public, with its population of 369,000 inhabitants.

Standing towards the southern extremity of the great plateau of
Anahuac, reposing in a beautiful valley full of natural resources, and
rich with historic lore, is the City of Mexico. Of singular and varied
interest is this capital of the prosperous North American Republic
whose name it bears, for its geographical situation and historical
associations are such as assign it a leading place among the great
centres of Spanish-American civilisation.

In many respects the capital of Mexico may be considered the queen city
of Latin America. Buenos Ayres is much larger and of greater importance
as a centre of population, but it has not Mexico's history and
tradition. The commerce of Santiago and Valparaiso are potent factors
in the life of the Pacific coast, but the Chilean capital and seaport
are but modern creations in comparison with the old city of the land of
Anahuac. Only Lima, the beautiful and interesting capital of her sister
nation--Peru--is comparable with Mexico as a centre of historical
tradition and Spanish-American culture. Of course, the City of Mexico
with its large population is much larger than Lima, with less than
150,000.

Indeed, there are many points of similarity between Mexico and Peru,
such as have been discussed elsewhere, and which are the common
knowledge of the student, but the City of Mexico possesses a special
interest in that it was actually the seat of a prehistoric American
civilisation--that of the Aztecs--whilst its position between the great
oceans which bathe the American coasts, give it a value for the future
of untold possibilities.

The Valley of Mexico, wherein the capital is situated, is a broad
elevated plain, or basin, surrounded by hills, which culminate far away
to the south-east in the snow-clad summits of Popocatepetl and
Ixtaccihuatl--the extinct volcanoes of the Sierra Madre. The combined
conditions of its latitude and elevation above sea-level--19 degrees 26
N., 99 degrees 7 W., and 7,410 feet--have dowered it with an agreeable
and salubrious climate, with an annual range of temperature from 60
degrees F. to 75 degrees F. The mornings are cool and bracing, often
bitterly cold indeed; whilst the midday sun is often hot, and the
Mexican stays within the cool of his thick-walled house, for it is the
hour of _siesta_. Excessive extremes of heat and cold are not
encountered, although at night the Mexican gladly dons his velv