The main British communities in Chile, or
La Colonia Britanica, were located in Valparaíso, Punta Arenas, and Concepción. A key moment in
British immigration to Chile occurred in 1811, when free trade was decreed, followed by laws in 1824 and 1845 encouraging immigration. Facing the Pacific Ocean, Chile had for many years an important British presence. Over 50,000 British
immigrants settled in Chile from 1840 to 1914. A significant number of them settled in
Magallanes in Province, especially the city of
Punta Arenas when it flourished as a major global seaport for ships crossing the Strait of Magellan from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Around 32,000 English settled in
Valparaíso, influencing the port city to the extent of making it virtually a British colony during the last decades of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. However, the opening of the
Panama Canal in 1914 and the outbreak of the
First World War drove many of them away from the city or back to Europe. In
Valparaíso they created their largest and most important colony, bringing with them neighbourhoods of British character, schools,
social clubs,
sports clubs,
business organizations and
periodicals. Even today their influence is apparent in specific areas, such as the banks and the navy, as well as in certain social activities, such as
football (soccer), horse racing, and the custom of drinking tea. During the war of independence (1818), it was mainly British privateers hired by the Chilean Government who contributed to the creation of the
Chilean Navy, under the command of
Lord Cochrane. Investment from Britain contributed to Chile's prosperity, and British seamen helped the Chilean navy become a force in the South Pacific. Chile won two wars, the first against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation and the second, the
War of the Pacific, in 1878-79, against an alliance between
Peru and
Bolivia. The liberal-socialist "Revolution of 1891" introduced political reforms modelled on British parliamentary practice and lawmaking. British immigrants were also important in the northern zone of the country during the saltpetre boom, in the ports of
Iquique and
Pisagua. The
King of Saltpetre,
John Thomas North, was the principal tycoon of nitrate mining. Britain's legacy is reflected in the streets of the historic district of the city of Iquique, with the foundation of various institutions, such as the
Club Hípico (Racing Club). Nevertheless, active British presence came to an end with the saltpetre crisis of the 1930s. The most important newspaper of the British community in Valparaíso during the 19th century was
The Chilean Times. During the first half of the 20th century, the most influential medium was
The South Pacific Mail (1909-1965), which circulated throughout the west coast of South America. A contingent of British (principally Scottish and Irish) immigrants arrived between 1914 and 1950, settling in the present-day region of
Magallanes. British families were established in other areas of the country, such as
Santiago,
Coquimbo, the
Araucanía, and
Chiloé. == Cultural and technological legacy ==