New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-20
COMPARISONS OF CAPITAL
How Bolivian Investments Are
Observation-Disclosures Share.

Bolivian investments and the capital
invested as distributed among different
nations are given in intelligent CORE
spondence to consular reports:
The trade OF a country often follows
fairly closely its Investments abroad, and
1t would appear OF interest to give some
particulars OF the amount OF foreign cap
ital Invested In Bolivia In so far as these
can be ascertained The amount of Brit
ish capital is something over S300 COO
made up OF the following sums: In tin
properties and mines generally there Is
estimated to be about slO,0O0co0. The Bo-
livla Railway Company holds about SIS
100000 for investment, and as was shown
In the paragraph on railways, about two
thirds Of this sum has already been spent
on railway construction. In this case
however, IL would be reasonable to as
sumo that some portion OF the bonds were
sold in the United States, as the contract
was originally held by an American firm.
The line OF the Antofagasto Railway,
from the Chilean frontier TO Oruro, Is
stated to represent an investment Of be-
tween S.5Oo,000 and 81, 10000, or even pos
sibly little more. The Guaqui-La PaZ
Railway, owned by the Peruvian Corpo-
ration. is capitalized at $4,000, and It
is proposed to increase this to about S.
100000 The amount of British money in
the Banco de la Nacion Boliviana is about
$4,000. In addition to these sums $780,
coo is invested in the match monopoly,
besides several rubber companies with
British and part British capital operating
in Bolivia; $4,000 would seem to cover
these latter. This estimate does not In
clude those sums which are invested In
business enterprises. and in addition one
bank which has a good deal OF British
capital.
The amount OF French capital ap-
proaches most nearly to the British, being
something under sl5oOO,0 900. There is about
$4,000 in one OF the largest mines prin-
cipally zinc and silver. A French COM
pany. with an investment Of about 80 Co.,
on, has the electric lighting. tramway and
telephone systems OF La Paz besides rub
Der lands in the interior OF the country.
French capital In the Banco de Ia Nacion
amounts 10 sos 900, and the 1910 Bolivian
loan OF $500 0oo was contracted in Paris.
The electric lighting and tramway sys-
tenn Of the city OF Cochabamba has
drawn German capital TO the extent of
about half Of the total investment OF $50
Or. In addition TO this there are two
German banks which have branches in
various cities OF the republic through
whose auspices there Is no doubt invested
certain amount OF money in the many
German business houses OF the country.
The amount OF these Investments can
not be larger than the amount of the Ger
man yearly share OF the import trade OF
Bolivia, which in 1910 was s.. $500 as al
most all OF the German firms conduct an
import business. although there are. OF
course, many who also do export busl-
ness. Possibly the total amount OF Ger
man capital in the republic may with
safety be placed at something under
100000.
There are several enterprises financed
by American capital. but the total amount
cannot be large, indeed can hardly ex-
coed 10000, ~ II reach that sum. The
Bolivian loan of 1853 (the Morgan loan
was issued IN New York, but has since
been acquired by the Banco de la Nacion
Bolivana. AS a set-or TO this scarcity
Of American capital may be stated the
fact that one Of the largest and oldest
established OF the firms doing business
on the west coast OF South America r.
American and has a branch house in La
Paz
"A large amount OF CHILEAN capital is
stated TO be invested In the various min
ing enterprises OF the republic. but there
are no reliable estimates OF the sum in
volved.
From this examination II appears that
British capital is well IN the lead OF that
Of its competitors. and that British trade
should also occupy the premier position
as OF right. The import trade OF Bolivia
IS served to the extent OF over 70 per
cent by the United Kingdom. while about
two-thirds Of theStotel exports 20 10 the
United Kingdom, which gives to British
interests an Overwhelming proportion OF
the total trade OF the country"