pulations without the support of such small cultivated
areas. In the southern territories unfavourable conditions of a widely
different character prevail, and the population is restricted to a few
small settlements and some nomadic tribes of Indians. Here, however,
there are localities where settlements could be maintained by ordinary
means and the population could be greatly increased. Since the census of
1895 the population of Punta Arenas has been largely increased by the
discovery of gold in the vicinity. The twelve provinces first mentioned,
which include the celebrated "Vale of Chile," comprise only 17% of the
area of the republic, but the census of 1895 showed that 72% of the
total population was concentrated within their borders. The four desert
provinces north of Coquimbo had only 8% of the total, and the seven
provinces and one territory south of Concepcion had 20%. According to
the census of 1895 the total population was 2,712,145, to which the
census officials added 10% to cover omissions. This shows an increase
slightly over 7% for the preceding decennial period, the population
having been returned as 2,527,320 in 1885. The census returns of 1875
and 1866 gave respectively 2,068,447 and 2,084,943, showing an actual
decrease in population. During these years Chile held the anomalous
position of a country spending large sums annually to secure immigrants
while at the same time her own labouring classes were emigrating by
thousands to the neighbouring republics to improve their condition.
Writing in 1879, a correspondent of _The Times_[4] stated that this
emigration then averaged 8000 a year, and in bad times had reached as
many as 30,000 in one year. The condition of the Chilean labourer has
been much improved since then, however, and Chile no longer suffers so
serious a loss of population. In 1895, the foreigners included in the
Chilean population numbered 72,812, of which 42,105 were European,
29,687 American, and 1020 Asiatic, &c. According to nationality there
were 8269 Spanish, 7809 French, 7587 Italian, 7049 German, 6241 British,
1570 Swiss, 1490 Austro-Hungarian, 13,695 Peruvian, 7531 Argentine, 6654
Bolivian, 701 American (U.S.), 797 Chinese. According to residence,
1,471,792 were inhabitants of rural districts, and 1,240,353 of towns.
The registration of births, marriages and deaths is compulsory since the
1st of January 1885, but the provisions of the law are frequently
eluded. Notwithstanding the hea