Chile
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Chile. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a republic of South America, bounded on the N. by Peru, E. by Bolivia and the Argentine Republic, S. and W. by the Pacific Ocean; area, 290,829 square miles. In 1918 the population was 3,945,538. Some of the leading towns had the following population in 1916: Santiago, 397,550; Valparaiso, 201,507; Concepcion, 68,902; Iquique, 45.502; Talque, 41,618; Chillan, 38,543. Antofagasta, 56,295. Santiago, the capital, is beautifully laid out and adorned with cathedrals, parks, and imposing public buildings. It has two universities. Valparaiso is the chief seaport and is a handsome and thriving city. Topography. - The Andes extend in two parallel lines throughout nearly the entire length of the country. Between these two ranges of the "Cordillera" there is a central valley or tableland which attains its greatest breadth between 33° and 40° S. The streams in the N. are of little importance, being mostly shallow brooks; in the S. they are larger and more numerous, though most are navigable for only a few miles. The principal rivers are the Maipu, which waters the valley of Santiago; the Maule; the Biobio, the largest river in the country; the Cautin, or Rio Imperial; the Bueno, and the Callecalle, or Rio de Valdivia (100 miles), the most important of all, because of the sheltered harbor at its mouth. In the S. are also many deep lakes, such as Llanquihue (30/ miles long by 22 broad) and Ranco (32 by 18 miles). The most important islands are those constituting the province of Chiloe; Juan Fernandez also belongs to Chile. Owing to its great extension from N. to S., Chile comprises regions of very different nature and climate. The N. provinces are arid, rainless districts, where the principal industry is mining and extraction of saltpeter. The middle and S. provinces are agricultural and viticultural, and have also valuable coal fields. The Patagonian region is densely wooded and sparsely inhabited by a few Indians. The Andes are almost everywhere visible, covered with perpetual snow. The highest peak is Aconcagua, 22,867 feet. The average height of the range is 8,000 feet. There are many volcanic peaks, mostly extinct. Among these may be mentioned Tupun- Villa Rica. Chile is subject to frequent shocks of earthquakes, and occasionally to destructive floods. The most notable of seismic movements recorded was in 1822, when the coast near Valparaiso was thrown up permanently between 3 and 4 feet; this elevation extended over 100,000 square miles. In 1835 Concepcion and Talcahuano were destroyed by a fearful earthquake which produced disaster all over the southern provinces. Climate and Productions. The climate of Chile is temperate. In the N. it is moderately hot and rainless, but banks of clouds always hang overhead, and heavy dew falls at night. In the S. it is dry for about eight months of the year, and rainy the other four. The tempera- 30-Vol. II-Cyє ture is remarkably even and pleasant, ment-owned. Forty-four thousand miles wire are in operation and and always cool at night. The S. wind of telephone blows fiercely during many days of summer, dry and cold; the N. wind brings heat, tempest, and rain; other winds are unknown. Central Chile, between lat. Chile 32° and 36°, is fertile. In southern generally the land is poor, and on account of excessive rain of hardly any value for agriculture, which, indeed, is carried on in a very primitive fashion, but the soil of the valleys, where large herds of cattle graze, is very fertile. Vines, also, grow well on the Maipu and Mapocho plains and on the hillsides, and the wines of the country are superseding in Chile vinethe French red wines. Wheat and yard products are the chief staples, but maize, hemp, barley, beans, and various root edibles are extensively cultivated. There are 95,000,000 acres of arable land and 39,362,100 acres of forest land. The farms under cultivation were 91,309 in 1916. Large irrigation canals now in process of construction will have a marked effect on agricultural production. The principal source of Chilean prosperity is the nitrate industry. Vast deposits of sodium nitrate exist in the desert of Atacama. The zone has an area of 200,000 square kilometers, of which only about 3 per cent. has been surveyed and the contents estimated. But in this fraction of the entire area 290,300,000 tons exist, of which about 50,000,000 tons have been extracted. The exports of nitrate in 1917 were 60,800,000 quintals (a quintal being 104.4 pounds). According to the industrial census taken in 1916 there were 21,306 industrial establishments in the republic, whose completed product was valued at 1,407,137,140 gold pesos (gold peso = 