BOLIVIA.

(REPÚBLICA BOLIVIANA.)

Constitution and Government.

THE Constitution of the republic of Bolivia, drawn up by Simon Bolivar, liberator of the country from the Spanish rule, bears date August 25, 1826; but important modifications of it were added in 1828, 1831, and 1863. By its provisions, the executive power is vested in a President, elected for a term of four years; while the legislative authority rests with a Congress of two chambers, called the Senate, and the House of Representatives, both elected by universal suffrage. The President is assisted in his executive functions by a President of the Council, or Vice-president, appointed by himself, and a ministry, divided into four departments, of the Interior and Foreign Affairs; of Finance and Industry; of War; and of Justice and Public Worship.

President of the Republic.-Dr. N. Campero, nominated President June 1, 1880, as successor to General Daza, deposed in an insurrection occasioned by the failure of arms in the war against Chili.

The fundamental law of the republic, ordering the regular election of the chief of the executive every four years, has seldom been carried out since the presidency of Grand-Marshal Santa-Cruz, who ruled Bolivia from May 1828 till January 20, 1839. Subsequently the supreme power was often seized by some successful commander, who, proclaimed by the troops, instead of chosen by the people, was compelled to protect his office by armed force against military rivals. Still, since 1841, there have been only twelve presidents, some of whom have managed to retain power for several years, as General Jose Bollivian, 1841-47; General Belzu, 1847-55; General Melgarejo, 1864-71.

The seat of the government, formerly at the city of La Paz, capital of the republic, is now at the city of Sucre or Chuquisaca.

Revenue, Public Debt, and Army.

There have been no official reports of the actual revenue and expenditure of the republic for several years. In the budget for the financial year 1880-81 the receipts from all sources were calculated at 693,1581., and the expenditure at 959,8451., leaving a deficit of 266,6871. The receipts included a war loan of 100,000l.,

but, on the other hand, take no account of the proceeds of the natural productions of the country, saltpetre, &c., the yield of which is very uncertain. Direct taxes do not exist.

The public debt, consisting of an internal and a foreign debt, is estimated at about 6,000,000l. The internal liabilities, contracted at various periods by the government of the republic, comprise a total of 4,300,000l., including a 'forced war loan,' raised in 1879, to equip the army in a campaign against Chili. The foreign debt consists of a six per cent. loan of 1,700,0007. nominal capital-issued at the price of 68-contracted in England at the commencement of 1872. It was raised with the object of constructing a line of railway to enable the National Bolivian Navigation Company to open communication between the republic and the Atlantic Ocean. This object, however, was not carried out, and the greater part of the proceeds remained in England to furnish means for lawsuits extending over years.

Bolivia has a standing army reported to number 2,000 men, and commanded by 8 generals and 1,013 other officers, being one officer to every two men. The annual cost of the army amounts to upwards of two-thirds of the total public revenue.

Population, Trade, and Industry.

The area of Bolivia was estimated in 1869 at 842,729 English square miles, with a population of close upon two millions. The following table gives, after official returns of the year 1861, the area of each of the then existing nine provinces, with their estimated population:

In 1866 a portion of the department of Cochabamba was separated to form a new province named Malgareja, and a decree of 1867 ordered the formation of a province of Mexillones. No authentic

reports have been published concerning the area and population of these newly-formed provinces.

As a result of the war with Chili, 1879-80, Bolivia has ceded to that country all her coast territory. The exact area ceded is not ascertained. The present population may be estimated at about 2,300,000.

The aboriginal, or Indian population of Bolivia, is variously estimated at from 24,000 to 700,000 souls. They are all regarded as at least nominally Christian.

and

The average value of the imports is estimated at 1,200,000l., exports 1,800,000l. Two-thirds of the exports consist of silver. Nearly one-half of the imports are calculated to come from the United Kingdom, mainly through the port of Arica in Peru. The exports comprise, besides silver, Peruvian bark, india-rubber, coca and coffee, and copper, tin, and other ores.

The total value of the merchandise sent to and received direct from Great Britain, in each of the five years 1878 to 1882, is shown in the subjoined table :

The principal exports of Bolivia to Great Britain are copper, ore and regulus, and cubic nitre. In the year 1882 the value of the exports of copper, both ore and regulus, amounted to 127,1857.; and of nitre to 211,5851. The British imports into the republie consist chiefly of cotton goods, of the value of 7,7341., of iron, of the value of 7,4017., and bags and sacks 11,0387. in 1882.

