708

CHILE

1,230 criminals were sent to houses of correction (presidios) ; and 234 men were sent to the 2 iienitentiaries.

At 99 liosi)itals in Chile in 1910, there were admitted 96,5o0 patients ; on December 31, there were 7,082 in hospital ; at the imbecile asylum at the end of 1910 there were 2,593 patients.

Finance.

The public revenue is mainly derived from nitrate duties, customs duties, the alcohol tax, the railways, post office, &c., while the chief branches of expenditure are for the national debt and public works and salaries.

in recent years the revenue and expenditure (ordinary and ex- traordinary) in gold and in currency pesos Avas as follows (gold pesos = 18d.) :— ■

Years

Reveuue

Expenditure

Gold

Cnrrency

Gold

Currency

1908

65,230,892

160,428,470

39,102,517

198,311,785

1909

123,008,021

245,267,030

135,169,887

300,459,758

1910

82,764,423

152,975,645

60,677,704

234,]43,253

1911

71,908,379

213,214,928

60,775,635

204,191,707

1912

101,050,000

189,200,000

71,358,378

281,128,726

Estimated expenditure for 1913 in pesos is 287,401,000 currency and 55,746,000 gold. The estimated income is 194,900,000 currency and 108,000,000 gold.

On June 1, 1912, the external debt amounted to 35,163,620^., equiva- lent to 336,781,600 gold pesos. The internal debt stood at 180,593,372 pesos paper, of which 150,366,403 represent issues of paper money.

Defence.

The Chilian Army is a national militia in which all able-bodied citizens are obliged to serve. Liability extends from the 18th to the 45th year, inclusive. Recruits are called up in their 20th year, and are trained for one year. And they afterwards serve for 9 years m the reserve of the active army. After that they belong till completion ot their 45th year to the second reserve. The latter is organised as a second- line armv. ,. , . , i c i • i

Chile" is divided into 4 zones, or military districts, each ot winch furnishes a complete division on mobilisation. There are 16 battahons ot infantry, 6 regiments of cavalry, 4 batteries of horse artillery, 8 batteries oi held artillerv, B batteries of mountain artillery, 2 battalions ot lortress artillery, and 4 battalions of engineers. The total strength of the active army is 18,000 officers and men. „„^^v vi ^

The infantry are armed with the Chilian Mauser rifle (1895), calibre 7 mm. , and the cavalry have a carbine of similar pattern. The field artillery are armed with Q.F. Krupp guns. . ,■ inv>

Military expenditure about 1,220,000/. The peace establishment lor 1912

was fixed at 19,360 and 1,737 gendarmerie.