Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-04-13
SOUTH AMERICAN COMMERCE
How the English are Benefited in
CHILEAN Markets BY Our Protective
Ta.Ia.

- SNOPeAOh VI MI. IrcScOCL
DY PRESIDENT Santa Maria, popular ex-
eltement has abated considerably, and
II Is confidently expected that a salts
factory understanding will be brought
ABOUT through his efforts. Unfortu-
nately, however, this supposed change
In the policy of the United States gov
eminent Is attributed to wrong motives
Dy the Gillian populace, though the
covering classes of the country are too
well informed to be deceived as to the
real strength OF SO prominent country
as the United States. 1t seems that
an article in an American newspaper
relating TO the naval advisory board
produced a profound impression here,
and was extensively copied In the pa
pers OF the country. That portion was
particularly emphasized which con-
tanned the remarks of Admiral Rodgers,
wherein he said that Chilfs feet could
easily destroy tho United States COM
merco IN the Pacific and menace the
ports Of California. This tickled the
national vanity. and tends TO make the
lower and middle classes extremely ar.
rogant; but the educated and enlight-
ened people of the country, the bust
ness men and foreigners, are not mis-
led. The Bolivians are disguised with
the Peruvian alliance. Peru attributes
her defeat To BOlivia's cOwardice and
incompetence, and when she appealed
To the United States she left Bolivia
in the lurch. Now Bolivia appears to
be coquetting with Chilli for the pos
session of the Peruvian towns of Tacna
and africa, in order to get an outlet to
the sea. Ecuador is excited over a
rumored arrangement Of Calderon with
Minister HurlOut for the establish
ment OF a United States navy-yard at
Teunbez, a port that she claims.
but which Peru took from her.
On my way to Valparaiso, stopped
at the port of Tocopillo, in Bolivia.
a most forlorn place it is; not sign
OF vegetation meets the eye, and there is
not water-course for leagues on the
coast. Almost perpendicular mount
ain ridges rise from the very sea, and
with their many colored slopes, present
a grand and impressive sight, towering
two to three thousand feet above the
Pacific. Though devoid of vegetation,
these mountains are rich in minerals.
gold, silver, and copper, but at present
the later metal is the only one that is
mined to any extent. The town of
Tocopillo consists of five smelling es-
Establishments, few good houses, a
church, club, some few stores, and a
collection Of miners and workmen's
huts, and about twenty-five hundred
inhabitants. One British, one Ameri-
can, and one unknown bark were at
anchor in the bay. Some six leagues
from here nitrates are found, and one
OF the vessels was loading with that
commodity. A delegation of congress
men and merchants would do well to
make visit to this coast and see what
magnificent opportunities are being
thrown away from want of proper
legislation and enterprise at home. It
makes the heart of an American sick
as he sees one industry after another
monoPolized by the English, especially
as most of these industries were origi-
nally developed by Americans. The
railroads and mines of Copiapo were
once owned and worked by Americans,
but they are now in the hands of Eng
hshmen, and so are nearly all the other
mines and the railroads not owned by
the government. Coal is dear here.
and, consequently, the copper ore gen.
orally only goes through the first
smelling and is reduced to substance
containing about 40 per cent of copper
1t is then shipped to Swansea, in
Wales, in that state, while ore contain
ing as much as 20 per cent is shipped
without being reduced at all. A strong
American company might establish
smelting-workS at their mines and
probably run a line of sailing vessels
with auxiliary steam engines to propel
them in Gains. They could bring out
coal and general cargo, and take home
copper, silver, and lead ores, wool,
hides, and tallow, and coffee, as they
could trade with both coasts of South
America.
American custom laws may interfere
with the introduction of these ores
into the country owing to the high
duties imposed, but l am satisfied that
manufacturers would reap an immense
benefit from regular communication
with this section of the world, and
that a line itself, If honestly admins
tered, would yield large returns. The
United States manufactures all the
goods in demand on this coast, but the
English are enabled to sell inferior
goods at high prices, on account of the
market being practically shut off from
American manufactures. In nearly
all the cities on the coast clumsy steam
hre-engines Of English manufacture
are to be seen, though in Valparaiso a
rich banker of English descent pre-
sented the city with beautiful Aneri-
can one. Heavy English sewing-ma-
chimes appear in the shops with an &C.
casional American one. English ma
chinery, axes, which they grind to good
purpose, and agricultural tools are in
vogue, all of which, except possibly.
mining machinery, America cxceis.
American cottons, carriages, portable
engines, tobacco. shoes. sewing-ma-
chimes, and agricultural implements
have been introduced to a limited ex-