The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-15
CHILE OF TODAY
 AWONDERFUL LAND
United States Has Lost Much
 Of'COuntry'S Trade
OTHER NATIONS TAKE LEAD
Germany, France, England, Belgium and Other Nations Have Grabbed the Chilean Trade and Are
 Aiding Country's Progress.

New York, October 1f.-(Special.) Startling revelations of the advantage that has been gained over the trade of the United States in the South Amer ian republics by German. French Eng fish, Belgian and other European com petition are contained in an official reference work of 5G0 pages, entitled "Chile of Today" which has just been published here by Senor Adolfo Drtu- gar the Chilean consul general in New York, who is regarded as authority upon the commerce of this country.
 According to carefully compiled and very complete statistics of the foreign trade of the big South American re- public that are included in the publi- cation the European countries named have succeeded, effectually. in eXclud- ing the steel and iron interests of the United states from the markets of Chile
 Of the importation of steel rails into that republic during the last year, which totaled approximately $2,500 900, Great Britain captured business that aggregated her manufacturers $1523, 592, Germany following with a custom valued at $504,5S0, while the United States secured orders to the extent of but s3s,9S4. Bridge material valued at $496, 230 was entered into the coun- try, hut in this business the American trade did not participate at all; the Creussot interests of France having supplied more than half the quantity imported and Great Britain and Ger many the remainder.
 As an example of the insignificant proportion realized by the United States in the trade of Chile in wrought and unwrought iron, which reached total of $5.S32,35S less than $200,000 worth of that material entered the republic from this country. No black corrugat- ed iron (unpainted non-tinned or non galvanized) was sent from the United States last year, although the impor- tations from England amounted to s173.313. Nor did the American mills figure in the entry of unpainted smooth iron, which totaled $7S3,687, and of which aggregate the British interests succeeded in bringing in $639,S07 worth.
 Against totals of $1,640661 and I,17263 shown by Great Britain, respectively, In the importation of iron and steel in bars, the sum of $131, ,5S9 represents the business obtained by the United States. British smooth, painted, timed and galvanized iron, valued at $l97 640, entered Chile, with the United States as a competitor to the extent of entries totaling Sl4t. The aggregate of tin plate imported from the United States was $45 during the entire year, while the shipments from Great Britain reached a total of $294, ,197
 As a conservative estimate figures $25,- 000 0C0 as the sum of Chile's requirements in structural steel and other building ma terial, to be used in the rebuilding of the sections of Valparaiso and the environs of that city destroyed by the great earth quake of last year. the possibilities of profits to the principal iron and steel-pro- ducng nations of Europe become ap- parent.
 r. Senor Ortuzar's book Is an authorita- tive comprehensive treatment upon the internal resources of Chile, her rapidly increasing foreign trade and the conmer- cial, administrative and economic condi- ton of the republic, especial attention being paid therein to the present state of agriculture and mining. Included in the work is a complete directory of az ricultural planters. mining and other in- dustrial proprietors. wholesale and re- tail merchants located throughout Chile, and the exporters and importers at the principal ports.
 In concise review of the financial and economic state of his country at the pres ent time the author treats as follows of the effect upon the country's prosper ity of the earthquake of last year:
 Few years have had so many vicissl- tudes and alternatives of prosperity and ruin in store for Chile as 1906, and none perhaps has left such marked traces be- hind it. On one side a part of the prin- cipal harbor of Chile-Vaparaiso-wa practically destroyed by an earthquake which desolated part of the central val ley of Chile and demolished cities which it had taken centuries to form. On the other hand. a beneficent Providence compensated largely for this disaster, for the year of the Valparaiso earthquake was a year of the greatest progress and welfare, and the most prosperous one as to business.
 All the Chilean export products had considerable rise in the worlds markets, and especially nitrate and copper reached during the last few months prices almost unknown before Consequently money has been flowing into the Chilean mar l1ets at a rate that the present situation. after the earthquake. is such that the demolished houses can easily be rebuilt with the ordinary resources of the eoun- try Furthermore, the catastrophe Of last August revealed the soul of the country. on that occasion it was clearly to be seen that the Chileans form a well organized nations not covering on account of a dis aster, not disheartened by a catastrophe or discouraged by obstacles, nor surren- dering to fate. but taking up work with renewed fervor.
 Interesting facts are presented in the book regarding the stability and fidelity of the governing element of the country's population. All the Chilean national ad- r,inistrations, Senor Ortuzar asserts. have