lard 3 
1829. GOVERNMENT—DEFENCE. 273 
by the people, at the rate of one deputy for 7,500 souls ; but 
whatever the number may be, short of 90,000, twelve deputies 
are to be elected. The duration of the assembly is biennial, and 
its business is to superintend the civil regulations of the pro- 
vince. 
Under the Yntendente each province has a local governor, 
whose principal duties are to maintain order, preside in’ the 
municipal meetings, see their regulations carried into execution, 
and obey the orders of the Yntendente of the province. Whilst 
we were at Childe, the duties of Yntendente, and military com- 
mandant, were performed by one person, Brigadier-general 
Don José Santiago Aldunate ; but, upon his resignation, the 
offices were separated: the military commandant retaining the 
charge of the treasury. The duties of the military chief, are to 
dispose of the troops under his command, ‘as he sees occasion, 
so as to ensure the quietness, and subordination of the province, 
for which he is responsible ; and to render the Yntendente such 
assistance as he may require; but, for all ordinary purposes, 
the Militia, who are under the immediate control of the Ynten- 
dente, are employed. For the administration of the law there 
is a Judge (Juez de letras), who tries all civil as well criminal 
actions. The province sends two deputies to the Chilian con- 
gress, one from San Carlos, and the other from Castro. At the 
beginning of the year 1829, the Militia amounted to more than 
seven thousand men, and the regular troops to three hundred 
and thirty, which was quite sufficient for the province. 
The port of San Carlos is capable of being well defended, 
and, during the time of the Spaniards, was in a good state of 
defence. The entrance was protected by a battery on the high- 
land of the Corona, and by the castle of Aguy, which effectually 
commands it. Farther in, on the same side of the port, was the 
small, but well-placed, two-gun battery of Barcacura ; close 
under which is the anchorage. On the town side there are 
several batteries; but, towards the Pudeto it is weak, although 
capable of being made very strong. Fort San Carlos, which, 
for some years past, has been used as a cemetery, was well- 
selected as to position, and constructed in a manner very 
SOL. T; v 
