Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1264

 1142 PERU

remainder the debt for Avbarves aud docks, 80,000^., and loans of 1905 and 1906 amounting to 900,000Z. at 6 per cent, interest. The internal liabihties ofPeruconsistof a debt amounting to 2,660, 645^. at 1 per cent, interest, and a non-interest-bearing debt of 471,355Z. In 1912 it was estimated the Government owed tradesmen and merchants m Lima approximately 2,500,000Z.

Defence.

Military service in Peru is compulsory and universal The terms are 3 years in the active army (4 in the cavalry), 7 years (or 6 in the first reserve 5 in the second reserve, and 15 years m the National Guard. In neace 'the army consists of 5 battalions, 7 squadrons, 6 batteries, &c Total'establishment about 6,500 of all ranks. The iofantry are armed with the Mauser rifle, model of 1891, and the cavalry have the Mauser carbine The country is divided into five militaiy districts. Total strength ot police force, 5,408 (2,413 civil guards, 1,900 mounted police, 1,905 toot

^^ The Peruvian navy now consists of 6 vessels : the Lima, a cruiser of 1 700 tons displacement, which has been re-boilered and is to be re-armed ; the Iquitos, transport (used also as a training ship for boys) ; the Chalaco, a small steamer used as transport or dispatch boat. Two cruisers, the Almirante Grau and the Coronel Bolognesi, 3,200 tons and 24 knots speed were launched at Barrow in April 1906. In 1911 the old French armoured cruiser Dupuy dc Lome was purchased, and renamed AlpJwnso de Ugarte. She is of 6,400 tons displacement; armament, 2 7-6 inch, 6 5-4 men ; armour 4 inches. The horse-power is 13,000 and in 1904 when the ship was re-boilered she made 22 knots speed.

Agriculture and Industry.

The chief agricultural productions of Peru are cotton, coff"ee, and sugar. For the extension of cotton-growing, irrigation works are in progress The chief coffee-growing districts are those of Chanchamayo, Perene and Paucartambo in Central Peru, where the Peruvian Corporation has done much useful colonising work. Coffee is also grown in the Huanuco district. The concesS to the Corporation combes about 2,750,000 acres, but the labour and transport difficulties in the tropical forest region are serious ; much less than half the area conceded for colonisation is as yet occupied The sugar industry is carried on chiefly m the coast region. The total area dfvoted to sugar cultivation is about 200,000 acres, of which about hllf is planted" with cane In 1911 123,786 tons were exported. Cocoa cultivation is extending, about 200,000 cocoa trees haying been recently planted in the Perene region. Rice is extensively grown, the annual production being about 30,000 tons. There are about 20 rice mills m the country. Tobacco, wines and spirits, wheat, olives, ramie, and maize, are also produced In 1909 the Government created a tobacco monopoly for the manufacture, 'importation and sale of tobacco. Total annual output about 2 200 000 pounds. Silk culture is being tried m the coast region. The most important coca growing district is in the province of Otuzco in the depart- ment of La Libertad, where there are several coca estates Cocaine is manu- factured in Lima, Otuzco, and several other towns. Besides there are m the country dyes, cinchona, and other medicinal plants. There is a large export of alpaca, sheep, and llama wool. Thousands of square miles of healthy and fertile laid of imsurpassed beauty on the eastern slopes of the Andes are available for colonisation, and no doubt will soon be opened up Rubber is collected in large quantities and shipped down the Amazon from Iquitos.