The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-14
fHIlE

defat ~ fha aHsf ~ Nffnnflna fHi ~ w"
ssai ~ ~ pieifr OceHn WIN ihe 80
teef}ra " Hsafif " fins 'braueh m"ff
Isgfeea " lHtltlnta than tnv otlef COUNTRY
Nv fha snfHl n F1uHt ntHhe y ffiner ~
Ntr sesgses enfs' Hns fern Ne lH'tu,le "
ths afv N efesie1 ~ atsa n Hn plar'ni
W smial nfeaaut, ellnHtlrsliy . tifflu't
e~oresatgBslaHHa Win w. environment "
Tscee eefa pttt ~ treynie1 and NJ sa'efa
~ ths qfffHa N tlaeeiiHN niHalet Ni'h w"
ssfefa N Salisbury a1uHd
After the staHiah eunTteH' ~ Fsfu ~
Ffaacisu Flstffu the ea'itnahlg rirftes
and mefawlsfz elm occuplsi thHt cr'in'ty
eestyei alaB tho ronuues' N the ectntY
~ the s0uthwand IN itas Diego ~ ~
msefo ofoessl the mouB'atna With = force
~ 40 nsea. ~ e~ncorussred hrtcs opp
sltian frum tho natives, and he forcs Ssa
protabiy SWEET from uttsg dsst riction only
Nv Hs fecall b. the aid ~ pimfro, WIN Was
then lssicsed In iiena ~ thu inoaa, WIN
had p,sao In revolt. A later enoFt waa
more asieaessful, and tha city ~ santiago
va founded In issi Escept alona the
sgsbpsrd Spanish o%rcupatlon ~ Ch'lo was
nominal. The invaders we're upweicoms
and the condi,Ions % The back country
wers unfavorable for military expeditlons
Spain claimed the country by virtue ~ her
settlements on the coast and her occupa-
tlon % the country, now Argentina east-
ward % the mountains; but tho native
indians resident among the mountains were
left largely 20 their own devices.
AdvmntaGo was taken of SPANS Euro
pean snta naleuents during the opening
years Of the nineteenth century. and the
Spanish Goyeruor-Ge neral Of Chile was
deposed In 1900. In 1918 Spanish authority
was reestab llshed, only 10 be again over
thrown In isi1, when the royalist forces
were defeated In O decisive battle. In this
contest Chile was aided by the newly estab-
llahed republic Of Argentina. In response
10 an appeal for aid Argentina despatched
Gen. San Martin, who, by a march famous
in South American history. crossed the
Andes with an army Of 1000 men and turned
the tide Of the battle Of Chacabuoo. Three
days later San Martin and the revolution
lists entered Santiago. The independence
Of the country was formally proclaimed on
January /, 1918. Some fighting occurred
during the following months, but the revo-
luton was O success and Spanish rule was
ended.
lu6 LAW u IOuBtitutIobt W. Nlhth
the country is still governed, was adopted
in 1888, although 1t has been modified from
time to time. The most notable feature in
Chile's history as a republic is her freedom
from revolutions. Her history since 1918
shows disputes. political dissensions and
occasional quite insignificant local revoits.
The only revolutionary disturbance that
seems really worthy Of note 10 that Of 1901,
against Balmaceda, whose effort to estab-
lish himself as the mead Of a strong central
Government provoked a revolution which
resulted in his downfall, his mysterious
disappearance and his suicide at the Ar
gentine Legation, where he had taken
refuge.
Peru's trouble with Spain in the matter
Of the Chincha Islands, in 1885, led to an
offensive and defensive alliance between
Peru and Chile. War with Spain followed.
1t ended in May, 1865, although the treaty
Of peace was not signed until several years
later. After prolonged diplomatic negotia-
lions the question Of the proprietorship Of
the Atacama district eliminated In the
Chilean-P Peruvian war Of 1870. The conflict
lasted for about our years. 1t terminated
In favor of Chile and in her occupation Of
the disputed area. In addition she held
the districts Of Tarapaca and Tacna, and
she still holds them, although by the terms
Of the peace treaty the question Of owner
ship should have been determined In 1894
by a vote of the inhabitants Of the disputed
territory. Diplomatic relations were
broken over this question, and 1t was only
a few months ago that they were resumed,
The Tacna-Arica question remains I'M
settled, but it Is probable that It will be
settled In favor Of Chile by the simple
method known as uti possidetis, irrespective
Of the provisions OF the Treaty Of Ancon.
While Chile has large areas Of valley and
table land which either are or can be made,
by easily constructed irrigation systems,
highly fertile, her agriculture has been In a
state of decadence for a number Of years.
The leading feature Of her economic life ia
the extraction and preparation Of nitrate
Of soda for export. The beds from which
this material is obtained are In the Tarapaca-
Tacna area acquired through the war with
Peru. Nearly 10000 people are employed
In this industry alone. Foreign capital,
principally British, is invested to the amount
Of some $50, 200, 900. The export duty levied
on the nitrate and its by-products fur
nishes about so per cent. Of the national
revenue. Borax Is another important prod
uct Of the same region.
Chile is also an important source Of cop
per supply. but the industry is as yet in
a state of imperfect development. Some
thing is also done in the mining Of gold,
silver and manganese, and these industries
will be indefinitely extended with the i'm
provement Of transportation systems to the
interior. Iron is also found in considerable
supply, but little or nothing has been done
for it's commercial development. South
ward from the arid district OF Atacama,
toward Huasco, there are valleys Of poten-
tial fertility. the productiveness OF which Ia
increased by systems Of irrigation through
the use OF the many streams flowing down
from the m~ountainsides. Further south
ward, toward Santiago, there are larger val
leys Of exceptional fertility in which climatic
conditions and cultivated products are not
greatly unlike those Of southern California.
Still further southwark is Patagonian Chile.
wild and little known, and little likely to
be we'll known until the world needs what
may be there and goes exploring. Some
Investigation has revealed interior valleys
suitable for agriculture and cattle raising.
and timber areas Of considerable value have