36½ cents). Commerce. The imports in 1918 were valued at £42,705,554 and the exports at £57,271,688. The chief imports were mineral products, products, chemical products, metals, and machinery. The chief exports were mineral products, live stock, foods, and textiles. Finances. The monetary unit is the peso, which has a value of 36.5 cents in United States money. The external debt of Chile, Jan. 1, 1918, was 31,035,820 pesos; the internal debt amounted to 42,- 708,193 pesos, currency. The expenditures in 1919 were £16,621,210 and the revenues £18,743,250. The currency in circulation in 1917 was 117,980,119 pesos. Transportation and Communication. There are 4,521 miles of railway in operation, and other lines under construction will increase the total to 5,684 miles. Of this amount 3,541 miles is govern- 22,500 miles of telegraph wire. There are 21,000 miles of public roads, 660 miles of navigable lakes, and 528 miles of navigable rivers. The wireless teleat Cograph system includes stations quimbo, Arica, Antofagasta, Talcahuano, Valparaiso, Valdivia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, and the Juan Fernandez Islands. There are 1,114 post offices that annually handle 65,000,000 pieces of mail matter. Education.- Education in Chile is in a backward state and fully 75 per cent. of the population are illiterate. The schools, towns which are confined chiefly to the , are free, but attendance is not compulsory. The total appropriation for school purposes in 1915 was less than $3,000,- 000. In 1913 there were 3,151 public schools with an attendance of 318,000; 16 public normal schools with a registry of 2,650 pupils; 86 public secondary schools with 25,500 students; 11 public commercial schools with an attendance of 3,660. Besides these there are a number of private schools in all the grades mentioned. Higher education is provided by the University of Chile, which has 1,300 students, and the National Institute, with an enrollment of 1,200. There are also commercial and technical schools, lyceums, schools of fine arts and agricul ture, and musical conservatories. Much of the education of the upper and middle classes is gained in private schools. The country contains 41 public libraries, with 240,000 volumes. In the large cities there are museums of natural history, and of the fine arts. There are special schools for the army and navy. Defense. Military service is compulsory on all males between the ages of 18 and 45. The recruits receive one year's training, then have a first reserve service of nine years, and after that remain in the second reserve until they are 45. The average strength of the army is about 18,000, and of the navy 6,000. There is an air force, equipped with 14 seaplanes and 50 airplanes. This came into being at the close of the World War, the planes being purchased from Great Britain. The navy has three battleships of about 7,500 tons each, 11 destroyers, 5 torpedo boats and 2 training ships, besides colliers and auxiliary vessels. Government. The government is that of a republic, the chief magistrate being a president, elected for five years, who is thereafter ineligible to immediate re-election. The president has a cabinet consisting of six members and a Council of State of 11, six of whom are named by Congress. Legislation is conducted by a Chamber of Deputies, chosen by popular 30,000 or major fracfleet kept vote, one for each serve three years, in August tion thereof, and who every three years; , "Huascar" renewable by thirds of which are men-of-war and a Senate, members for each three ," both chosen for nine years, one vote. For adthe suc deputies, by direct popular Chile is divided uninterrupted ministrative purposes territories, and , and into departments, Each sub-delegations, and province is governed ned by an intendant by the president), who also (nominated of the department in acts as governor province is situwhich the capital of the ated. The departments are governed by governors, the minor divisions by by suband inspectors. The established ablished delegates Roman Catholic, but religion of Chile is freedom of the constitution guarantees worship. History. The name of Chile is supan ancient Peposed to be derived from ." The N. ruvian word signifying "snow river Maule, formed portion, as far as the of the Incas of part of the dominions the valiant Peru, and the S. was held by European to land Araucanians. The first discoverer in Chile was the Portuguese After the Magellan, at Chiloe, in 1520. expediconquest of Peru by Pizarro, an exp to Chile from that country tion was made of Diego Diego overland, under the leadership This expedition de Almagro in 1535. Rio Clano, but penetrated as far as the Another was sent returned unsuccessful. Valdivia in