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BOLIVIA 15 sanctioned by the government: one from Co- bija to Potosi, and another to form a branch of the Peruvian railway from Arequipa to Puno. A line to connect La Paz with Acha- cache on Lake Titicaca was in progress in 1871, and to be opened in 1872. Work com- menced in November, 1872, on a railway to connect Mejillones and the celebrated silver mines of Caracoles. The aggregate length of the affluents of the Madeira, with their tribu- taries, is 5,500 m., perhaps 3,000 m. of which navigated by steamers would aftbrd an easy outlet for the productions of the country. Some steps have been taken in this direction, and the government, to facilitate their execution, has decreed that the rivers of the republic shall henceforth be open for free navigation by ves- sels of all nations ; and in 1868 a New York engineer, Col. George E. Church, contracted for the establishment of a " National Bolivian Navigation Company " on the Madeira, the rap- ids of which will be avoided by a railway. A coarse cotton cloth, tocuyo, is made in Cocha- bamba, Santa Cruz, La Paz, and other places, over 600 looms being constantly occupied in the first named city. Santa Cruz produces excel- lent cordage from vegetable fibres, leather, furs, glass, and other commodities. Fabrics of a fine quality are made with the hair of the llama, alpaca, &c., at La Paz ; hats (from the wool of the vicufla) at San Francisco de Atacama ; ves- sels of silver wire in the mining districts; and there are besides various common cloths made by the Indian women. All the Indians are ac- quainted with the manufacture of gunpowder. The commerce of Bolivia is limited to the importation of cotton goods, hardware, furni- ture, jewelry, and silks, in exchange for Peru- vian bark, guano, copper ore, tin, borax, hides, furs, woollens, and wool hats. To facilitate the development of trade, the port of Cobija has been declared free. The total imports in 1871 amounted to $6,000,000, and the total exports to $5,000,000. In 1859 the export of calisaya bark through the Peruvian ports of Arica and Islay amounted to $153,970, and from January to November, 1860, to $223,850. The inter- nal trade reached in 1868 about $50,000,000. The state mint at Potosi coins annually about 2,250,000 pesos in silver. The national assem- bly in October, 1872, adopted a law permitting the exportation of silver in bars from June 1, 1873, subject, however, to an export duty of 50c. per mark, and 20c. per oz. for gold. An export duty of 4 per cent, is still paid on good money. By the provisions of the constitution of Bolivia, drawn up by Simon Bolivar in 1826, and considerably modified in 1828, 1831, and 1863, the whole executive power is vested in a president elected for a term of four years. The legislative authority rests with a congress of two chambers, the senate and the house of rep- resentatives, both elected by universal suffrage. The president appoints a vice president to assist him in his functions, and also a ministry di- vided into the departments of the interior and 105 VOL.. m. 2 justice, finance, war, and education and public worship. The ministers are liable to impeach- ment before congress. The seat of the execu- tive government, formerly at La Paz, was transferred to Oruro in 1869. The standing army consists of 31 generals, 359 superior and 654 subaltern officers, 3,034 men, and 522 horses. The annual cost of the army is about $2,000,000. The revenue in 1867 amounted to $4,529,345, and the expenditures to $5,957,- 275 ; deficit, $1,427,930. The revenue is de- rived partly from a land tax levied upon the Indian population, and partly from the import and export duties, and the proceeds of mines and other state property. Peru pays annually to the Bolivian government $506,250 for duties collected at the port of Arica on goods in tran- situ for Bolivia. The internal debt of the republic amounted on July 31, 1868, to $2,181- 215, and it was estimated that the interest then past due amounted to n like sum. The country has no foreign public debt, and no paper currency, although the notes of the bank of La Paz have been declared legal ten- ders. There are in Bolivia three universities and 348 schools (primary, intermediate, and superior). 294 of which are for males and 54 for females. The annual expenditure for public instruction amounts to about 260,000 pesos. A school of architecture is to be established in La Paz. The religion of the country is Roman Catholic ; and though no hindrance is offered to the exercises of other denominations, free and unrestricted toleration cannot be said to exist in Bolivia. Bolivia was formerly called the presidency of Charcas, and afterward Upper Peru, and formed from 1767 a part of the vice- royalty of Buenos Ayres. It was erected into an independent state in August, 1825, and called Bolivia, in honor of Simon Bolivar. A constitutional assembly decreed, Aug. 11, a republican form of government, appointed Gen. Sucre president, and requested Bolivar to prepare a constitution. Sucre's administra- tion continued till 1828, when he was forced to quit Bolivia by Gen. Gamarra, and was shortly afterward assassinated. His successor, Gen. Blanco, fell a victim to a revolution, headed by Balibian, two months after his in- auguration. Mariscal Santa Cruz, then in Chili as minister plenipotentiary from Peru, was elected to the presidency in 1829, and remain- ed in power till February, 1839. He was at the same time president of Peru, with the double character of protector of the Bolivio- Peruvian confederation. Velasco, aided by Balibian, raised a revolution, and having se- cured the overthrow of Santa Cruz usurp- ed the executive functions, but was himself overthrown by Balibian. The country again pronounced in favor of Santa Cruz, which produced an invasion by Gen. Gamarra, for the purpose of reestablishing Peruvian in- fluence. Balibian accompanied him for a while, but afterward took sides with the Bo- livians, and defeated the Peruvian army at