The following table shows the leading imports and exports for 1888 and 1889: 1,617,814 1,415,246 Specie 10,781,852 10,887,636 Mining products 63,206,930 56,452,089 48,812 52,966 110,031 55,453 The following table shows the value of the principal articles of export for five years : The trade of the leading ports was as follows in 1888 and 1889:-- The trade of Chile was divided among the leading countries as follows in 1887 and 1888: The commercial intercourse between Chile and the United Kingdom is shown in the subjoined tabular statement in each of the five years from 1885 to 1889 according to the Board of Trade returns :--- The staple articles of export from Chile to the United Kingdom are copper and nitre. In the year 1889 the value of the total exports of copper to Great Britain amounted to 1,124,9237.: nitre, 1,066,0477.; wheat and barley, 329,1497.; silver ore, 204,2467.; sugar, of the value of 52,4331.; chemical products, 58,7667.; and wool, 62,6487. The principal articles of British produce imported into Chile are cotton and woollen manufactures and iron. In 1889 the total imports of cotton fabrics were of the value of 874,9227.; of woollens, 382,6367.; of iron, wrought and unwrought, 568,5887.; coal, &c., 95,6941.; hardware, 52,0007.; machinery, 205,4137. Shipping and Navigation. The commercial navy of Chile consisted, on January 1, 1890, of 152 vessels (of 100 tons and above), of 102,391 tons, of which 29 were steamers, of 30,934 tons. In 1889 there entered the ports of the Republic, including coasters, 11,109 vessels of 9,723,998 tons, and cleared 11,286, of 10,174,173 tons; of these about three-tenths in number and tonnage were British, fourtenths Chilian, and two-tenths of other nationalities. There are English, German, and French lines of steamers from the coasts of Chile to Europe, through the Straits of Magellan, and English and Chilian lines to Peru and Panama. COMMUNICATIONS-MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES 411 Communications. Chile was the first State in South America in the construction of railways. In 1890 the total length of lines open for traffic was 1,700 English miles, of which 670 belonged to the State. The cost of the State lines to the end of 1887 was 48,247,398 pesos. The post-office in 1889 transmitted 17,606,056 letters and 24,715,629 papers and printed matter. There were 506 post-offices open in 1890. The length of telegraph lines was reported, at the beginning of 1890, at 13,730 miles, of which 8,000 belonged to the State. The number of telegraph offices at the same date was 411 (304 belonging to the State); the telegraph carried 603,628 messages, besides those of the private lines. Money and Credit. The number of banks of issue in Chile is 19. Their joint capital amounts to 23,111,887 pesos, and a registered issue of 16,679,790 pesos. There are also a number of land banks which issue scrip payable to bearer and bearing interest, and lend money secured as a first charge on landed property and repayable at fixed periods. In 1887 the circulation of these tanks was 57,519,600 pesos, and in 1888 it was 75,837,500 pesos. Money, Weights, and Measures. The money, weights, and measures of Chile are :-- MONEY. The silver Peso 100 Centaros, nominally equal to a dollar, but actually coined on the basis of the 5-franc piece=3s. 4d.; actual value 38. 2d. Ten-dollar (condor), five-dollar (medio-condor, or doblon), two-dollar (escudo), and one dollar (peso) gold pieces are coined, but the currency is practically a silver one. There are also half, fifth, tenth, and twentieth parts of a dollar in silver. The metric system has been legally established in Chile, but the old weights and measures are still in use to some extent. Diplomatic and Consular Representatives. 1. OF CHILE IN GREAT BRITAIN. Envoy and Minister. Señor Don Carlos Antunez. There are Consular representatives at Cardiff, Dublin, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton; Adelaide, Auckland, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Montreal, Sydney. 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN CHILE. Minister and Consul-General.-John Gordon Kennedy, appointed Oct. 1, 1888. There are Consular representatives at Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Antofagasta, Arica, Iquique, Punta Arenas, Talcahuano. