In 1913 Paraguay exported $5,462,000 worth of materials, chiefly fruit to Argentine, as well as yerba mate, timber, hides, dried beef, quebracho, lace, and tobacco. Most of her exports were taken by the neighboring republics, and by them reshipped to the markets of the world. No exports to the United States for 1913 are given, but in 1912 they amounted to only $593. Germany is her largest European creditor, last year taking over $1,198,686 of her products.
Paraguay in 1913, imported $7,671,551 in textiles, foods, hardware, fancy and toilet goods, shoes, hats, liquors, drugs, clothes, steel and iron, of which amount the United States contributed $181,367 as against Germany’s $989,898 and England’s $963,418.
Commercial travelers are supposed to pay a duty proportionate to the business they do. As a matter of fact, no effort is made to collect this tax and the local merchant generally protects the traveler visiting him from such exploitation.
The following cities should be visited:
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Asuncion | 60,000 |
| Villa Rica | 35,000 |
| Concepcion | 25,00 |
| Encarnacion | 10,000 |
Owing to its situation it is necessary in order to reach Paraguay to go by train or boat from Buenos Aires, or by boat from Montevideo; the journey from Buenos Aires is the quickest and most comfortable.
All goods intended for Asuncion or other points in the country are trans-shipped at either Buenos Aires or Montevideo, arrangements for which can be made with the lines running from Europe or the United States direct to either of these ports. Or your customer in Paraguay will instruct you to ship his order through some agent whom he will specify in his shipping instructions, who will attend to the routine detail to forward the consignment.
VI
CHILE
After Pizarro had conquered Peru he dispatched Diego de Almagro with an army, instructing him to explore and take the territory to the south, or what is now Chile. He was unable to accomplish the task. In 1540 Pizarro sent another expedition under Pedro Valdivia, whom fortune favored and who penetrated to what is now the city of Santiago, which he founded in 1541. For more than 100 years the warlike Araucanian Indians made repeated attacks on settlers in this territory, the Spaniards having great difficulty in conquering them. A treaty of peace was concluded in 1640.
When the revolutionary movement in South America started against Spain, Chile on September 18, 1810, declared her independence, and became the scene of much fighting, finally on April 5, 1818, defeating forever Spanish power and becoming absolutely independent.