On the Atlantic side Puerto Limon is the chief commercial town, and on the Pacific, Punta Arenas. In 1871 the Government negotiated a loan in London of $5,000,000, and the next year another of $12,000,000,—but from both of them never received more than $5,058,059.60,—with the avowed intention of building an inter-oceanic railway between the two principal ports; but only detached portions have been built,—twenty-four miles from Alajuela to Cartago, sixty from Limon to Carrillo, and six from Punta Arenas to Esparta. The country is bankrupt, and makes no attempt to pay any part of its liabilities; indeed, its revenues, derived from intolerable duties (even on the export of coffee), monopolies of spirits and tobacco, national bank, sales of land, and internal taxes, do not balance the expenditures. The legislature is composed of a Congress of Deputies,—one for each electoral district,—holding office six years, half being renewed every three years. The members of the Corte de Justicia are elected by Congress. The present constitution (from 1871) is the seventh that has been in force. The departments are,— Departments. Chief Cities. San José 45,000 San José 15,000 Cartago 36,000 Cartago 10,000 Heredia 30,000 Heredia 9,000 Alajuela 29,000 Alajuela 6,000 Guanacaste 8,000 Liberia 2,000 Punta Arenas 6,000 Punta Arenas 1,800 The population is estimated by M. Belly. Both the northern boundary on Nicaragua, and the southern one on Columbia, are in dispute.[3]