MINING EXHIBITION IN CHILE.

The Chilean Congress has voted the sum of $150,000 to defray the expenses of the Mining and Metallurgical Exhibition to be held in Santiago, in April, 1894. It is proposed that the exhibition shall cover a wide field and shall be as complete as possible. The different sections comprise motive power, electricity, mining and crushing machinery, metallurgical installations, chemical industries, statistics and plans, and mining and metallurgical products. The government offers to pay the cost of conveyance by sea and land of the exhibits to the exposition building, and in the case of exhibits which may not be sold in Chile, the government offers to pay the return freight and carriage. It also binds itself to pay the passage money both ways of operatives and workmen whom it may be necessary to take out to Chile to erect and run the machinery exhibited. The government will also provide the motive power, tables and show cases, etc. the case of exhibits liable to the payment of import duties, twelve months' time may be allowed for the payment of these duties in the event of the exhibits remaining in the country, but if they should be sent out of the country before the expiration of that period, no duties will be levied. Application for space must be made to the Chilean legations at Washington, Paris, Berlin, Lima, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and La Paz. As mining methods and machinery in Chile are very primitive, it is thought that a promising field of commercial enterprise will be offered to foreign manufacturers by this exhibition.

In

A report recently presented to the Chilean Congress by the Minister of Industry and Public Works, says:

"It is a well known fact that coal abounds in our territory, nevertheless the production is barely sufficient for one-half of the consumption, the other half being imported from abroad at exhorbitant prices. This condition of affairs, which is so prejudicial to the country, might be easily remedied by repealing the law which gives to the proprietor of the soil the ownership of the coal beneath it, and by throwing these deposits open to all the world Not only ought Chile to produce all the coal necessary for her own use, but she ought to supply all the coast." The minister also says that notwithstanding the efforts of the Society for Promoting Manufacturers, it has not yet been possible to establish the iron industry in Chile. The studies ordered by the society to be made have been sent to Europe, and have been submitted to experienced metallurgists who differ in

opinion with respect to the possibility of manufacturing iron in Chile. "In the meanwhile," says the Chilean Times, "a practical Englishman has solved the problem of producing iron in Chile, and a company is to be organized which will have for its basis a concession granted by the government to Mr. Charles E. Lister."

POSTAL EXPRESS AND PARCELS POST IN MEXICO.

A concession has been granted by the government of Mexico to the Mexican National Express Company for the carrying of mail to or from any part of the Republic in envelopes specially stamped for the purpose by the General Postoffice. In the case of letters destined for some point not reached by the express company, it has the right to deliver them to the nearest postoffice to be forwarded without additional charge. Such mail matter as is not delivered shall be kept in the office of the express company three months, after which it will be sent to the head express office in the City of Mexico and be turned over by it to the General Postoffice. In return for the concession, the express company must, at any time when the General Postoffice so desires, transport its funds to or from any part of the Republic at 40 per cent discount on the rates charged to the public. The arrangement may be terminated by either party at any time by giving six months' notice.

President Diaz, in his recent message to the Mexican Congress, states that the Parcels Post Service, "which may be regarded as a new departure here," is working satisfactorily. He also says that 1,815 kilometers of telegraph wire (a kilometer equaling about threefifths of a mile) have been put up in Mexico since April and fourteen. new telegraph offices have been opened. The federal telegraph system now aggregates about 40,000 kilometers.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A manufactory of homespuns, near Horcasitas, in the State of Sonora, Mexico, is said to be developing an important industry. It is equipped with good machinery, electric light, etc., and is about to enter upon the manufacture of white goods and prints.

A new porcelain factory is about to be established at Toluca,

Mexico, by Messrs. Juan Aubert and Antonio Ramos Cadena, who have obtained a state concession for the purpose.

During the month of September, 1893, it is stated, the Mexican International Express Company shipped 50,000 oranges to the United States.

The Secretary of the Treasury of Mexico recommends the passage of a bill imposing a federal tax on all yarn and cotton goods of Mexican manufacture. The amount of the tax is to be fixed yearly by the budget law.

