Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/730

 608 ARGENTINE REPUBLIC

up, 1,250,000Z., reserve fund 850,000Z. ; the Aleraan Trans- Atlantico (Deutsch Ueberseeische Bank), capital 640,000?., reserve fund 84,000Z. ; the Banco del Comercio, capital 5,000,000 dollars, reserve fund 365,987 dollars. A new bank, Banco Frances e Italiano, was established in 1912. The aggregate amount of gold held by the national bank (December 31st, 1912) was 34,012,850 gold dollars and 99,666,257 paper dollars.

In 1899 a conversion law was approved by Congress fixing the value of the }>aper dollar at 44 cents gold. On December 31, 1912, the gold held by the Bank of the Argentine nation and the Conversion Office amounted to 239,259,062 dollars. In December, 1912, the total circulation in currency, nickel and copper, was equivalent to 13,671,947?. dollars. On December 31, 1912, there was paper money in circulation to the value of 722,924,213 dollars.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The silver Peso nacional or dollar of 100 centavos is of the value of 4s, at par. The 5-dollar gold piece weighs 8 '0645 grammes "900 tine, and there- fore contains 7 '25805 grammes of fine gold. One pouud sterling — 5*04 gold dollars.

The silver dollar (like the French 5 -franc piece) weighs 25 grammes *900 fine, and thus contains 22*5 grammes of fine silver. There are 50, 20, and 10-centavo silver coins, and both nickel and copper fractional money.

Professedly the standard of value is gold. The money in circulation is chiefly paper. The paper dollar, being convertible at "44 gold dollar, is worth l.s. md. (11-45 to the £).

Since January 1, 1887, the use of the French metric system is compulsory.

Diplomatic Representatives.

1. Of the Argentine Republic in Great Britain.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. — Vicente L, Dominguez.

First Secretary. — Jacinto L, Villegas ; Second Secretary. — L. H.

Dominguez. Consul-General in London. — S. G. Uriburu.

There are Consular representatives at Belfast, Cardiff", Dublin, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Glasgow (C.G.), Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport, Nottingham, Southampton, Swansea,

2. Of Great Britain in the Argentine Republic.

Envoy and Minister.— ^\v Reginald T. Tower, K.C.M.G,, C. V.O. Secretaries— E. M. Hicks- Beach and Hugh W. Gaisford. Consul. — H. G. Mackie. There is a Consul and a Vice-Consul at Rosario.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning the Argentine Republic.

1. Official Publications.

Argentine Republic : Agricultural and Pastoral Census of the Nation. 3 vols. Buenos Aires 19 09,

Argentine-Chilian Boundary : Report presented to tlie British Arbitration Tribunal on behalf of the Argentine Government. 5 vols. London, 1900.

Segundo Censo de la Republica Argentina, Mayo 10 de 1895. 2 vols. Buenos Aires. lS98.