in congress is perpetually fluctuating, and ministerial
crises rapidly follow one another. Chile, however, except in the
Balmacedist civil war, is happily distinguished by its freedom from
revolution and serious political unrest. Its history in this respect is
in marked contrast to that of the neighbouring South American states.
The completion of the Trans-Andean railway between Valparaiso and Buenos
Aires was bound to be of immense commercial and industrial value; and
eventually the making of a longitudinal railway route uniting the
nitrate province of the north with Santiago, and Santiago with Puerto
Montt in the distant south, opened up further important prospects. Such
a line of through communication, binding together the different
provinces forming the long narrow strip of territory stretching along
more than 2000 m. of the Pacific littoral, could only be looked forward
to, both politically and economically, as an inestimable benefit to the
country.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.--_General History_.--The most valuable authority is D.
Barros Arana's _Historia jeneral de Chile_ (15 vols., Santiago, 1884),
from the earliest days up to 1830. Smaller handbooks covering the
whole period are: A.U. Hancock, a _History of Chile_ (Chicago, 1893),
the only general history in English, and containing a bibliography;
Gaspar Toro, _Compendio de la historia de Chile_ (Santiago, 1879), a
good clear abstract of Chilean history; and F. Valdes Vergara,
_Historia de Chile_ (Valparaiso, 1898), written primarily for schools,
but containing useful sketches of leading figures in Chilean history.

_Works on Special Periods_.--Colonial Period: M.L. Amunatequi,
_Descubri miento y conquista de Chile_ (Santiago, 1885), a valuable
detailed account of the Spanish conquest; by same author, _Los
Precursores de la independencia de Chile_ (Santiago, 1870), a clear
useful description of the evils of the Spanish colonial system;
Horacio Lara, _Cronica de la Araucania_ (Santiago, 1889), a history of
the Araucanian Indians right up to recent dates; Abbe Eyzaguirre,
_Histoire du Chili_ (Lille, 1855), mainly dealing with the position of
the Church during the colonial period. Perez Garcia's _Historia del
reino de Chile_ (Santiago, 1900), an old history by a Spanish officer
written about 1780, and Molina's _History of Chili_ in the English
translation (London, 1809), will also be found useful. Useful material
for research exists