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 BOLIVIA 291 For 1900 the to* al departmental revenue was estimated at In 1899 the imports consisted almost entirely of articles for personal .£179,540, and the total municipal at £140,960. The internal or domestic use or consumption, such as cotton and woollen goods, debt recognized by the State amounted in 1899 to 3,934,250 boli- food-stuffs and beverages, furniture and hardware, while mineral vianos (£356,620). This amount included accumulated deficits and agricultural products were exported. The mineral exports 1,564,226 bolivianos (£142,190), and war loans, 763,390 bolivianos the value of £1,616,400, the most important having been (£69,390). The external debt, which originally amounted to reached 909 < 10,00 000 bo vian 6,550,830 bolivianos, was due to Chilians as indemnity for their £85,4o0 ^al^o ; and ’^00copper, ' ’ liThe os); tin, £454,500; bismuth, £72,720. agricultural exports amounted losses in the war of 1879-83. At the end of 1899 the outstanding ie 1Ue 92 540, t5le rubber amount was 881,910 bolivianos (£80,170). ooo r!r f/ ’ exports alone being valued at ■£V97 fc/YLjZUO. 12 Ol the imports 16 per cent, in value came from GerAgriculture. —The most important vegetable product of Bolivia many, per cent, from Chile, 9 per cent, from Great Britain, b is rubber, which grows abundantly in the region of the upper rom ranee, and from the United States, and 8 per cent, from Tahuamanu river, in the territories of Madre de Dios and Purus, Fern. Of the exports, 44 per cent, in value went to Great Britain, in the department of La Paz, and in the region bordering on the cent, to Germany, 7 per cent, to France, 3 per cent, to Brazilian state of Matto Grosso. The trees are the property of the 3411 per e 0 61 u and to side the United Bolivia having no seaState, and any person, citizen or foreigner, may collect the gum port, ’.its trade’ on towards States. the Pacific passes through the without license, but the discoverer of trees may, by applying for a ports of Mollendo,the Arica, and Antofagasta, at all of which there ■concession, obtain exclusive right to the advantages of Ms dis- are Bolivian customs agencies. On the eastern side large quancovery. The total quantity of rubber which passed through the tities of rubber are exported from Villa Bella and Puerto Suarez, ports of Puerto Perez, Villa Bella, and Puerto Suarez in 1890 was and the Argentine Republic there is a growing export 646,800 lb; in 1895, 1,804,900 lb; and in 1898, 6,943,100 lb. tradetowards Tupiza. Of the imports in 1899, 57 per cent, in value The rubber exported through Mollendo is known as “Mollendo passedthrough through Antofagasta, 19 per cent, through Mollendo, 16 per rubber,” while that sent eastwards to Brazil becomes “Para cent, through 6 per cent, through Puerto Suarez and Villa Bella rubber. Another product which has risen into importance is together. Of Arica, the exports 61 per cent, passed through Antofagasta, coca, fiom which cocaine is obtained. The annual production of 5 pel cent, through 1 per cent, through Arica, 21 per coca is stated to reach 10,120,000 lb, three-fourths of which cent, through Puerto Mollendo, grows in the province of Yungas, in the department of La Paz. In cent, through Tupiza. Suarez and Villa Bella together, and 3 1per coca extraction duties the government collects about 250,000 boliRoutes—Road, River, Rail.—Bolivia is provided with a vast vianos (£22,725) annually. Cinchona is exported in small quan- system of natural highways in its lakes and rivers—Lake Titicaca tities. Coffee, cocoa, and tobacco are cultivated, but are not with an area of 3880 square miles, being connected by the commercially important. Besides the vicuna, llama, and alpaca, Desaguadero river with Lake Poopo, covering 2800 square miles, the country contains many cattle, and the cattle imports and throughout the country the length of rivers navigable for exports are considerable. The use of llamas as beasts of burden is while steam launches at 5600 miles. The national roads much less common than formerly, though flocks of them are still which traverse istheestimated republic are made and maintained by the frequently met with on the roads. Donkeys and mules have taken Those in the upper Andes were, at great expense, their place. Some of the finest chinchilla skins come from Bolivia. government. by Indian labour, and serve for transport by means of Minerals.