Till within the last few years, the vast agricultural and mineral resources of the country were entirely dormant for want of means of communication, but more recently an attempt has been made to construct roads and railways. The india-rubber supply of Bolivia is of the finest quality, and almost inexhaustible. A line of railway connecting La Paz, capital of the republic, with the port of Aygacha, on the lake Titicaca, was opened for traffic in 1872, and a second line, from Antofagasta to Salar, was completed in September 1874. The completion of several other lines, in course of construction in 1879, was abandoned in consequence of the outbreak of the war with Chili. There is a line of telegraph between Chililaga, on Lake Titicaca, and La Paz and Oruro, 180 miles.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

OF BOLIVIA IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Consul-General.-L. Quintas y Sevane.

Great Britain has no representative in Bolivia.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of Bolivia, and the British equivalents, are

of

The Bolivian dollar is theoretically worth 4s. 2d., but, for a number years, the coins issued from the Government mint at Potosi have been 25 per cent., and more, below the standard.

Trade of Bolivia with Great Britain; in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries in the year 1882.' Imp. 4. London, 1883.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Bonelli (L. H. de), Travels in Bolivia. 2 vols. London, 1854.

Church (Col. Geo. Earl), Papers and Documents relating to the Bolivian Loan, the National Bolivian Navigation Company, &c. 8. London, 1873. Dalence (M.), Bosquejo estadistico de Bolivia. 8. Chuquisaca, 1878. D'Orbigny, Descripcion geografica historica y estadistica de Bolivia. 1844. D'Orbigny (A.), Voyage dans l'Amérique Meridionale. 9 vols. Paris,

1835-47.

Grandidier (P.), Voyage dans l'Amérique du Sud. 8. Paris, 1861. Mathews (Edward D.), Up the Amazon and Madeira Rivers, through Bolivia and Peru. 8. London, 1879.

Reck (Hugo), Geographie und Statistik der Republik Bolivia. In Petermann's 'Mittheilungen,' parts VII. and VIII. 4. Gotha, 1865.

&c.

Tschudi (J. J. von), Reisen durch Südamerika. 4 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1856. Ursel (Comte C. d'), Sud-Amérique: Séjours et voyages au Brésil, en Bolivie, 12. Paris, 1879.

Weddell (H. A.), Voyage dans le Nord de la Bolivie. Paris, 1853.

Wiener (Charles), Perou et Bolivie. Paris, 1880.

BRAZIL.

(IMPERIO DO BRAZIL.)

Reigning Emperor.

Dom Pedro II., born December 2, 1825, the son of Emperor Pedro I. and of Archduchess Leopoldina of Austria; succeeded to the throne on the abdication of his father, April 7, 1831; declared of age, July 23, 1840; crowned, July 18, 1841. Married, September 4, 1843, to Empress Theresa, born March 14, 1822, the daughter of the late King Francis I. of the Two Sicilies.

Daughter of the Emperor.

Princess Izabel, Crown Princess, born July 29, 1846; married, Oct. 15, 1864, to Prince Louis of Orleans, Comte d'Eu, born April 28, 1842, eldest son of the Duc de Némours, of the ex-royal house of Bourbon-Orléans. Offspring of the union are three sons:-1. Prince Pedro, born Oct. 15, 1875. 2. Prince Luiz Philippe, born Jan. 26, 1878. 3. Prince Antonio, born August 9, 1881:

Grandchildren of the Emperor.

The daughter of the Emperor, Princess Leopoldina, married to Prince August of Saxe-Coburg, Duke of Saxony, died February 7, 1871, leaving four sons:-1. Prince Pedro Augusto, born March 19, 1866. 2. Prince Augusto Leopoldo, born Dec. 6, 1867. 3. Prince José Fernando, born May 21, 1869. 4. Prince Louis Gaston, born Sept. 16, 1870.

Sisters of the Emperor.

I. Princess Januaria, born March 11, 1822; married, April 28, 1844, to Prince Louis of Bourbon, son of the late King Francisco I. of the Two Sicilies. Offspring of the union are two sons:-1. Prince Luiz, born July 18, 1845. 2. Prince Felippe, born Aug. 12, 1847.

II. Princess Francisca, born August 2, 1824; married, May 1, 1843, to François, Prince de Joinville, born Aug. 14, 1818, son of the late King Louis Philippe of the French. Offspring of the union are two children :-1. Princess Françoise, born August 4, 1844; married, June 11, 1863, to her cousin Robert d'Orléans, duc de Chartres, born Nov. 9, 1840, of which union there are offspring five children. 2. Prince Pierre, duc de Penthièvre, born Nov. 4, 1845, lieutenant in the navy of France.