Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18
CHILE TURNS TO u. S.
FOR TRADE OF FUTURE
Rich In Natural Resources, It Seeks Amer
lean Capital to Assist In Their
Development.
BY RUSSELL YOUNG.

BY RUSSELL YOUNG.
"O the average American. Chile
is little strip of land
stretched in rubber-band fash
ion along the western coast OF
South America.
There are few in this country who
realize how large and prosperous and
really great is this South American
republic. 1t is nearly twice the size
of Japan in area and almost three
times the size Of Italy. 1t is larger
than Germany and France and comes
near being twice the size of Spain
To be exact. Chile is $4,000 square
miles in area and has a population of
trifle over $4,000. Its coast line
is almost 5000 miles long.
Chile is one of the most progressive
and dominating forces in Latin Amer
lea, and. like practically all of the
countries constituting the latter. it
has experienced a wonderful era of
prosperity during the four years of
the war and is now seeking to extend
p this trade prominence. Its lands are
rich in natural resources and it's bust
ness men are ambitious and progress
sive. The greatest pains are being
taken to extend it's interior develop
ment and its foreign commerce.
Seeks Trade With United States.
Determined to realize its sanguine
hopes, minute plans Of a most prac-
tical nature have been made for the
Future business and financial advance
ment Of this republic. Within the
past month q delegation Of highly ef-
1icient and capable Chileans arrived
in the United States for the purpose
of promoting the interests of their
country and with the especial view
of bringing about a closer relation
ship between it and the United States.
The commission will endeavor to in
crease trade between the two coun-
tries and to interest American capt.
tai in Chile as future field for prof
table investment. This commission
also will lose no opportunity to use
its knowledge in pointing out to
American manufacturers and export
cES nOw u MAINTAIN anu lnCICdSC
their present domination of the South
American trade.
While in Washington the members
of this commission were most cor
daily received by officers of the gov
eminent. During its tour of the
to VISIT practically each state and
every important city.
To carry out successfully its am
bilious plans for future development
Chile needs capital, and the United
States is being looked to for this
commerce last year amounted to ap-
proximately $300.000.000 and that the
prospects for the future are par
ticularly bright and certain. it is
needless to say that the business and
financial interests of the United
thing within their means to advance
the relations between the two coun-
tries.
Buyer of American Goods.
OF the $s1,0oo,0o0 worth Of goods
more than 40 per cent were from the
limited States and about 20 per cent
from the United Kingdom. At the
outbreak of the war Germany was
Ienjoying a large share of this BUSH
Iness. OF the more than 100000. goo
worth Of exports from Chile last
Eyear more than one-third came to
1.-THE United States.
The principal articles of export are
nitrate of soda, of which nearly three
and one-half million tons were ship
4 ped; copper. wheat, iodine. borate OF
j lime. oats. hay. bran and wool. The
principal imports are textiles. min
eral products, coal, oils. machinery
and machine parts. hardware, vege-
table products. animal products. cleo
trical apparatus and paper in bulk
and manufactured form,
Chile is peculiarly arranged physi-
cally. 1t has three distinct zones
which are entirely different in their
ness. In fact. they are entirely diner
ent from one another in various ways.
In the extreme south, adjacent to
the Strait of Magellan. is a rapidly
much promise as a future great sheep
country. 1t shows also splendid min
eral possibilities and within this dis
trict il an abundance of pine timber
In the central portion of Chile is
found the famous Central valley.
which is generally conceded to be
one of the earth's garden spots.
Within this noted district all the
products Of the temperate zone and
mate grow luxuriantly. This rich and
beautiful area is naturally the most
thickly settled and highly cultivated
IN the republic.
Nitrate Source of Wealth.
In the northern section of Chile is
found the third separate zone, which,
by reason of the nitrates found there.
has for years been the source of
much Of the wealth of the country. 1t
will be probably to this section that
the eyes of American capital will turn
for the investment of American dol
lars in Chiles future development.
According to those who are in a
position to speak authoritatively.
there Is practically no limit to the
future of the nitrate industry in this
years been the chief industry of the
republic and from it's export the lat
ter has been deriving a dependable
and rich income.
The nitrate of saltpeter zone en-
braces an area in the north of Chile
other. The deposits of the mineral do
not lie close to the coast, but are
separated from the waters Of the Pa
cific by an interval varying from if
teen to ninety-three miles. and they
are always at an altitude of from
$500 to $4,000 feet. in barren and
waterless plain. Although there is a
marked absence of vegetation in this
district. the climate is delightful. This
absence Of vegetation Is strange. too
when 1t Is considered that nitrate
forms one of the chief food ingredi-
ents OF all plant life.
There are a number Of good ports
on the coast Of this nitrate section OF
Chile. the most prominent ones being
Pisagua, Taltal. Antofagasta, IquiQue
and Caldera. The shipment Of nitrate
is almost the sole activity of these