It is expected that the first jute factory erected in Mexico, located at Orizaba, will be completed before the end of the year.

The German consul at Puebla has founded a German colony in the Department of Palenque, Mexico. The colonists are said to be putting large tracts of land into coffee, and a number of families are expected from Germany.

W. J. Lyons, of Arizona, has secured a concession and control of the San Marcial coal mines in Sonora, Mexico. These mines are situated seventy miles from Guaymas, and are said to have seams of anthracite from three to sixteen feet in thickness.

An important discovery of coal fields in the district of Huaxteca, in the city of Vera Cruz, Mexico, is announced. If the results of the examination now in progress are satisfactory, a company with $2,000,ooo capital will be organized to work the coal fields and build a railroad. The coal is said to be of excellent quality.

A movement is on foot to extend the Panama telegraph lines to San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The government of the latter country has signified its willingness to co-operate in the matter with the Panama Chamber of Commerce, which started the movement. It is thought that at no distant day communication will be opened between the cities of Panama and San José.

The government of Costa Rica has decreed an export duty upon coffee, the staple product of that country. The amount of the duty is 6s. for each 46 kilograms (101.39 pounds). The money raised by the collection of this duty is to be appropriated exclusively for the payment of the interest on the foreign consolidated debt. The duty may be paid with bills of exchange at ninety days, if satisfactory to the Secretary of the Treasury.

In accordance with a recent decree, from and after October 1, part

of the import duties of Guatemala are to be paid in national gold, and after September 15, 1894, only national money will be accepted. at the public offices. The effect of this decree, it is stated, is to declare that the Peruvian and Chilean soles are not legal tender, the government refusing to accept them.

The people of the Isthmus of Panama are much interested in the announcement of Messrs. Grace Bros. & Co., of Lima and Callao, Peru, of the inauguration of an extension of the "Merchants' Line of steamers plying between New York and the west coast of South America. The fleet consists of four vessels which sail from New York alternately every forty days and carry freight as far as Guayaquil, taking cargo at rates "to compete with sailing vessels." This action, it is thought, will result in a rate-cutting competition between the West Coast Line and the transportation companies (steamship and railroad) of the Isthmus route.

Rich gold fields are reported to have been discovered in Rioja, Argentine Republic, and as the Argentine Congress has ordered the completion of the Dean Funes and Chilecito railway, which will terminate close to the mines, there are expectations of a great revival of mining industry in Rioja.

A new telegraph line between Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic, and Valparaiso, Chile, will, in all probability, be concluded and opened to the public service by the end of the current year. The new line will compete with the existing line owned by the Central and South American Cable Company.

The visit of Mr. C. E. Howard Vincent, member of the British Parliament, to the South American countries, has for its object a detailed examination and report to the British Government as to what steps should be taken to facilitate and augment commercial relations with those countries.

Sir C. Alfred Moloney, Governor of British Honduras, has sent to the London Chamber of Commerce a collection of samples of wood cutting tools, in the hope that the attention of manufacturers might be directed to the competition in such goods which is now springing up between the United States and Great Britian for the supply of these implements. Sir Alfred suggests that it might be possible for English manufacturers to turn out as serviceable an article as that produced in the United States, and at the same cost.

The South American mails have been accelerated some twelve hours in delivery in London by the resumption by the Portuguese Postoffice Department of the use of the Sud-Express service for the mails landed at Lisbon, which service was discontinued about the end of 1891.

A systematic attempt to introduce the cultivation of the henequen fibre plant in the Bahama Islands is to be made, a company with $50,000 capital having recently been formed in London for that purpose.

An important liquor industry is being developed in the Argentine Republic. The output of liquor from maize alone is now valued at $15,000,000 per annum. A large quantity of spirit is also distilled from the sugar cane, and the wine business is growing.

A law has been promulgated by the Government of Paraguay allowing Indian corn to be imported free of duty between the present time and March 31, 1894.

The Uruguayan Government has entered into a contract with the Argentine mint for the coinage of $1,000,000 of silver money.