hili. The chief of these is the
royal audience, whose decisions are final in all causes both civil and
criminal, and which is divided into two chambers, one for civil and the
other for criminal causes. Both are composed of several respectable
oydors or judges, a regent, fiscal, royal procurator, and protector of
the Indians, all of which officers have high salaries from the crown.
In civil causes where the sum at issue exceeds the value of 10,000
dollars, an appeal lies from their sentence to the supreme council of
the Indies. The other supreme courts are those of Finance, of the
_Cruzada_, of Vacant lands, and the Consulate or tribunal of
commerce.

The provinces of Chili are governed by officers who were formerly called
corregidors, but are now known by the title of sub-delegates, which
ought to be nominated by the crown, but are generally appointed by the
governor, owing to the distance from Spain. These, as lieutenants of the
governor, have jurisdiction both in civil and military affairs, and as
their emoluments are entirely derived from fees, their amount is by no
means regular. In each capital of a province, there is or ought to be a
municipal magistracy denominated the Cabildo, composed of several
regidors appointed for life, of a standard-bearer, a procurator, a
forensic judge called the provincial alcalde, a high sheriff called,
alguazil-mayor, and two alcaldes. These latter officers are nominated
annually by the cabildo from the most respectable inhabitants, and have
jurisdiction both in civil and criminal causes in the first instance.

All the inhabitants able to carry arms are divided into regiments, which
are bound to march to the sea-coast or the frontiers in case of war. In
1792, the militia amounted to 15,856 men, in the two bishoprics of St
Jago and Conception; 10,218 in the former, and 5,638 in the latter. This
force which was established in 1777, during the government of Don
Augustino Jaregui, is only called out on great occasions, and is seldom
obliged to perform the duty of centinels and patroles; but is obliged to
hold itself always in readiness for war, and frequently to exercise in
the use of arms. Besides this regular militia, there are a great number
of city corps, who are commanded by officers named commissaries instead
of Colonels. These are divided into several companies, according to the
extent and population of their respective districts; and the companies
have no fixed numbers, sometimes