—The country is rich in mineral wealth, much of constructed pack animals. The roads, which connect the principal cities with which is still undeveloped. Gold is found in the gravels of most neighbouring are in general constructed by the municiof the eastern valleys descending from the high part of the Cor- palities. The towns nature of the country makes road-making difficult dillera Real, as well as in the La Paz valley and its upper eastern and costiy. A reasonably good carriage-road connects the port of branches. Auriferous quartz is worked in the Araca valley and Ghililaya, on Lake Titicaca, with La Paz, Corocoro, Sicasica, and elsewhere. The most important gold-mining enterprises are those Oruro. Branch roads run eastward to Cochabamba and Potosi, of two companies in the neighbourhood of La Paz, and one in the whilst the towns are connected with Sucre and province of Cercado in the same department. For the working of one another last-mentioned by carriage-roads. The Tacna road has ceased to be the hydraulic mines of Tipuani there are five English and four an important commercial route. The only railway that actually French companies. Silver-mining in the Oruro district has been Bolivia is a narrow-gauge line from the Chilian port of greatly developed, and a great quantity of the metal has been enters Antofagasta to Oruro. It is 574 miles in length, and attains an extracted from the important mines of Pulacayo (now full of water) altitude of 13,580 feet. The northern part of the country is most and Oruro. Copper is now extensively mined at Corocoro. Tin easily reached from Mollendo by the railway to Puno on Lake is worked near Oruro, where large quantities of very rich ore exist, Titicaca (325 miles; point, 14,666 feet), whence three and on the west flank of Caca-aca in the hill called Huaina Potosi! steamboats ply to the highest Bolivian port of Chililaya, about 40 miles In the tin districts bismuth is produced in increasing quantities! from La Paz. Other railways have been projected. Coal exists on an island in Lake Titicaca, and an attempt is being and Telegraph.—Bolivia joined the Postal Union in 1885. made to work it. Most of the nitrate fields and guano beds once InPost the country there are 328 post-offices, and, in 1898, 899,080 Bolivian are in areas now held by Chile. The folio win «• table pieces of mail matter were received, while 747,633 were despatched. presents a view of the metal output during 1895-99. The quan- The lines within the republic have a length of 2250 tities of gold and silver are stated in troy ounces ; those of copper, miles,telegraph and are served by 35 telegraph and 2 telephone offices. tin, and bismuth are given in tons, Spanish quintals being taken I he telegraph lines belonging to the State have a length of 1240 as equivalent to 101 *6 lb av. The quantities of copper are only miles. — those obtained at Corocoro. Banks.—In 1900 there were in Bolivia 4 banks of issue: the National Bank, founded at Sucre in 1871, with a paid-up capital Years, j Gold. Silver. Copper, j Tin. Bismuth. of 3,000,000 bolivianos (or, at the rate of exchange adopted for this article, £272,700); Argandona’s Bank, founded at Sucre in Oz. Oz. Tons. Tons. Tons. 1895 14,467 21,508,350 1893, with a paid-up capital of 2,000,000 bolivianos (£181,800); 2487 1407 142 1896 16,075 21,058,250 the Industrial Bank at La Paz (1899), and the Commercial Bank 3370 1360 131 1897 22,023 21,935,560 at Oimo (1900), the two last named having each a paid-up capital 2748 2705 181 1898 17,682 10,999,800 of 500,000 bolivianos (£45,450). There are also 3 mortgage banks 3370 3692 272 1899 17,554 10,042,575 with paid-up capital amounting in all to 285,587 bolivianos 5192 453 (£25,960), and a savings bank, founded in 1900. The bank notes Antimony, borate of lime, lead, and other minerals are produced circulation amount to 6,482,000 bolivianos (all of the National and exported in small quantities. Apart from the working of m and Argandona Banks), and, notwithstanding the large production mines and the exploitation of rubber, the industries of Bolivia are of silver, there is great scarcity of silver coin. The metal not at of little account. The more important of them are distilling, once exported as bullion is minted and leaves the country as coin. brewing, and the preparation of wines ; the weaving of vicuna and The money coined and put in circulation during 1895-99 amounted alpaca coverlets; the manufacture of sugar, sweets, chocolate and to 7,931,760 bolivianos, showing an annual average of 1,586,352 cigarettes. bolivianos. Commerce.—The value of the imports and exports in 1895-99 The boliviano, the unit of account, is of silver, and weighs 25 was as follows (conversions being made at the uniform rate of 11 grains, or 385‘8 grains, ‘900 fine. The value at par is 5 francs, but •bolivianos to the £):— in July 1900 its actual value was Is. 9‘9d. (or 43’8 United States cents.). The metric system of weights and measures is prescribed Y ears. Imports. Exports. by law, but the old Spanish system is still in use. £ Authorities.—Ballivian, M. Y. A'puntes sobre la industria £ 1895 de Gorna Elastica, &c. La Paz, 1896.-—Noticia Politica, Geografica, 1,263,270 1,901,100 1896 1,177,380 Industrial, y Estadistica de Bolivia. La Paz, 1900.—Breves 2,004,100 1897 1,132,360 Indicaciones para el Inmigrante y el Viagero a, Bolivia. La 1,998,930 1898 Paz, 1898. 8vo.—Monografias de la Industria Minera en 1,081,460 2,495,810 1899 Bolivia. Three parts. La Paz, 1899-1900.—Aefocfo/tcs Geografica 1,167,150 2,487,550 de Bolivia existentes en el Archivo de la Oficina Nacional de