BOLIVIA. 



32 per cent, cash of the amount of the outstanding 

 principal of the bonds. The suit came on for hear- 

 ing in November, but resulted in the dismissal of 

 the bill. It is, however, not impossible that terms 

 of compromise between the several parties to the 

 suit may be agreed upon 5 and an agent has been 

 sent to Bolivia, charged with the duty of obtaining, 

 if possible, the execution of a convention by the 

 Bolivian Government. The Trust Fund is still 

 under the control of the court, and continues to 

 receive half-yearly increments by the accumulation 

 and investment of current interest upon the securi- 

 ties in which it is invested. 



The chief articles of export are guano, hides, 

 Peruvian bark, tin, silver, etc. 



The total value of the exports for 1875 was 

 $5,000,000, and that of the imports, $5,750,000. 

 The foreign trade by sea is, for the most part, 

 carried on through the Peruvian port of Arica. 



In regard to railways, and especially the 

 long-projected line to connect the stations of 

 the National Bolivian Navigation Company's 

 steamers on the Rio Mamore, at either end of 

 the portion of that river rendered unnavigable 

 by rapids, a satisfactory solution appears at 

 last to have been arrived at. The following 

 is an extract from a notice published on the 

 subject, in Philadelphia, in the latter part of 

 1877: 



The subject of increased trade between this port 

 and Brazil, by the establishment of a line of steam- 

 ers, lately received a new impetus by the news 

 cabled from London in reference to the Madera 

 Eailroad contract. This contract is between " The 

 Madera & Mamore Eailroad Company" and "The 

 National Bolivian Navigation Company," and 

 Messrs. P. & T. Collins, of this city, and foots up 

 an outlay for the road of $6,000,000. The Philadel- 

 phia contractors agree to complete the gradation, 

 masonry, and superstructure, and furnish the equip- 

 ment of a road 180 miles along the eastern shore of 

 the Madera River, in Brazil, from the point of navi- 

 gation below the rapids of that river to the point of 

 navigation on the Mamor6 River, a branch of the 

 Madera. The Madera River, rising in the immense 

 water-shed of Bolivia, is navigable for steamers as 

 far up as Balramao, but just above that town are the 

 Catarata del Inferno and a series of falls which ren- 

 der the river useless for 180 miles. The Mampre 

 River is the chief branch of the Madera, and joins 

 the latter above the falls, on the borders of Bolivia. 

 On the Momore are the Bananeira Falls. The rail- 

 road is to be run from the Bananeira Falls to the 

 head of navigation on the Madera, a distance about 

 twice as great as from this city to New York. 



When it is constructed, the trade of Bolivia, which 

 now has no convenient outlet, will llow easily down 

 the Madera and Amazon to the Atlantic. The ag- 

 gregate lengths of the affluents of the Madera, with 

 their tributaries, is 5,500 miles, and 3,000 miles 

 navigation by steamers would open the unequaled 

 mineral wealth and agricultural products of the 

 country to the commerce of any nation energetic 

 enough to bid for such a great trade. 



In 1868 the Brazilian Government sent to the 

 United States for an engineer to devise means of 

 getting round the rapids, either by canal or rail- 

 way. The services of Colonel George Earle Church, 

 of New York, were secured, and he decided that the 

 railwayscheme was more feasible. He then con- 

 tractedfof~<the establishment of the " National 

 Bolivian Navigation Company." The Government 

 issued bonds to defray the expense of constructing 

 the proposed road, and sent Colonel Church to 

 London to negotiate their sale. Finding that the 



Bolivian Government had no credit in London, he 

 endeavored to negotiate with the English capitalists 

 on the credit of Brazil, but was told that no treaty 

 existed between that empire and Bolivia. 



To obviate these difficulties, a decree was issued 

 by the Brazilian Government, opening the Amazon 

 River to all flags ; and the Emperor agreed to grant 

 Colonel Church a charter for the road, and a conces- 

 sion of l,300jOOO acres of land. Dom Pedro was 

 induced to this action because Matto Grasso, an im- 

 mense Brazilian province, rich in mines and planta- 

 tion lands, will be placed in communication with the 

 sea by the road. The Matto Grasso diamond tracts 

 and gold mines in the Cordillera del Norte and 

 Geral Mountains equal those in Bolivia in wealth. 

 In addition to the charter, Dom Pedro issued 

 $2,400,000 worth of debenture bonds to raise funds 

 for the road. These bonds have found eager pur- 

 chasers, so that the projectors of the great scheme 

 are enabled at this moment to push it through. 



The payment to the Messrs. Collins will be about 

 three-quarters in cash, and the money to pay them 

 is now in hand. The debentures guaranteed by the 

 Brazilian Government stand for the remainder. 



The road is to be of narrow-gauge construction, 

 the iron rails being 45 pounds per yard. The ma- 

 terials "will be furnished by the Philadelphia and 

 Reading Coal and Iron Company, according to an 

 agreement with the contractors, and the cash for the 

 materials ($5,000,000) will be paid upon shipment 

 from this port. 



The spirit of revolution and civil strife still 

 rages unremittingly in this distracted country. 

 A rebellion which was to have broken out at 

 Potosi on March 4, 1877, in favor of Dr. Cor- 

 ral, was discovered in time for its prevention. 

 The leaders were all arrested, and probably 

 shot. Another rebellion, which began prior to 

 the former, at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and was 

 headed by one Ibanez, continued until August, 

 when it was put down by the national troops, ' 

 under the command of President Daza in per- 

 son. Lastly, in September, an attempt was 

 made to overthrow the Government, during 

 the absence of General Daza in the district of 

 Yumgas. On being apprised of the con- 

 spiracy, the President repaired immediately to 

 La Paz, and succeeded in frustrating the plans 

 of the revolutionists. Among those implicated 

 in the conspiracy were Colonel Daria Medina 

 and Dr. Julio Mendez, who, with a number of 

 their associates, were imprisoned. All were, 

 however, released in October, and Colonel 

 Daria Medina set out for the Argentine Re- 

 public. 



A decree of September 13th ordered that 

 the meeting of the National Assembly should 

 take place in La Paz, the shortness of funds 

 in the National Treasury rendering it diffi- 

 cult for the Government to assemble in the 

 capital of the Republic at that time, and 

 its presence being required for the mainte- 

 nance of public order. The election of dep- 

 uties for the Assembly, which was to meet 

 in November, began on September 15th. The 

 opposition was to abstain from voting, so that 

 the elections, according to the lists, would be 

 governmental. 



A decree was issued in October, 1877, grant- 

 ing freedom of transit to the ports of the 

 Bolivian coast, so that all merchandise for 