under command of Pedro annexing the 1540, which succeeded in river Maipu. Santerritory as far as the by Valtiago, the capital, was founded the colonial period divia in 1542. During appointed by the governors of Chile were were subordinate the King of Spain, but Peru. In 1810 a revolt to the viceroys of out, against the Spanish power broke in , son of which Don Bernardo O'Higgins , but a one of the last viceroys of Peru a conspicuous native of Chile, played the first dictator part, and finally became conflict between of the new republic. The Republican the Spanish troops and the peace army continued until 1826, when and Chile left to was definitely settled constitutional govern itself. The first president was General Blanco Encalada. till 1830. The government was unsettled was In 1833 the present constitution out in 1851 jadopted. Revolutions broke has been and 1859, but since then there the govno serious attempt to overturn Chile ernment by force of arms. In 1864 in her gave Peru very valuable support was bomwar with Spain. Valparaiso 1866. In barded by the Spaniards in Bolivia 1879 Chile declared war against violation of on account of an alleged treaty rights, and immediately after against Peru, with which Bolivia was allied. For a time the Peruvian the Chileans in check, but 1879, the Peruvian ironclad was captured by the Chilean " Cochrane " and " Blanco Encalada armor - plated. After this event cess of the Chileans was into 24 provinces and . Peruvian towns were bombarded captured. Finally the provinces in turn their other warships districts. Lima was taken by storm on June 21, Chileans occupied Lima and 1881. The 30, 1885, when a treaty Callao until Oct. between Chile and of peace was signed of peace had Peru. Up to 1900 no treaty olivia; a been signed by Chile and Bolivi treaty of indefinite truce having been Jose Manuel agreed to in 1884. In 1885 the Liberal Balmaceda, representing president. He underparty, was elected and thereby took sweeping reforms the Conservative aroused the hostility of plotting to party, who accused him of The hostile factions 1 name his successor. , and formed a junta, organized a rebellion whose or provisional government, under of Balmaceda management the forces He was finalwere repeatedly defeated. seeking refuge in ly shut up in Santiago, minister, the house of the Argentine , Sept. Sept. 19, where he committed suicide hostilities the United 1891. During these Egan, aroused States minister, Patrick by apthe hostility of the revolutionists Balmaceda and to pearing to side with the revolumisrepresent the strength of afforded an tion in his dispatches. He fugitives of Balmaceda's asylum also to Valparaiso some army. In a riot in set upon and United States marines were demanded and wounded. Reparation was Chile and the refused, and war between imminent. Two United States seemed enforce war vessels were sent to Chile to States, when the demands of the United Montt, tendered an the new president, apology, and the Chilean government prothe wounded men, vided compensation for peacefully. which ended the incident A dispute between Chile and Argentina at the beginning of the century that arms concerned threatened a resort to adjusted, boundaries. It was happily of the however, throug ugh the mediation in one instance United States ambassador the King and through the arbitration of success of of England in another. The cause this arrangement was the moving two governof a convention between the by which ments, concluded May 28, 1902, in they agreed to settle all questions a the acfriendly manner and renounced they then quisition of war vessels that agreehad under construction, as well as their reing to reduce the strength of spective fleets until they reached a prudent equilibrium. In May, 1905, an analogous treaty that this time included Brazil was signed at Buenos Aires. From the initials of the three contracting governments this was known as the ABC treaty. In 1909 diplomatic relations with Peru were broken by Chile, but without war resulting. The long-standing dispute between the two nations regarding Tacna and Arica flared up again in 1919 and for a time war was threatened, but up to 1920 hostilities had been averted. The course of Chile during the World War was one of strict neutrality. In this she differed from most of the South American nations, which had ranged themselves on the side of the Allies either by a direct declaration of war against Germany or by the severance of diplomatic relations with the latter power. The prevailing opinion in Chile was that Germany would win or that the war would practically result in a draw. The destruction of the German cruiser "Dresden" by a British fleet in the territorial waters of Chile in 1916 brought forth a protest from the Chilean government, and Great Britain tendered an apology, which was accepted. The 109th anniversary of the establishment of the republic was celebrated Sept. 18, 1919. The president in 1920 was Juan Luis Sanfuentas, a Liberal Democrat, who was inaugurated Dec. 23, 1915. His term of office is for five years and he cannot be a candidate for re-election for a consecutive period. On July 14, 1920, Chile called to the colors the military classes of 1915 to 1919 inclusive, in view of the possible emergencies arising from the Bolivian revolution.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
