For the better development of intermunicipal relations there were recommendations regarding: The establishment of special offices for coordinating these relations, which should deal with the exchange of publications, musical phonograph records, and other materials bearing on municipal history and activities. Particularly it was suggested that the municipalities publish a bulletin of a scientific character as well as historico-municipal guides of the principal cities of the hemisphere.

With respect to education there were suggestions for: Campaigns against illiteracy; interchange of professors and students between the republics of the Hemisphere; and the creation in universities of offices of intellectual cooperation. A special resolution of importance was one providing for the assembling of materials for a study of comparative municipal law; another dealt with the use of microphotography in connection with record keeping

in the municipalities. A number of suggestions with respect to the conduct of future congresses were also included.

There were motions paying tribute to: Dr. Leo S. Rowe, late director of the Pan American Union; Dr. Ruy de Lugo Viña, initiator of the Inter-American Congress of Municipalities; Dr. Federico Henríquez y Carvajal, illustrious Dominican author; Mr. Robert H. Todd, former mayor of San Juan for twenty years; Dr. Rafael W. Ramírez de Arellano, professor of history in the University of Puerto Rico; the citizens of San Juan; and the Pan American Columbist Society and its directors. Finally there were the votes of thanks to Puerto Rico and the officials who accorded such an attentive reception to the delegates.

By a unanimous decision of the delegates the city of Buenos Aires was designated as the seat of the Fourth Inter-American Congress of Municipal History, to be held in 1949. Dr. Carlos Emilio Becker, of the

University of Buenos Aires, thanked the delegates on behalf of Buenos Aires and graciously accepted the task of preparing for the next meeting. In this work the local organizing committee will be assisted by the Pan American Columbist Society and the Inter-American Institute of Municipal History. It was also recommended that at the next Congress the city of Cárdenas in Cuba should be designated for the 1950 meeting, in order that it may participate in the celebration of the centenary of the Cuban flag, which was flown for the first time in that city by Narciso López.

The city of San Juan was a marvelous host. The reception accorded by officials and citizens was such as to leave a lasting and most pleasing impression of their hospitality. Outstanding events during the course of the Congress were the receptions by the City Manager, at the Condado Hotel; by the Governor and Mrs. Piñero, at La Fortaleza; and by Major General and Mrs. Porter, at the Casa Blanca. One morning was given over to a tour of the historic spots of San Juan, with learned and interesting explanations by Professor Ramírez. An exposition entitled San Juan across the centuries, consisting of items relating to its history, was arranged in the ancient Sala Capitular of the Ayuntamiento, and at its opening there were brief discourses by Dr. Roscoe R. Hill, of Washington, Dr. Roussan Camille, of Port-au-Prince, and Professor Rafael Ramírez, who had organized the materials. The Board of Planning, Urbanization, and Zoning of Puerto Rico presented a most interesting exposition with reference

to its work, which was opened by Dr. Rafael Picó, the director, with a brief response by Señor Mario J. Buschiazzo, of Buenos Aires. There were also an exposition of the municipality of Ponce and one presented by a historian of the United States Armed Forces, Lieutenant Edward H. Ross. In the cathedral square there was planted a Tree of Friendship, over the roots of which delegates placed soil from their countries.

At the final plenary session on April 17, there were brief speeches by delegates from a number of the countries. Mr. Francisco M. Zeno made the closing address in the name of the Governor of Puerto Rico and of the City Manager of San Juan.

The final function was a farewell luncheon on April 18 at the attractive Hotel Jagüeyes, in the mountains near San Juan. This luncheon was given in honor of the delegates by the Organizing Committee of the Congress under the leadership of the City Manager, Sra. de Gautier. The address of the occasion was by Dr. Vicente Géigel Polanco, the majority leader of the Puerto Rican Senate.

The formal work of the conference was important, but in addition an outstanding feature was the opportunity afforded to the delegates to develop their acquaintance with representative citizens of the other Pan American countries who are interested in municipal history and local affairs. Thus it can truly be said that the Third Inter-American Congress of Municipal History was a distinct contribution to fuller and more complete inter-American friendships.

449

Bahia and Its Museum

JOSÉ VALLADARES

Director

IN 1949 Bahia, capital of the Brazilian State of the same name, will celebrate its fourth centennial.

Besides being among the oldest cities in Latin America, Bahia has one of the most interesting histories of any town in the New World. The Italian Americus Vespucius visited it at the beginning of the 16th century; French and Portuguese merchants and navigators established depots

there for brazilwood, much used in dyeing; in 1534 Bahia was the seat of one of the twelve hereditary captaincies into which the country was divided; and finally, fifteen years later, João III of Portugal made it the seat of government of his vast dominions in America, thus opening a period of political leadership that was destined to last almost two hundred years, until 1763, when the capital was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. Several Jesuit fathers accompanied the first governorgeneral, Tomé de Souza; so did a great wave of civilian officials, soldiers, artisans, and exiles who set about building the intellectual, material, military, and administrative life of the new city in accordance with the most detailed instructions

brought from the mother country. Later came the Carmelite, Benedictine, and Franciscan friars and more immigrants of all types, inspired by the hope of an easy fortune or of a life less troubled by religious and social persecution.

Because of the city's political importance and its prosperity, the richest churches. and convents in Brazil, the most spacious and beautiful city mansions and country homes, and the strongest fortresses were built in Bahia. At the time when Stuyvesant was struggling with the English over the possession of New York, Bahia (whose real but little-used name is Salvador) was already an important city. One need only read ecclesiastical correspondence or the accounts of travelers to get an idea of the impression made by Bahia. An emotional Frenchman with a

tendency to exaggerate said that the Jesuit church, which is now the cathedral, surpassed the churches of his native land; others spoke of the size of the sugar mills that lined the bay; still others of the luxurious interior of the houses, the high standard of living, and the courtesies shown to visitors.

In order to decorate so many churches and palatial houses, artistically gifted hands worked in silver and gold, which were to be had in quantity, in jacaranda,1 vinhatico, and other hardwoods, in freestone from Portugal, or in local sandstone. Inspired by religious faith, or spurred on by the desires of rich lovers of elegance and luxury, they left sufficient material for a number of museums of regional art. And When finished jacaranda

1 The Brazilian rosewood. looks like a dark walnut.