Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-21
COMMERCE AND RESOURCES OF CHILLI
THE INTEREST OF BALTIMORE IN
THE SAME

'"'
COMMERCE AND RESOURCES OF chilli
THE INTEREST OF BALTIMORE IN
THE SAME.
In a recent issue we took occasion to call
the attention of the business men, and espe-
cially the shipping community here, to the
commercial Importance of Chill, as set forth
in an, interesting exhibit put forth by the CHI
liam envoy to this country. We have urged
attention to this matter because IN the general
endeavor of the different sections to secure
new trade, which prevails since the war, Bal
timore must not, in justice to herself, neglect
any chance that offers when her rivals north
are striving by the establishment Of steamship
lines and new railroad connections to monop-
olize the importing business especially. Al
ready that valuable trade with South America
on which, in the past, Baltimore has prided
herself so much, has been divided to her in
jury; and if new energy is not put forth in
new directions, with the purpose to regain
what has been lost, why, it will be too late
when trade has sought for and accustomed
itself to new channels, out of which-it is the
experience of the business world-it cannot
readily be diverted.
In our recent article III regard to Chill,
we called particular attention to the i'm,
mense production Of copper peculiar to
that country; a branch of trade, which-it so
happens-some of our heaviest and most en-
terprising capitalists are already greatly inter
ested in. We now propose to touch on some
other points of interest; and to begin with,
we need only mention its production Of wheat
as an indication of its agricultural wealth its
export last year in the shape of wheat and
-four. Peru, Brazil, and even England, being
its customers; its trade in this staple amounted
to no less sum than three millions of dollars
and upwards. The evidences of industry and
enlightenment and thrift for this brisk little
republic is remarkable. Modelled very much
after our own government, the President being
elected every five years, a House Of Repre-
sentatives elected every three years, and a
Senate every seven years, the administration
of public affairs seems to be eminently sue
scessful, the taxes being very light, and every
thing moving onward in manner to indicate
rapid progress. "Her Institute or University
of Santiago, is considered the most important
in South America and more than a dozen
learned European professors have been en-
gagged for the purpose Of spreading the llnOwI-
edge of the highest branches of science. AT
an expense of more than 100000, the Gillian
Government maintains an Astronomical OBJ
servatory, the only one existing in the South
ern hemisphere, and has consequently done
great service in modern astronomy. 4 4
Chill devotes one tenth of its reve
nues to public instruction, and there existed
President who was elected in 1851, having
adopted as the platform on which he went
into the canvass the single principle-P6pu'G
Education"
To 60 backward little in this pleasant ex-
hibit of Gillian matters, the lecturer makes Il
point of showing that there are in Chill no idle
classes. All people are obliged to work to
get their living, and they work hard indeed
he says-in the deep bottoms of the copper
mines of Atacama, in the northern extremity
of the land, and in the inexhaustible coal
fields of Lota and Coronel, which by their ex-
tent and accessibility are not surpassed by
any in England or France.
Again in relation to internal improvements,
such as railroads, ETC., the little republic is
thoroughly up with the times; and its financial
condition may be understood at q glance,
when in ordinary times with revenue of
@lo,ooU,voo, IFS foreign debt-the interest of
which is faithfully paid-is but $4,000, 900.
AS the Government however owns one half the
railways, which might at any time be sold to
individuals, Chill may be said TO have really
no foreign debt whatever.
But here are the facts and figures which
should stimulate our people to cultivate great
er trade relationships with this enterprisinp
and interesting people. Mr.. McKenna said
THE value OF goods imported into Chilli in 1851
according to olicai statistics, 1885,, 1865; and
would any of you believe that in this commerce. of
which you might have as good a share as any other
nation, while England is rerEeseated by forty three
per cent the enterprising, the Prosperous and active
people of the United States with their enormous and
crowded and countless manufactures, stand only in
the proportion of fue per cent. But that is a fact
according to late official re turns. and may add as
far as my personal knowledge goes that there exists
in Valparaiso. among hundreds of large European
houses of commerce. only three American firms
England has forty per cent. of the .trade
with Chill. Germany without feet and with only a
few ports, has yet nine per cent? the United States
with California and Oregon lying on the same ocean
has got only five per cent, but little more than Bra
I'll, which has three per cent"
Now we have not gone into a notice of
this interesting exhibit at length, by way of
merely amusing our readers; but as we have
intimated already, to see if by calling attention
to the most splendid field opened up in one of
the most promising portions of South America,
our citizens may not be induced to extend that
trade and commerce so essential to our pros
perity, when we consider how much a rich
trade in that direction has done for us in the
past. With our city, formerly the best coffee
market in the United States, and yet driving a
rich trade with Brazil, especially, let the ex-
hibit we have given awaken new interests and
new endeavors to enlarge our commercial en-
terprlses, and stimulate that trade which has
suffered from stagnation caused by the war.