che'la, a republic of South America . It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. It extends along the coast from Peru to Cape Horn for 2,629 miles, equal to the distance from Maine to California. Punta Arenas in Chilian waters is the most southerly town in the world. The northern end of the country lies in the belt of eastern winds, and the Andes rob these winds of all moisture. This part of Chile is therefore a dusty, rainless region, scorched by a tropic sun. It is a parched, plantless desert, but it abounds in deposits of nitrates of soda and in mines of iron and precious ores. Busy towns with electric lights and street railways are built up on the nitrate industry. The extreme southern region is rainy, cold, rocky, and barren, the home of a few rookeries of seals, penguins, and sea fowl. Between these extremes of torrid and of antarctic barrenness is a large extent of fertile soil with the productions and prosperity of the temperate zone. This region shades off, of course, into the other two. Wheat and other small grains, grapes, small fruits, and orchard fruits are cultivated in profusion. Cattle raising, mining, and lumbering are the leading industries. The population of the country is about 4,000,000; nearly half of the people live in towns. This includes many of those engaged in mining and fishing. Santiago, the chief city and capital, is situated in the uplands, about 2,000 feet above the sea. It is well built, with public buildings and educational facilities, parks, street railways, and electric lights. Valparaiso, half as large, is the seaport. Together they have a population of half a million, between that of Baltimore and San Francisco . The prevailing religion of the country is Roman Catholic, with tolerance for all sects. Schools are free, but the common people are still illiterate. The official language is Spanish. The foreign commerce amounts to about $35,000,000 in imports, and $90,000,000 of exports. Great Britain gets nearly half the business; Germany nearly a third; and the United States a sixth. The chief exports are nitrate, copper, iodine, wheat, silver, leather, gold, hides, and wool. The merchants of Chile buy cloth, paper, oil, chemicals, and machinery abroad. There are 2,800 miles of railway; half belongs to the state. There are 11,000 miles of telegraph lines, largely owned by the state. Chile is calling for settlers. The Japanese are encouraged to come over, not only as laborers, but as homesteaders. Chilean agents at Tokio (1907) offered forty acres of good land for every immigrant, twenty acres more for each son of 18 years and over, a yoke of oxen, a set of agricultural implements, and a sum of money equivalent to $15 per month the first year of residence. Already a considerable number of Japanese farmers have given up their diminutive holdings in Japan to make new homes on the rich, unoccupied lands of Chile. Chile was formerly a Spanish province, but threw off the Spanish yoke in 1818. The present government is modeled on that of the United States. The president is chosen for five years and is not eligible for reelection. STATISTICS. Land area, square miles 307,620 Population 3,871,000 Santiago 378,000 Valparaiso 180,600 Concepcion 60,676 Iquique 44,500 Number of provinces 23 Members of state senate 32 Deputies 94 Salary of president $6,000 Valuation of property $675,000,000 Bonded indebtedness $90,000,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 700,000 Mules 32,000 Cattle 2,500,000 Sheep 3,000,000 Pigs 300,000 Goats 500,000 Exports $90,000,000 Miles of navigable rivers 705 Miles of railway 3,288 Manufacturing establishments 2,829 Capital invested $46,000,000 Operatives 51,000 Raw material $34,000,000 Output of manufactured goods $62,000,000 Saltpeter (1907) $70,000,000 Tons of coal mined 789,000 Output of copper $8,000,000 Teachers in public schools 4,520 Pupils enrolled 160,736 Number of postoffices 865 2026 Editor's Note: Chile's nitrate fields — won in war a generation before — funded this entry's prosperous republic; synthetic nitrates (Haber, 1913) would soon end the monopoly. See War of the Pacific . (Ed: BR 2026-06-03)