VALPAIIAISO, the principal port of Chili, is situated in 71° 45' W. long., 33' 2' S. let., 55 miles S. from Santiago, and 225 N. from Concepcion. The town has been nearly rebuilt since the great earth quake in 1S22. It consists of a long narrow street, built under a cliff, following the sinuosities of the shore close to the sea-side. The bonsai have all stories above the ground-floor, and they are not fiat roofed. Painted piazzas are substituted for balconies almost at every house, and their different colours give the town a gay appearance. The customhouse and several of the churches and other public build ings are handsome edifices. The Protestants have a cemetery and a place of worship. Trade is in the hands of the English, Americans, and French, and a handsome suburb on the heights above Valparaiso is almost exclusively inhabited by them. The population numbers about 30,000. In 1809 only nine Teasels entered the harbour iu twelve months; the entries now number nearly 1000 annually. The harbour
Is good, with nine fathoms water close in-shore, of easy entrance, and sheltered from all winds except the north; it is defended by three forts and a battery on a level with the water. The customs revenue in 1849 exceeded two millions of dollars. The chief exports are— copper, gold, silver, wheat, tallow, [hides, timber, indigo, wool, same peril* fruits, &a The imports consist of foreign manufactures, tea, chocolate, sugar, tobacco, hardware, &c. The trade of the port has greatly increased since the discovery of gold in California. Steamers ply regularly to Callao and other Pacific ports, and a railway has been constructed to Santiago. There are extensive bonding-warehouses and large shipbuilding-yards. Besides the ships engaged in the import and export trade of Chili, Valparaiso is much resorted to by vessels in the Pacific for obtaining provisions.