ADMINISTEATION OF BOLIVIA. 395 



civil, political and military officials, appoints and deposes tlie prefects, sub- 

 prefects and corregidores (justices). 



The third centre of power is constituted by the magistracy — a supreme court 

 of appeal, district courts, and cantonal tribunals with an array of judges, and the 

 so-called " parochial alcaldes," parish justices. The departments (provinces) are 

 governed by prefects with " supreme administrative and military authority." 

 But as each provincial capital has its municipal council, there still remains a shred 

 of local self-government. 



Army — Finance — Education. 



The army, which is likewise at the disposition of the president, comprises a 

 peace footing of from 1,500 to 4,000 men, and during war as many able-bodied 

 troops as the authorities can manage to muster. At times the generals have had 

 as many as 10,000 of all arms under their command. Military colonies have even 

 been founded in the Chaco territory. 



In 1892 a conscription law was passed, which came into operation the following 

 year, and which makes military service compulsory on all citizens from twenty- 

 one to forty years of age in the line, the reserve and the extraordinary reserve. 

 These reserves constitute a national guard, in which military service had always 

 been obligatory. The annual expenditure for military purposes averages about 

 £365,000. 



The yearly revenue, mostly showing a deficit, is drawn chiefly from the 

 mining and custom-house dues ; but along such a vast and ill-guarded frontier it 

 is easy to defraud the state. It may even be regarded as fortunate for the slight 

 trade of Santa Cruz de la Sierra with the neighbouring states that the Bolivian 

 Government has been strong enough to enforce payment of the imposts charged 

 on goods passing the frontier. The custom-house officers are, no doubt, always 

 found in their place, but being unsupported by troops they are unable to levy the 

 dues on the traders, who treat them with contempt. According to Fernandez, the 

 Bolivian treasury has thus lost millions of dollars since the issue of the futile tariff 

 laws. The indemnity due to Chili after the last war is levied on the goods 

 passing through the custom-house which Bolivia keeps in the Chilian port of 

 Arica ; two-fifths of the yearly revenue derived from this source are guaranteed 

 to the Chilian Government. The commodities introduced into Bolivia through 

 Antofagasta, and on the Argentine frontier through Tupiza, are charged with no 

 special transit dues. 



In 1893 the estimated revenue from all sources was £1,147,000, and the 

 expenditure £1,187,000. In the same year the internal debt was £1,090,000, and 

 the foreign £124,000, giving a total of £1,214,000. But, while the internal debt 

 remains somewhat stationary, the foreign is rapidly being paid off. 



Public instruction, although in theory " gratuitous and obligatory," is never- 

 theless much neglected. In 1890 scarcely more than a sixtieth of the whole 