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Chile. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Memorias presentandas al Congreso nacional por los Ministros de Estado en los departamentos de Relaciones Exteriores, Hacienda, &c. Santiago, 1890. Estadistica comercial de la República de Chile. 8. Valparaiso, 1889. Synopsis estadística y geográfica de Chile 1888. Santiago, 1889. Reports on Means of developing British Trade in Chile, in No. 34; on Native Woollen Manufactures, in No. 60; on Condition of British Trade in Chile, in No. 61; on Trade of Valparaiso, in Nos. 120 and 227; of Coquimbo, in No. 145, of Diplomatic and Consular Reports,' 1887. Reports by Mr. Thomas on the Agricultural Condition of Chile, in Nos. 369 and 407; on Foreign Trade of Chile, in No. 385; on the President's Message, in No. 409, of 'Diplomatic and Consular Reports,' 1888. Reports on the Nitrate Industry of Chile, in Nos. 122 and 142 of 'Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Interests,' and on the Trade of Chile in No. 634 of 'Diplomatic and Consular Reports,' 1889. Report on the Trade of Chile in 'Deutsches Handels-Archiv,' December 1890. Berlin. Trade of Chile with Great Britain, in 'Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1889,' Imp. 4. London, 1890. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Arana (Diego Barros), La guerre du Pacifique. Paris, 1882; and Historia general de Chile. Asta-Buruaga (Francisco S.), Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile. 8. New York, 1867. Ball (John), Notes of a Naturalist in South America. London, 1887. Bates (H. W.), South America. London, 1882. Fonck (Dr. Fr.), Chile in der Gegenwart. 8. Berlin, 1870. Gay (Claudio), Historia general de Chile. Guerre entre le Chili, le Pérou et Bolivie en 1879. Paris, 1879. Innes (G. Rose-), The Progress and Actual Condition of Chile. 8. London, 1875. Mackenna (Vicuña), Obras históricas sobre Chile. Markham (C. R.), The War between Chile and Peru, 1879-81. London, 1883. Pissis (A.), Geografia fisica de la Rep. de Chile. 8. Paris, 1875. Rosales (R. P. Diego de), Historia general del Reyno de Chile. 3 vols. 8. Valparais, 1877-78. Wappaus (Prof. J. C.), Die Republiken von Süd-Amerika, geographisch und statistisch. & Göttingen, 1866. CHINA. (CHUNG Kwon, The Middle Kingdom.') Reigning Emperor. Tsaitien, Emperor-Hwangti-of China; born 1871; the son of Prince Ch'un, seventh brother of the Emperor Hien-fung; succeeded to the throne by proclamation, at the death of Emperor T'ung-chi, January 22, 1875. The present sovereign, reigning under the style of Kwangsü, is the ninth Emperor of China of the Manchu dynasty of Ts'ing, which overthrew the native dynasty of Ming, in the year 1644. There exists no law of hereditary succession to the throne, but it is left to each sovereign to appoint his successor from among the members of his family of a younger generation than his own. The late Emperor, dying suddenly in the eighteenth year of his age, did not designate a successor, and it was in consequence of arrangements directed by the Empress Dowager, widow of the Emperor Hien-fung, predecessor and father of T'ung-chi, in concert with Prince Ch'un, that the infant son of the latter was made the nominal occupant of the throne. There were two dowager Empresses concerned in the arrangements-the Eastern,' the Empress widow of Hien Fêng, and the Western,' the mother of the T'ungchi Emperor. The Western' still lives, and has lately withdrawn from power. Having become of age the young Emperor nominally assumed government in March 1887. The Emperor did not assume full control of the government till February 1889, when the Empress Dowager withdrew. He was married on February 26, 1889. 6 Government. The laws of the Empire are laid down in the Ta-ts'ing-hweitien, or Collected Regulations of the Ts'ing dynasty,' which prescribe the government of the State to be based upon the govern. ment of the family. The supreme direction of the Empire is vested in the Chün Chi Ch'u, the Privy Council, or Grand Council. The administration is under the supreme direction of the Nei-ko or Cabinet, comprising four members, two of Manchu and two of Chinese origin, besides |