the year. By means of the smaller steamers on the Desaguadero and the larger ones on Lake Titicaca, the silver and tin of Oruro and the copper of Corocoro are carried to Puno, and thence by rail transportation to the Pacific Coast. The principal rivers of Bolivia are the Purús, the Madre de Dios, the Beniwhich receives the waters of the former-the Mamoré, and the Itenez or Guaporé. The Beni, Mamoré and Guaporé form the Madeira, one of the principal affluents of the Amazonas; the Purús is also a considerable tributary of the same river. Along the great bend of the Madeira, near the northeastern corner of Bolivia, there is a stretch of 230 miles, between Villa Bella, on the Beni, and San Antonio, on the Madeira, along which navigation is impeded by the presence of some 19 rapids or falls, but from San Antonio to Pará there is no interruption to river traffic. The above-mentioned tributaries have a general northerly direction. In the southeastern portion of the Republic rises the important river Pilcomayo, which empties into the Paraguay near Asunción-one of the sources issues from the Cordillera not far from Oruro. If a right line be drawn on the map from Desaguadero to Quiaca, it would run nearly south 29 degrees east, and be in length about 463 miles (745.12 kilometers). RAILROADS, BUILT AND PROJECTED. The only railroad in actual operation in Bolivia is the narrow-gauge (75 centimeter) line which, starting at the Chilean port of Antofagasta, climbs the Pacific slope of the Andes by way of Calama and crosses into Bolivian territory near Ollagüe, north of Ascotán, and thence proceeding through Uyuni and Challapata, skirts the eastern borders of Lake Poopó, and terminates at Oruro, distant 574.22 miles (924.11 kilometers) from Antofagasta or 195.06 miles (313.91 kilometers) from Uyuni. There is a short branch 20.29 miles (32.65 kilometers) long, connecting Uyuni with Pulacayo, thus affording access to the important silver-mines of Huanchaca. It is the intention to extend the main line northward to La Paz, in order to put this last point in direct communication with the Pacific Coast at Antofagasta, and thus divert some of the trade that now goes to Mollendo by the steamers on Lake Titicaca, and the Mollendo, Arequipa and Puno Railroad in Southern Perú. The proposed extension from Oruro to La Paz has already been surveyed, and work upon it commenced. The distance as given is 155.34 miles (250.00 kilometers). Surveys have been made eastward from Challapata to Colquechaca, Sucre and Potosí, the distance from Challapata to Colquechaca being 62.14 miles (100 kilometers), and from Colquechaca to Sucre 76.43 miles (123 kilometers). Although an effort was made to obtain data of the proposed railway from Oruro to La Paz, as well as of the extension to Sucre and Potosí, the result was unsuccessful. To Hon. Thos. Moonlight, late U. S. Minister to Bolivia, and Mr. Charles C. Green, U. S. Vice-Consul at Antofagasta, I am indebted for blue prints of the railway between the last-mentioned point and Oruro. The authorities of the Arequipa and Puno Railroad have made surveys to extend their road to La Paz, the line being divided into two sections; the first, between Desaguadero and the plateau overlooking La Paz, would be 107.05 kilometers (66.52 miles) in length, and the estimated cost $1,313,955 (£270,000). For the second section, comprising the descent to the town, two solutions are proposed; first, an inclined plane 8,202.17 feet (2,500 meters) long, with a descent of 1,410.77 feet (430 meters), the Ogudio rack and rope system being employed, at an estimated outlay of about $170,327.50 (£35,000); the second, a rack railway by the Abt system, with grades of 15 per cent., the section being 15,092.00 feet (4,600 meters) long, descending 1,328.75 feet (405 meters), and the cost $369,854 (£76.000). It is proposed to build a road from La Paz via Corocoro to the city of Tacna, where connection would be made with the Arica Railroad, already in operation, the distance between the two last-named points being 39.15 miles (63 kilometers). This would be the shortest route to the Pacific Ocean, but would involve the surmounting of many difficulties in effecting a passage over the Andes, the distance from La Paz to Tacna being 294 miles (473.14 kilometers). At present much of the commerce between Bolivia and the outside world is conducted over this route by means of mules, burros, and llamas. Surveys and estimates have been made for a railway by the Abt system from La Paz eastward and northward through the rich Province of Yungas to the head of navigation on the Beni River, the distance being 93.21 to 124.28 miles (150 to 200 kilometers), and the estimated cost $3,893,200 (£800,000). In Southern Bolivia investigations have also been made to extend the railroad line from Uyuni to Tupiza, 111.85 miles (180 kilometers) and thence to Quiaca, on the Argentine frontier, a further distance of 55.92 miles (90 kilometers). At Quiaca one is within 125 miles (201.16 kilometers) of Jujuy, at present the northernmost terminus of the Argentine system. Concessions have been granted for a railroad from Oruro through Cochabamba to Trinidad, on the Mamoré River; also from Cochabamba to Santa Rosa de la Sierra and thence to Puerto Pacheco, on the Paraguay River; likewise another for the extension of the Paraguayan and Bolivian standard-gauge road from Asunción to Sucre. This is known as the Osborn concession; and a proposition. |