Peru

Mining.

Peru is the classic land of gold and silver. Its yield has been so great that it smacks of legend. The conquerors enslaved the Indians and by forced work in the mines filled the coffers of the Spanish kings. This was responsible for wholesale destruction of the Indian population. Up to 1603, the "King's Fifth" from the mines had amounted to L6o,000,000, largely silver. With the republic, mining declined, chiefly because guano could be easily exploited. But after the establishment of the National School of Mines (1876) the industry revived. Large North American investments have resulted in an increase in export value from LP6I o,000 (1896) to over 012,000,000 (1926). Petroleum, copper and silver constitute 8o% of mineral output. Gold, silver, copper, mercury, lead, zinc, nickel, iron, manganese, tungsten, vanadium, antimony, bismuth, molybdenum, mica and coal are found in the sierra. On or near the coast are coal, salt, sulphur, borax, nitrates and petroleum. The total value of mineral production in 1926 was as against in 1913, most of which, except coal for smelting, was sent to the United States. First in importance is petroleum. The producing area lies between 3° 4o' S. and 5° S. near the coast, and has been worked at intervals since 1880. There are now 1,384 producing wells with an average annual output of 1,500,000 tons, most of which is exported (see PRJRA). Second in mineral export value is copper. In the Andes silver, argentiferous lead and copper are the most numerous metalliferous deposits and are found and mined together, though primitive silver mines are scattered throughout the sierra. Total production was kilos in 1926. Copper has become more important than silver, its production steadily increasing (13,474 tons in 1902, to 46,958 in 1927) (see CERRO DE PAsco). Gold is found throughout Peru in lodes and alluvial deposits. Sandia and Carabaya (Puno) are the most im portant centres of production and may have been the source from which the Incas derived most of their store. Total production in 1926 was 2,910 kilos. Vanadium, mined in Junin, is 9o% of the world's requirements; 11,927 tons of zinc were produced in 1926. The present coal industry is merely subsidiary, about 150,000 tons annually (see CERRO DE PASCO) . Mercury is obtained in Huan cavelica (q.v.). There are numerous unexploited iron deposits. Sulphur is mined in Piura and borax at Salinas (Arequipa). Salt, in all of its forms, is a State monopoly (29,121 tons in 1926).

Manufacture.

In spite of many new enterprises, the country as a whole can hardly as yet be said to have reached the industrial stage of development. The largest plants are copper smelters, oil refineries, cotton and sugar mills. Besides cotton-seed crushing mills and oil refineries, 1 r cotton textile mills manufacture the cheaper grades of cloth (about 33,000,00o yd. annually). The out put of woollen goods is much less. Eighteen tanneries export about 3,00o tons of hides. Eight shoe factories manufacture 200,000 to 250,000 pairs annually. About 20,000 gal. of castor oil are pro duced annually, and about 50,000 gal. of olive oil. In Huanuco and Trujillo are cocaine factories. Since 1909 tobacco has been a Government monopoly (over 2,000,000 lb. of cigars and ciga rettes produced annually). A Swedish company has a monopoly on the sale of matches. There are chocolate factories and flour mills. The rubber industry, dependent on the exploitation of wild rubber in the montana, is fast disappearing because of unsuper vised and primitive methods. About 5,000 doz. straw hats ("Pan

ama") woven of palm leaves (Carludovica palmata) are exported annually. It is an historic industry. (See LIMA; CALLAO ; AREQUIPA.) supreme law is the Constitution of Jan. 18, 1920. Every male citizen over 21, or under, if married, who can read and write, is entitled to vote. There is no woman suffrage. Laws protect and bind everyone equally. Legislation is by a national Congress, a senate of 35 senators and a chamber of iio deputies; both are elected for five years by direct, popular vote and may be re-elected. They must be native-born Peruvians in full enjoyment of civil rights. The government of departments, provinces and districts is by prefects, sub-prefects and governors; the first two are appointed by the executive, the governors by the prefects. There are three regional legislatures, in the north, centre and south of the republic, with deputies elected by the provinces at the same time as national representatives. These legislatures sit annually for a period of 3o days.

The chief executive is the president of the republic. He is elected by direct, popular vote for a period of five years and may be re-elected. He must be 35 years of age, a Peruvian by birth, and ten years a resident of the republic. He names a council of ministers, whose number is designated by law. If he dies or re signs, Congress chooses a new president within 3o days, the coun cil of ministers governing in the meantime. There is also a council of State composed of seven members, appointed by the council of ministers, with approval of the senate. It acts in an advisory capacity. The ministries are as follows: Interior and Police; Foreign Affairs; Justice, Worship and Education; Finance and Commerce; War; Navy; Public Works. Peru is a member of the League of Nations.

The judiciary is composed of a supreme court in Lima, superior and first instance courts in departments and provinces, respec tively, and justices of the peace. Justices and State's attorneys of the supreme court are selected by Congress from ten names sub mitted by the executive. Justices of the superior court are ap pointed by the president from a list submitted by the supreme court, and justices of first instance from one made by the respec tive superior courts. The supreme court has authority over all other courts. No member of the judiciary may hold political office, but justices of the supreme court may be ministers of State.

Army.

The strength of the regular army is 1,006 officers and 6,416 men, that of the national police, 420 officers and 6,38o men. There are no other armed forces. It is estimated that about one half of the strength of the national police would be available in emergency, to serve as a body. The regular army is organized into four skeleton divisions and a garrison for the montana. Each division has two regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, one regiment of field artillery. For administration and mobiliza tion the republic is divided into five areas. Four of these are divisional regions, with headquarters in Piura, Lima, Arequipa and Cuzco, the fifth is the region of the montana, with headquarters at Iquitos. Military affairs are directed by a general staff. Service is compulsory, but not universally enforced, for all males between 19 and 5o. There is a military high school, a staff school and engineering, agricultural and military aviation schools.