ion. Since then lines have been
built by private companies from the coast at several points to inland
mining centres. One of these, running from Antofagasta to the
Caracoles district, was afterwards extended to Oruro, Bolivia, and has
become a commercial route of international importance, with a total
length of 574 m., 224 of which are in Chile. It should be remembered
that many of these railway enterprises of the desert region originated
at a time when the territory belonged to Bolivia and Peru. The first
railway to be constructed in central Chile was the government line
from Valparaiso to Santiago, 115 m. in length, which was opened to
traffic in 1863. About the same time the government began the
construction of a longitudinal trunk line running southward from
Santiago midway between the Andes and the Coast range, and connecting
with all the provincial capitals and prominent ports. This is the only
railway "system" it is possible for Chile to have. The civil war of
1891 called attention to the need of a similar inland route through
the northern provinces. A branch of the Valparaiso and Santiago line
runs to Los Andes, and its extension across the Andes connects with
the Argentine lines from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and the Chilean
frontier--all sections together forming a transcontinental route about
850 m. in length. The Transandine section of this route crosses the
Cordillera through the Uspallata pass. A further Transandine scheme
provides for a line through the Pino Hachado pass (38 deg. 30' to 39 deg.
S.), and the Argentine Great Southern Company obtained a concession in
1909 to extend its Neuquen line to the frontier of Chile. The railways of
the republic had a total mileage at the end of 1906 of 2950 m., of
which 1495 m. were owned by the state, and 1455 m. belonged to private
companies. The private lines are located in the northern provinces and
are for the most part built and maintained for the transportation of
mining products and supplies.

In addition to her railway lines Chile has about 21,000 m. of public
roads of all descriptions, 135 m. of tramways, and 705 m. of navigable
river channels, besides a very considerable mileage of lake and coast
navigation. Telegraphic communication between all the important towns
of the republic, initiated in 1855 with a line between Santiago and
Valparaiso, is maintained by the state, which in 1903 owned