82 



BOLIVIA. 



BRACKENRIDGE, HENRY M. 



mated at from 480,000 to 640,000 square miles, 

 was more accurately computed in 1869 by 

 Lieutenant-Colonel J. Ondarza at 842,730 

 square miles. It is divided into the following 

 nine departments (the new departments of 

 Mejillones and Melgarejo, which had been 

 created by President Melgarejo, having been 

 abolished by the present Government) : 



La Paz 76,372 



Santa Cruz 7,780 



Trinidad 4,170 



Cocbabamba 40,678 



According to a late (as yet unpublished) 

 census, the population is reported to approach 

 3,000,000. Tho population of the capitals of 

 the nine departments is, according to Ondarza, 

 as follows : 



Sucre 23,979 



Potosi 22,850 



Oruro 7,980 



Tarija 5,680 



Cobija 2,380 



The standing army of Bolivia, consisting of 

 31 generals, 359 officers of higher grade, 654 

 subaltern officers, and 3,034 men, annually 

 costs the republic 2,000,000 pesos. The public 

 revenue for 1869-'70 was about $2,500,000, 

 and the public debt (all internal) amounted to 

 $7,500,000. The commerce of the country is 

 estimated at from $5,000,000 to $6,250,000; 

 the total imports during 1868 summed up 

 $4,500,000, and the total exports during the 

 same period $3,750,000. The state mint at 

 Potosi coins annually about 2 million pesos 

 in silver. Peru pays to the Bolivian Govern- 

 ment 506,250 pesos for duty levied at Arica on 

 merchandise going to Bolivia. Concessions 

 have been granted for two railroads, one to 

 connect Cobija and Potosi, and the other to 

 form a branch of the Peruvian railroad from 

 Arequipa to Puno. 



A new revolution against the rule of Presi- 

 dent Melgarejo broke out in the latter part of 

 the year 1869 in Potosi. Melgarejo marched 

 at the head of his army, took the city, and 

 delivered it up to plunder, and was returning 

 northward, when city after city rose in insur- 

 rection. On November 24th, even the capital, 

 La Paz, declared in favor of the revolution. 

 About this time, when fears were entertained 

 for the success of the movement because a 

 chief was wanting, General Morales, the old 

 enemy of Melgarejo, arrived in Bolivia. He 

 had come to stir up a movement in La Paz, 



and found the work already accomplished. 

 Soon a large portion of the country had de- 

 clared against Melgarejo, who left his head- 

 quarters at Oruro, and, making forced marches, 

 arrived on the heights above La Paz on the 

 night of the 14th of January. His army of 

 2,000 men was armed with Remington breech- 

 loaders, amply supplied with ammunition, 

 commanded by experienced officers, and had 

 12 pieces of artillery. When the news of his 

 movements was received in La Paz, the citi- 

 zens, from 15 to 60 years of age, were ordered 

 under arms; martial law was declared; the 

 city placed in a state of siege ; and all estab- 

 lishments, public and private, ordered to close 

 their doors, in order that public defence only 

 might be attended to. A national guard was 

 formed, badly armed with guns of all calibres, 

 and rusty pistols of ancient date. Barricades 

 of adobe were hastily constructed at all impor- 

 tant strategic points, but were only half fin- 

 ished when the assault upon the city began. 

 The authorities of the city resolved to use a 

 terrible ally the Indians. By sending orders 

 in every direction, promising to them their 

 stolen lands, even giving solemn decrees to 

 that effect, about 20,000 Indians, armed with 

 the ancient sling, the lance, and the war- 

 club, were quickly thrown in the path of the 

 advancing army. Hatred and revenge stimu- 

 lated them to overcome their traditional timid- 

 ity. They formed a huge and menacing cloud, 

 stretching a cordon around La Paz, and crea- 

 ting apprehensions as to the result of the con- 

 test, whatever it might be, since this race had 

 been for three centuries the slave of the other. 

 The king of the Indians was made colonel. 

 The summons of Melgarejo to surrender hav- 

 ing been refused, a conflict of the most desper- 

 ate character began. Morales fired the city, 

 and by a desperate charge threw the attacking 

 party into confusion. The forces of Melga- 

 rejo, being weary and much outnumbered, 

 broke and fled, Melgarejo with them, and he 

 succeeded in escaping over the frontier into 

 Peru. Three hundred dead and nine hundred 

 wounded were found on the field of battle. 

 The city was very badly damaged by the fire, 

 and, after the battle was ended, the Indians 

 plundered it, committing the most horrible 

 outrages. Morales, the successful leader of 

 the revolutionary party, assumed the reins of 

 government, ,and will hold them until the 

 meeting of the Convention. 



BRACKENRIDGE, HENRY M., a veteran 

 scholar, politician, diplomatist, and author, 

 born in Pittsburg, Pa., May 11, 1786; died 

 there, January 20, 1871. Pittsburg was, at the 

 time of his birth, a frontier settlement, but his 

 family were prosperous, and he was sent, at an 

 early age, to Louisiana, to obtain an education. 

 At the old French College of St. Genevieve, 

 he obtained such training as was then possible 

 in that country, including the development of 

 his taste for the study of languages. After 

 graduation he studied law, and commenced 



