Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/722

* CHILE. 626 CHILE. pears are the loading fruits. Host of the bread- twring industries of Chile are as yet unimpor- stufl's of C.iliforiiia were formerly supplied by taut. The natives, like most Sp.nnish Americans, L'liile, which also exported great quantities of do not take readily to manufacturing, while the cereals to Kurope; but owing to the development foreign element is still too small to exercise a of grain-raising in the Pacific Coast region of the perceptible influence on the industrial life of the United States and the increasing competition of country. In the southern part of Cliile, and Argentina, grain exports have largely declined, esijecially in the German settlement of Valdivia, The average crop of cereals is about 15,000,000 there are a number of large breweries, <listil- hectoliters, of which two-thirds is usually wheat, leries, tanneries, and sawmills. Soap, furniture, Xext to cereals, the vine is the most important and shoes are also manufactured. The scarcity agricultural industry, about 250,000 acres, for the of labor and inadequate comnuinication facili- niost part in the provinces of Concepcion and ties will probably prevent the industrial develop- t'olcliai;ua. being given to grape-raising. About ment of the country for some time, foreign 1.000,000 hectoliters of wine are annually pro- capital confining itself chiefly to the more re- duced. It is the preferred beverage in the prov- nuincrative exploitation of the mineral prod- inces. where the industry is important, and con- ucts of the country. The rapid development of siderable quantities are exported to other Latin- the mineral resources of Chile has been attend- American States. Many other farm crops and ed by a corresponding increase in its export friiits of the temperate zones thrive in the cen- trade. In 1855 Chile exported to the value of tral valley. Industrial plants such as flax, hemp, about .$19,000,000. In ISiU the exports showed and tobacco are as yet culti»-ated only with a an increase to $25,000,000. while in 1000 they view to supplying the local needs. The climate ^amoimted to $61,200,000. The mineral products is very favorable for domestic animals. The constitute over 90 per cent, of the total value horse of Chile is valued as highly as that of of the exports, and agricultural products about Argentina. Cattle-raising has made rapid prog- '.) per cent. The import trade in 1855 amounted ress since a heav^' tax was placed upon imports to about $17,000,000; in 1894 it exceeded $18,- from Argentina in 1806, Ox-teams are every- 000.000; while in 1900 it was valued at $46,- here employed on the farms: the cows are in- 900.000. The imports are made up chiefly of fcrior as milkers. Sheep thrive in the central manufactured a^-ticks. and include necessaries valley and their number is steadily increasing, of life, articles of luxury, also machinery and Goats are very numerous in the mountainous other metal products. Over 50 per cent, of the regions. trade is with Great Britain. Ormany figures Mixing. Chile is one of the chief mineral- second, and the United States third. The trade producing countries of South America, Prior to of the United States with Chile amounted at the the Peruvian War the mineral for which Chile close of the century to more than $10,000,000, was mainly known was cojiper, which still occu- "0 per cent, of which represented exports from pies an iiiiportant place in the mining output Chile, and 30 per cent, imports into that eoun- cf the country. With the acquisition of the Prov- try. While the exports from Chileto the United ince of Tacna from Peru, the inexhaustible ni- States greatly increased during the last decade trate deposits of that region attracted the at- of the century, the imports from the United tention of foreign investors, and since then the States remained practically stationary, as the output of that mineral has reached such enor- following figures will show: mous ]iroportions that Chile is found to be the chief source of the world's entire supply. The de- velopment of this industry nuy be best seen from the fact that the product, which amounted in 1SS4 to 550.000 tons, increased to 1,000,000 tons in 1S90 and 1.475.000 tons in 1900, the product of that year being valued at about $40,000,000. The nitrate deposits are worked mainly by Euro- pean, and especiall.v English, capital, and the output is almost entirely ex])orted to Europe and the United States, where it is used for fer- tilizing purposes. The copper-mines are situated „., ., , , ., ,. ■ , , chieflv in the provinces of Coquimbo and Ata- ^'t'-^te^pf soda and other chemicals made cama: and the annual vield amounts at present ^'PifX""^'!?^,^^"*-"/ the value of the exports to about 25,000 tons. or"5 per cent, of the world's «' Chile to the United States, while the chief im- production, Chile ranking only after the United Vrts from the United States were iron and steel States and Spain in the quantity mined. Gold manulaotures (nearly 25 per cent,), petroleum and silver ores arc also found in paying quanti- C^ss than 20 per cent,), cotton textiles (16 ties, and the annual cmtput of these two metals Per cent,), breadstufls (6 per cent,), besides amounts to more than $4,000,000. While most wooden articles, instruments, and other manu- of the mining industries are in the north, a large factures. field of coat, somewhat inferior in quality, is The chief ports are Valparaiso, Iquique, Tal- being developed in the south ; coal is carried to eahuano, and Antofagasta. The first serves the sea by the Arauco Railroad, and some is ex- mainly for imports, and the second handles most ported to the more northern republics. Borax, of the export trade. There is no State bank in lead, tin, borate of lime, and a few other min- Chile. There were twenty-three joint-stock banks erals are also mined. The annual value of all the of issue at the close of 1900. These institutions mineral exports from Chile in the closing years guarantee their note issue by depositing cash or of the Nineteenth Century was from $50,000,000 accepted securities with the Government. The to $60,000,000. United St.-ites money. amount of such deposits at the above date was Manui^actup.es .VXD CoMMKRCE. The manufac- 6,064,291 pesos. A number of land banks issue Exports from Chi If t.i the United States Imports into Chile from the United States 1891 $3,403,000 3,487.000 3..WO,000 4,709,000 3.730,000 7,ll-',82« S3 146 000 1S'.12 1MI4 is'.io 2,273.000 3 432 000 18SS 1900 3.288.000