CHILI 



CHINA. 



117 



: I teputics mid tin- country must 1111- 

 ud that we arc in no condition to wage an 



u :ir, and are d.-termined t \>r- 



i-ive attitude, without running 

 -k of remote expeditions, however miicli 

 ;-n>vokcd to it." 



At ill.- dose of tho year 1866 the Govern- 

 of Chili took the first decisive step toward 

 occupying tin- hanks of tin- River Tolten, in the 

 Mint hern di>trict of the republic, now inhabited 

 iians. i >ii the spot selected as the site of 

 ;ure city a conference was held, at which 

 resent live hundred of tho most influen- 

 tial 1 in I ians of that region. In tho course of tho 

 ations Colonel Saave*dra, commandcr-in- 

 i't' the forces made known to thocaciques 

 Mies and purposes of the Chilian Gov- 

 ernment, and requested them to sell the quan- 

 tity i >f laud necessary for the building of the 

 .ed city and for that of barracks and 

 works df defence. After some mutual explana- 

 tions the owners of the land acceded to the re- 

 "f the government, and the construction 

 of buildings was at once begun. The settle- 

 ments established by the government steadily 

 increased in the course of the year. The 

 territory Is to bo divided off into districts, 

 and colonies established upon them. The lands 

 t hat the government grant to the immigrants are 

 tor tho term of twenty years, from the 

 usual contributions, and all colonists are de- 

 clared to be citizens of Chili, without further 

 steps being taken in the usual manner. The 

 greatest drawback to the colony thus far has 

 been the want of a regular communication with 

 the rest of tho republic, being entirely depend- 

 ent upon the two vessels that went yearly with 

 provisions for the colony, or a chance steamer 

 that passed through the straits to the Pacific. 

 But the establishment of a line of steamers 

 between Valparaiso and Liverpool, that in 1867 

 was agreed upon between the government and 

 the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, will 

 place this colony in monthly communication 

 with the republic, and thus render its progress 

 more certain. 



On December 2, 1867, an important decree 

 was issued, granting certain privileges to families 

 or persons desirous of settling in tho colony of 

 Magallanes. The substance of the decree is as 

 follows: 



I. To the families of colonists established in 

 Magallanes, or who may establish themselves 

 there, it is conceded: 1. A free passage, with 

 their luggage, tools, and implements of tillage, 

 in the transport->hips sent by the government 

 to Macallan.--.. 2. An area of land to be de- 

 cided upon by the governor, but not exceeding 

 v-ii\e hectares for the father of a family, 

 and twelve for each son over fourteen years of 

 The land will bo sold to the colonists at 

 < of fifty cents the hectare, to be paid in 

 the following manner. 3. Free rations for the 

 of one year for the father and each son 

 >\vr ten years of n^re. 4. A monthly allowance 

 of live dollars to each family for tho term of one 



year; but the governor may, with the approval 



of the government, increase this sum, should 

 extraordinary circumstances warrant it. 6. 

 Freedom from all import dues of tools, ma- 

 chinery, and eli'ects for tho private use of <-aeh 

 colonist. 6. A collection of seeds, to be chosen 

 by the colonist, to a value not exceeding ten 

 dollars, 800 boards, and a quintal of nails, to 

 be valued at the current price. 7. Medical 

 attendance and medicines, and free schools for 

 children. 



II. The above assistance will be afforded to 

 tho colonist by way of loan, to be returned in 

 the proportion of one-tenth part each year, to 

 commence three years after the colonist ; 

 possession of his land. 



1IL The colonist not taking possession, by 

 himself or agent, of his land within six months 

 from the time of his being accepted by the 

 government, without good reasons for such 

 neglect, will lose his right thereto, and it may 

 be otherwise disposed of as vacant, by the gov- 

 ernor. 



IV. The title to the land will be given to 

 each colonist when, in the judgment of the 

 governor, a proper amount of improvement 

 in fencing and cultivation shall have been 

 effected. 



V. If, at the expiration of three years from 

 the date of taking possession, the land be not 

 sufficiently improved to entitle the colonist to 

 a title-deed, as above mentioned, he will lose his 

 right thereto, and the governor may dispose 

 of it in favor of another person, but who will 

 be charged with the value of the improvements 

 effected. 



VI. Each lot of land will remain hypothe- 

 cated to the amount owing by the colonist to 

 the public treasury. 



Another decree of the government appoints 

 a commission of engineers to report upon the 

 best means of irrigating some of the waste 

 tracts of Araucania, and also offers induce- 

 ments to settle on the frontier ofrhat district. 



The famous Island of Juan Fernandez was, 

 in December, 1867, leased to a Mr. Robert 

 Wehran, who contemplated establishing a colony 

 and whaling-station there. 



An extraordinary session of Congress was 

 held in December, 1867, for the purpose of ap- 

 proving of the appropriations for the coming 

 year, as also of several important projects. 

 The government carried all their measures 

 through. One of the principal projects that 

 was carried was to authorize the President 

 of the republic to invest the sum of $800,000 

 in the construction of government bonded 

 warehouses, and a suitable wharf at Valparaiso 

 to enable vessels to lay alongside and discharge 

 their cargoes. 



CHINA, an empire in Eastern Asia. Em- 

 peror, Ki-Tsiang (before his accession to -the 

 throne, Tui-Sung). born April 5, 1855 ; suc- 

 ceeded his father, Hieng-Fund, August 22, 1861. 

 The estimates of the area of China Proper vary 

 from 1,294,000 to 1,548,000 English square 



