Evening star., 1920-11-14

A T time when utilization OF
~ American waterways for the
~ development Of electric power
is coming to the fore as an
important issue Of the future it is in
teresting to note the progress which
recently has been made in Chile,
where the rivers. rushing down the
western slope of the Andes to the
Pacific. have been harnessed and
made to furnish light. transportation
and power for industry.
Chile leads South America in the
development of hydro electric power,
and her program for future activity
along this line is causing considerable
comment among American engineers.
The embassy here has recently COM
piled statistics for the Waterpower
League of America which show that
Chile soon will be able to create
power to operate her public utilities
and industrial plants by water.
thereby creating a surplus of export
coal sufficient to supply Argentina
and Bolivia with a large percentage
OF their yearly consumption.
Chfle is ideally situated for water
power development. The streams rise
near the western summit of the Andes
and flow swiftly to the coast. From
coal imports in 1913 of 1.5S7.OO0 tons
the supply from foreign countries fell
in 1917 to 504,s64 tons, thus creating
a defclt which had to be met. These
Two FACTORS were among others con-
trlbuting to extensive plans for fu-
ture waterpower development.
The National Society of Electric
Power. capitalized at $4,000, 900, has
recently been founded and at present
is making plans for the establishment
OF two new plants on the banks of
the Rios Colorado and the Maipo,
which will develop 100, 900 horsepower.
The Chilean Electric Tramway and
Light Company now furnishes power
tlago. and recently has asked the
Chilean government for permission to
invest $10,0O0,0OO additional in power
plants for Santiago. The Industrial
Electric Society is erecting new plants
along the Puente del Cristo
The Chilean government now is en-
gagged In propaganda to encourage the
use OF electricity. 1t is planned,
among other things. to electrify the
railway between Santiago and VAL
paraiso. All cities will be lighted by
water-developed electricity. and elec-
trio lines. it is planned. will replace
the principal cities.
Cost of this power is far below that
developed from coal. Coal saved by
Chile.s use of waterpower will not
only obviate the present necessity for
more than SO per cent of
that country's total consumption, but
VIII enable other South American
countries to import large quantities
from her. at little expense.
X \ Z.
Spanish classes in the Washington
nigh schools are growing larger each
year, and this Is taken as an indica-
tion of the interest in South America
among pupils in the local schools
There are at present 1888 boys and
girls studying Spanish in Washington
high schools. September, 1919, the
classes in the five high schools showed
total of S21 pupils studying Spanish
and in the spring of 1918 there were
74s. The largest increase this year, ac-
cording to Prof. Samson of Central
High. has been at the Mckinley High
School, where the majority of stu
dents are boys. many of them pre-.
pairing for technical professions.
Franklin Adams, counselor of the
Pan American Union. and Sebastiao
Sampaio. commercial attache of the
Brazilian embassy, attended the Ma
tional Coffee Roasters' Association
meeting in st. Louis last week. Mr..
Adams spoke on South America and
her products. Mr.. Sampaio delivered
an address on "Brazil-the Coffee
Land"
Gonsalo Montt has been appointed
secretary of the Chilean embassy here,
and probably will arrive in this coun-
try early in December. Mr. Montt
formerly has served as secretary in
the Chilean legations in Bolivia and
London. He is young in the dipfo-
matte service and a member of the
family to which former President
Montt of Chile belonged. The new
secretary comes as successor to Senior
Don Luis Fidel Yanez, who left
Washington some time ago.
y * *
Three of the FIVE Central American
republics-Salvador. Honduras and
Guatemala - have representatives
meeting this week In Antigua, Guate-
maia. at the conference which will
precede the meeting next month in
Costa Rica, when representatives of
the five republics will discuss the
Central American Union.
The preliminary meeting, it is under
stood. is being held in order to sound
out the sentiment existing for the
union and to get suggestions which
will be brought before the meeting
next month.
Whether any progress will be made