alongside wharf. On International Railway of Central America; 156 miles (252 km.) from San Salvador and 37 miles (60 km.) from San Miguel. Products: Corn, coffee, rice, and beans.

How Reached.-From San Miguel, by International Railway; from Amapala, Honduras, by steamer or motorboat across Bay of Fonseca.

Hotels.-Italia; America.

Note. La Union is the only protected port of any consequence in El Salvador. The International Railway of Central America has a concrete wharf for its terminus. La Union is the port of shipment for the products of San Miguel and other places of eastern Salvador; now handles about one-half of the exports originating at Santa Ana and San Salvador.

SAN MIGUEL.-Capital of Department of San Miguel; population, 44,385. On International Railway of Central America, at foot of volcano of San Miguel (7,120 feet), 117 miles (189 km.) from San Salvador; 38 miles (63 km.) from La Union; 74 miles (119 km.) from San Vicente. Products: Chiefly agricultural (coffee, cereals, cattle, henequen).

How Reached.-From San Salvador, by International Railway; from La Union, by International Railway.

Hotels.-Hispano Americano; Paris.

Bank.-Banco Salvadoreno (agency).

Note. Considerable distributing trade is carried on through San Miguel. This city is usually visited only by those travelers who canvass closely, although it is gaining in importance.

SAN SALVADOR.-Capital of Department of San Salvador and of the Republic of El Salvador. Altitude, 2,115 feet; population, 106,091. On the railroad near foot of volcano of San Salvador; distant 65 miles from Acajutla, 25 miles from La Libertad, 156 miles from La Union. Climate, semitropical;