11 CHILE history] 18d. =1 peso) would be equivalent to £6,443,440. The gross Charles. Chile and the Chilians. Paris, 1888.—Vincent, revenue in 1899 amounted to 13,997,799 pesos (£1,049,840) and Frank. Round and about South America. New York, 1890.— Herrmann, Alberto. La Produccion de Oro, Plata i Cobre en Chile. the expenditure to 13,911,782 pesos (£1,043,280). At Santiago there are 65 miles of tramway in process of conver- Santiago, 1894.—Maldonado, C. Roberto. Estudios Geograficos sion so as to he worked by electric traction. At Valparaiso the e Hidrograficos sobre Chiloe. Santiago, 1897.—Estadistica Comercial de la Republica de Chile, 1899. Valparaiso, 1900—Sinopsis tramways are worked by horse-power. Post, Telegraph, and Telephone.—In 1899 the Chilian post-office estadistica y jeografica de la Republica de Chile en 1899. Valpadespatched 13,033,608 letters and post-cards, and 18,907,252 raiso, 1900.—British Foreign Office Diplomatic and Consular Reports. printed and other packets; the gross postal revenue amounted to London.—United States Consular Reports. Washington. (w. W. R.; C. E. A.) 1,023,377 pesos (£76,750), and the expenditure to 1,065,612 pesos (£79,920). In the same year the State had 9970 miles of telegraph Political History since 1881.—At the opening of and telephone line, with 11,200 miles of wire, by which during the ear 1,183,691 telegrams were sent and 17,831,234 conversations 1881 the war between Chile and Peru had reached a eld, the total telegraph receipts having amounted to 613,003 pesos (£45,975). There were, besides, about 2610 miles of railway stage when the final struggle was close at hand. On 13th and private telegraph line. Telephonic communication has been January of that year the Chilian forces under command established in all the principal towns, and two companies, one of General Baquedano attacked the entrenched positions British, the other Chilian, furnish connexion between Santiago and of the Peruvians at daybreak in the vicinity of Chorillos, Valparaiso, and between these cities and many smaller towns. Money and Credit.—
Chile there are 23 joint-stock banks of a village some few miles from Lima and forming
issue, with an aggregate registered capital of 40,689,665 pesos the outer line of defence for the capital. The ose (£3,051,720) and a note issue in July 1898 of 12,733,160 pesos (or, fight was a very severe one—the defenders, ^ °^ at par, £954,990). On 31st July 1898 the national government posted behind loop-holed mud walls, offering a wjthperu. advanced to the banks notes amounting to 27,989,929 pesos most stubborn resistance to the advance of the (£2,099,240) at 2 per cent, interest per annum—the total note issue for which the banks were responsible being thus raised to invading army. The day ended in victory for the 40,723,089 pesos (£3,054,230). In addition, the treasury put in attacking forces, but with a loss of 800 killed and 2500 circulation at the same date notes amounting to 17,693,890 pesos wounded; the Peruvian casualties were 5000 killed, 4000 (£1,327,040), and is also responsible for notes for 1,193,641 pesos wounded, and 2000 officers and men taken prisoneis. On (£89,520), issued before 1896. There are four banks not banks of issue, and also 15 mortgage banks. The latter issue bonds on the following day negotiations for peace were attempted real property for, professedly, not more than half its value, and by the representatives of the foreign powers in Lima, the these bonds are sold in open market. The value in circulation object being to avoid, if possible, any further bloodshed. in 1899 was officially stated to amount to 155,827,119 pesos This attempt to end the conflict proved, however, abortive, (£11,687,030); but as the price of land has recently fallen, several estates having been sold at 40 per cent, of their nominal value, and on 15th January at 2 p.m. hostilities recommenced in while large arrears of interest (probably not less than 3,000,000 the neighbourhood of Miraflores. After severe fighting for pesos, or £225,000) are due to the banks, the condition of landed some four hours the Chilians again proved victorious, and property seems unsatisfactory. drove the Peruvians from the second line of defence back Monetary System.