BOUNDAEIES OF CHILI. 



399 



simple process of occupation. Before this occurrence Easter Island (Waihu) was 

 generally regarded as belonging to France, the only planter who had settled there 

 some years previous!}^ being a Frenchman, w^hile his Tahitian coolies were French 

 subjects. 



But however well equipped Chili may be compared with some other South 

 American countries, she is nevertheless exposed to great dangers at the hands of 

 the conterminous republic of Argentina, from which she is separated only by a 

 conventional line not yet definitely laid down on the official maps. Along a 

 frontier of no less than 2,000 miles frequent occasions of dispute must necessarily 



Fig. 150.— CoNaxTESTs of Chili. 

 Scale 1 : 60,000,000. 



•|30' 



«Vest o\ ureenwich 



50- 



Province temporarily annexed. Chili in : 



Provinces permauently annexed. 

 1,220 Miles. 



arise, and in the absence of a mutual friendly feeling the settlement of con- 

 flicting interests will need much wise and conciliating diplomacy. 



At least one great difficulty has, however, been already tided over by the 

 peaceful arrangement in respect of Tierra del Fuego. Till the year 1881 all 

 the Magellanic lands with the archipelagoes at the southern extremity of the 

 continent had remained unappropriated, both parties, so to say, claiming "all or 

 nothing." But in that year a compromise was effected by a treaty concluded at 

 Buenos Ayres, though the boundary then laid down follows the crest of the divide 

 between the Pacific and Atlantic slopes only as far as 52° south latitude. 



