Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/555

Rh ARGENTINE REPUBLIC 495 rade. the spread of the epidemic. Though frightfully contagious in the city, the disease was not so in the country; and no instance could, it is believed, be recorded in which it was communicated to those who nursed patients that took the disease from the city, and sickened and died in the suburbs. It is hoped that the extensive drainage works which the Provincial Government is having constructed under the superintendence of Mr Bateman will obviate the risk of another outbreak of a plague, which whilst it lasted put a stop to commercial pursuits and almost disorganised society. The total number of foreigners in the Argentine Republic at the time of the last census, was, according to the Almanack de Gotha, 212,000. A recent writer, who has given particular attention to the subject, says, &quot;There are about 40,000, between Irish, Scotch, and English settlers and their families, in quiet and undisputed posses sion of about two millions of acres of land in the province of Buenos Ayres alone; in the full enjoyment of all religious and social liberty. They own upwards of 35,000,000 sheep, besides horned cattle, horses, and valuable build ings The bulk of this vast property has been acquired in the country by men who on their arrival did not possess a sixpence.&quot; Excepting the mining districts in the north-west of the md foreign republic, the agricultural district of Chivilcoy, in the north of the province of Buenos Ayres, the agricultural colonies of Santa Fe, and the establishments of the English settlers in the north of Patagonia, the Argentine Republic is at present a pastoral country. The manufacturing and agricultural pursuits of the north-western provinces are not important items in the general wealth of the republic. The development of its vast resources as a mining and agricultural country has scarcely commenced ; and its greatest wealth is at present represented by the herds of cattle and sheep which graze upon its fertile plains. The manufactures and luxuries imported into the country are paid for with the annual increase of these flocks and herds, though the latter are not so numerous as in an equal area of Central and Western Europe. The number of herd cattle in the country may be roughly estimated at from 15 to 18 millions; of which, in the year 1866, the province of Buenos Ayres contained 6,800,000; Entre Rios, 2,500,000 ; and Corrientes, 2,000,000. In the same year Buenos Ayres contained 60,000,000 sheep ; and Entre Rios and Corrientes together, 7,000,000. The number of sheep in the whole country is estimated at 100,000,000. The extent of the trade which the Argentine Republic carries on with different foreign countries is indicated in the subjoined tabular statement of values of the imports and exports of the whole country, for 1873. The amounts ate given in hard dollars, of which the sterling equivalent is about 49 pence. Argentine Trade Report for Imports. Great Britain $19,344,143 France 18,255,138 Belgium 2,967,586 United States 5,167,616 Italy 3,784,384 Spin 2,952,600 Chili 1,444,182 Brazil 2,968,953 Uruguay 2,735,299 Germany 3,228,015 Holland 1,611,616 Other countries 1.999,341 1873. Hard dollars $66,458,873 Or about 13,568,000 Exports. $9,894,007 8,677,819 13,891,508 3,032,945 1,487,925 1,231,697 2,365,475 769,464 992,949 449,597 226,204 2,100,515 $45,122,105 9,200,000 The principal items of the import trade from Great Britain are as follows (the figures representing hard dollars as before) : Cotton goods, 2,359,000 ; woollen, 904,000 ; other textures, 3,364,000; clothing, 1,367,000, besides 951,000 in shoes; iron, 2,757,000; and railway materials, 1,706,000. France sends wines to the value of 4 millions; textile fabrics, 2 ; clothing, shoes, &amp;lt;kc., 2 ; hardware, fancy goods, &c., 6|. More than half the value of the United States imports (2,769,000) is in lumber. The whole import trade .of the country in 1873 exceeded that of 1870 by 49 per cent. The following table exhibits the amount, values, and principal destinations of the more important articles of export for 1873 : Wool 185,000,000 tb $19,600,000 whereof $10,000, 000 to Belgium. Tallow 88,000,00011) 5,500,000 2,632,000 to England. 4,300,000 1,854,000 to England. 5,140,000 1,333,000 to United States. 4,900,000 2,720,000 to England. 1,400,000 mostly to Brazil anil West Indies. 2,700,000 to other South American countries. Sheepskins... 55,000,00011) Dry Hides... 1,700,000 Salted, do. ... 1,300,000 Jerked Beef. 88,000,000 It) Cattle 180,000 Other items of export are metals (copper and silver) of the value of 420,000 dollars; grain, 120,000; ostrich feathers, 150,000. The entire export trade of 1873 shows an increase of 55 per cent, on the trade of 1870. The tonnage of the vessels that arrived and cleared during the four years 1870 to 1873 was as follows: Steamers. 1870 808,000 1871 863,000 1872 1,190,000 1873 1,135,000 Sailing Vessels. 712,000 662,000 960,000 753,000 Gross Tonnage. 1,520,000 1,525,000 2,150,000 1,888,000 Of this tonnage the proportion returned for English vessels is no less than 30 per cent. ; French vessels rank next, with 16 per cent.; then Argentine and Italian, 12 per cent. each. There are twelve lines of steamers con stantly plying between Europe and Buenos Ayres. The passage occupies about twenty-nine days. The advancement of the Argentine Republic has received a great impetus from the introduction of steam communica tion and telegraphy. The first railway was opened in 1857; and in 1874 there were more than 800 miles open for traffic, with about 1000 miles more in course of con struction. A system of tramways was commenced in the city of Buenos Ayres in 1869. There are now about 80 miles within the city and suburbs, and this means of transit is being extended to all the smaller towns. There are in use within the republic above 7000 miles of tele graphic wires. Complete communication is now established with Europe, the first telegrams having been exchanged with London on 4th August 1874. The province of Buenos Ayres is, in wealth and general importance, far in advance of all the other provinces of the Confederation. Under the enlightened administra tion of Seiior Castro, the late governor, great improvements have been made in the means of communication throughout the province, which is the first step requisite for the due development of its resources. Besides railway extensions a great number of iron bridges have been imported from England and erected under the superintendence of Mr Coghlan, by order of the Provincial Government of Buenos Ayres. The National and Provincial Governments estab lished in the city of Buenos Ayres are rivals in their efforts to promote the true welfare and prosperity of the country. Senor Acosta, the governor of the province, may be relied on to continue the policy of assisting the development of the resources of the country, which may almost be said to have been inaugurated by his predecessor. And his Excellency Senor Sarmiento, whose term of ^office as president of the republic expired in October 1874, must, from his unceasing exertions in the cause of education, be regarded as one of the greatest benefactors of the country. The following are the returns of the national revenue