—The monetary unit of Chile is the uncoined gold peso. Under the law of 11th February 1895 the gold coins upon the city of Lima. In this battle the invaders lost are the condor of 20 pesos, the doblon of 10 pesos, and the escudo of 500 men killed and 1625 wounded, the Peruvians about 5 pesos. All gold coins are eleven - twelfths line. The doblon 3000 killed and wounded. Lima, the capital of Peru, weighs 5'99103 grammes or 92'4536 grains. The gold peso is of was at the mercy of the Chilians after this last action, and the value of 18d., or 13^ pesos are equivalent to £1 sterling. The on 17th January a division of 4000 men of all arms, under peso is equivalent also to 36£ United States cents. Under the same law silver coins are ’835 line. The silver peso weighs 20 the command of General Cornelio Saavedra, was sent grammes or 308’64 grains, and the fractional coinage is of corre- forward to occupy the Peruvian capital and restore order sponding weight. By law of 10th January 1899, however, the within the town limits. A portion of the Chilian forces coinage of fractional silver money only five-tenths line to the was shortly afterwards withdrawn from Peru, and the amount of 5,000,000 pesos within two years was authorized. Specie payments and the exchange of gold for silver by the mint army of occupation remaining in the conquered country resumed on 1st June 1895 were suspended by Act of 31st July was in charge of Admiral Patricio Lynch, an officer who 1898, which authorized the issue of 50,000,000 pesos in paper had been specially promoted for distinguished services money with a forced circulation, and empowered the president to during the war. President Anibal Pinto of Chile now set raise a loan of £4,000,000 sterling for the ultimate withdrawal of the notes. The immediate result was the withdrawal of gold and about to find means to conclude a treaty of peace with silver from circulation and a rapid fall in the value of the notes, Peru, but his efforts in this direction were frustrated by which at the end of 1899 were still at a discount of 18 per cent. the armed resistance offered in the country districts to the In 1901 the conversion scheme was postponed till October Chilian authorities by the remainder of the Peruvian 1903. Weights and Measures. — The metric system of weights and forces under command of General Caceres. So matters measures is the legal standard of Chile, but the old Spanish continued — the Chilians administering on the seaboard methods are still widely used, especially in reference to mining and and in the principal towns, the Peruvians maintaining farm produce. Nitrate of soda, even in official reports, is almost invariably calculated by the quintal (101‘40 English pounds). In a guerilla warfare in the mountainous districts of the In September 1881 the term of office of silver and copper mining the marc (8 ounces) is commonly used to interior. express the richness of the metal. Farm produce is generally sold President Pinto expired, and he was succeeded in the post by the arroba or fanega, whilst the vara in lineal measurement, of chief executive of Chile by President Domingo Santa and the cuadra for indicating the superficial area of land, are Maria. Ex-President Pinto died three years later in customary amongst the country people. Authorities.—Asta-Buruaga, F. S. Diccionario Geograjico Valparaiso, leaving a memory respected and admired by de la Republica de Chile. Leipzig, 1899.—Echeverria y Reyes, all political parties in his country. The name of Pinto Anibal. Geografia Politica de Chile. Santiago, 1888, 2 vols.— will always occupy a prominent place in the annals of Child, Theodore. The Spanish-American Republics. London, Chilian history, not only because the war with Peru took 1891.—Espinoza, Enrique. Geografia Descriptiva de la Republica de Chile. Santiago, 1897.,—Idem. Geografia Descriptiva de la place during his term of office, but also on account of the Republica de Chile. Santiago, 1892.—Figueroa, P. P. Diccio- fact that it was largely due to the intelligent direction of nario biograficonacional, 1550-1891. Santiago, 1891.—Fitzgerald, all details by the President during the struggle that the E. A. the Highest Andes. London, 1899.—Flores-Ruiz, Franco J. Guia de Immigrante en la Republica de Chile. Santiago, 1890. Chilian arms proved so absolutely successful by land and —Hancock, Anson Uriel. A History of Chile. Chicago, 1893. sea. Seiior Domingo Santa Maria, who now acceded to the —Hervey, M. H. Dark Days in Chile. London, 1892.-—Kunz, Hugo. Chile umd die Deutschen Colonien. Leipzig, 1891. — presidency of Chile, was a Liberal in politics, and had Russell, William Howard. A Visit to Chile and the Nitrate previously held various important posts under the GovernFields of Tarapacd. London, 1890. — Smith, W. Anderson. Temperate Chile: A Progressive Spain. London, 1899.—Wiener, ment. Under the rule of President Montt he had been
