70 SELLING LATIN AMERICA 
the coast and the hinterland by roads cross 
ing it at right angles, and is designed to de 
velop the entire country and to be of strategic 
value in transporting troops. Two new trans- 
Andean roads are contemplated in addition 
to the one now running from Los Andes to 
Mendoza, one to operate about 300 miles 
north of Santiago—the other to cross 400 miles 
to the south of the capital. Other lines from 
the smaller ports to the longitudinal road are 
proposed, in all over 3000 miles being pro 
jected. Of the roads maintained by the gov 
ernment, it might be said that they are run 
at a great annual loss, a condition which 
may operate materially against the country’s 
prosperity at some near date. Many of the 
privately owned roads are used only in con 
nection with the nitrate industry. 
Chile has many small rivers varying from 
23 to 130 miles in length arising in the moun 
tains and rushing to the sea. Most of them 
are dry a greater part of the year, but during 
the rainy season become raging torrents. 
With the exception of a few in the southern