CHILI. 



95 



It is somewhat remarkable that while in 

 California and Australia the mining interest is 

 declining and more attention is given to agri- 

 culture, the contrary is taking place in Chili, 

 where the mining exports have been increased 

 by $3,407,000 in 1877 as compared with 1876, 

 and a decrease of $1,356,000 is reported in the 

 exports of agricultural products. The exporta- 

 tion of minerals for 1877 shows a falling off of 

 $5,172,000, owing to the low price of copper 

 in Europe. Many of the smelting works have 

 been closed. Nitrate deposits of considerable 

 extent have lately been discovered in the des- 

 ert of Atacama, within the Chilian territory; 

 and, although the nitrate is not of a very 

 high quality, it is thought that it may be profi- 

 tably produced in large quantity, the princi- 

 pal obstacle having been removed, by the dis- 

 covery of water on the " Guillermo Matta " 

 claim. An American company is erecting ex- 

 tensive works at Catapilco, about forty miles 

 north of Valparaiso, for extracting gold from 

 placer mines, and they hope to realize an annual 

 profit of a million dollars during fifty years. 



Commercial statistics for 1877give the follow- 

 ing detailed statement of vessels entered at all 

 the ports of the republic, and the total move- 

 ment of tonnage in the foreign and coasting 

 trade : 



FOREIGN TRADE. 



COASTING TRADE. 



The total movement of tonnage during the 

 year was : 



Tons. 



Arrivals, sea-going craft 1,339,411 



Arrivals, coasters 2,421,621 



3,761,082 



Departures, sea-going craft 1,420,467 



Departures, coasters 2,323,110 



3,743,577 



Total tonnage of arrivals and departures 7,504,609 



Among the competing nations, a marked dif- 

 ference appears i^n these figures between Eng- 

 land and the United States. The tonnage under 

 the British flag exceeds all others combined. 



The navigation law, sanctioned by Congress 

 on June 24th, came into force on September 

 25th. The following articles affect foreign ship, 

 ping in the ports of the republic : 



ART. 41. No national vessel shall sail for a foreign 

 port without being previously surveyed as to her 

 conditions of seaworthiness. The same regulation 

 shall apply to foreign vessels of which there may ex- 

 ist doubts as to their state of seaworthiness, the sanc- 

 tion of the consul, should there be one, to whom 

 due notice shall be given, being previously obtained. 



ART. 42. Vessels employed in the coasting trade, 

 whether national or foreign, shall be surveyed each 

 year if sailing vessels, and each six months if steam- 

 ers. 



ART. 46. The maritime sanitary officials shall not 

 deliver the bills of health if the captains of vessels, 

 national or foreign, do not present the crew list, 

 signed by the maritime authority, or by the respec- 

 tive consular agent. 



ART. 47. These requisites complied with, the mar- 

 itime authority may still, with the knowledge and 

 consent of the administrative authority, detain any 

 vessel which may be found badly stowed, or of which 

 there may be reason to fear a disaster. Disputes 

 shall be settled finally by a commission of survey. 

 Foreign vessels, merely calling at the ports, or sail- 

 ing direct to a foreign port, shall be exempt from 

 the foregoing regulation. If, by manifest cause of 

 'bad stowage or overloading, the vessel should be 

 wrecked, or suffer a serious casualty, the maritime 

 authority who permitted her departure shall be held 

 responsible for his neglect. Any captain who shall 

 proceed to sea contrary to the orders of the maritime 

 authority shall be punished by imprisonment (pre- 

 sidio^ mayor ensu grado minima), and shall in future 

 be disqualified from taking any charge in the nation- 

 al marine. 



ART. 108. Captains of vessels, either national or 

 foreign, shall be obliged to deliver to the maritime 

 authority, under receipt, and at the time of the first 

 visit, all correspondence, written or printed, which 

 they may have on board, proceeding either from the 

 coast or abroad, for places in the republic. Such 

 only shall be excepted as may be addressed to the 

 consignee of the said vessel, provided that the weight 

 does not exceed one hundred and fifty grammes. 

 The same obligation shall apply to the other em- 

 ployees of the vessel and to the passengers. Trans- 

 gressors of this regulation shall incur a fine equal to 

 quadruple the postage of the correspondence, or 

 the payment of twenty-five dollars if the quadruple 

 should be less. The maritime officials shall not give 

 pratique to vessels until the correspondence carried 

 on board shall have been duly delivered. 



ART. 110. Sailing vessels or steamers, national or 

 foreign, intended to carry passengers between ports 

 in Chili, shall not admit more passengers than may 

 be conveniently accommodated; and" the maritime 

 authorities of the port may prevent the sailing of 

 these vessels, whenever they shall have embarked a 

 greater number of passengers than they can carry, 

 with due regard to the space, security, seaworthi- 



