Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/728

 692 ARGENTINE REPUBLIC BEVEIOTE. Import duties ............ .................... Additional 5percent(war) .................... ExportHuties ............ .................... Additional 2 per cent, (war) .................... Storage ....................................... Stamp duty ................................... Fnteres^n lf,WO shaVes of Argentine ' Cento! railway, at 7 per cent ....................... Sundries ..................................... 60 ' 000 Total ................................... $18,186,920 EXPENDITUBE. Ministry of the Interior ........................ $1,297,985 ' Foreign Affairs .................... 111,400 Finance ............................ 8,45-.',7^ PubUc Instruction ............... 768,270 u war. .............................. 8,757,215 Total ................................... $14^37,595 The budget for 1870-'71, voted by the nation- al congress, showed an estimated revenue of $15,800,000, and an estimated expenditure of $16,000,000, leaving a deficit of $200,000. The public debt, divided into an external and an internal debt, was as follows at the end of Oc- tober, 1871 : EXTERNAL. Old Buenos Ayres debt, 6 per cent stock. . . . $4,528,000 " 8 " " ........ 5,861,500 Loan authorized by act of congress May 27, 1865, 12,500.000 " " " October, 1870, 80,612,000 Total external debt $58,195,500 INTEBNAL. Consolidated 6 per cent Argentine stock $12,889,500 Buenos Ayres public stock in paper currency 2,984.940 Parana debt 1S58, including Interest 8,166.545 Obligations to foreign creditors 94,260 Loan from Brazilian government 1S51 1.142,705 " " 1885-'66 2,000.000 " authorized by congress October, 1869 8,000,000 Total internal debt $24,227,950 Total debt $77,428,450 The greater part of the foreign loan of 1865 was issued in 1868, to the amount of 1,950,- 000, at the price of 72 for 100, by Messrs. Ba- ring Brothers of London. It is at 6 per cent, interest, and payable in 21 years. The loan of 1870, amounting to 6,122,400, granted by congress for the construction of railways and other public works, was issued at the London exchange in April, 1871, at the price of 884, to be redeemed by an accumulated sinking fund of 2i per cent Besides the liabilities above mentioned, there is a floating debt in treasury bills to an unknown amount. Each of the 14 provinces has a revenue of its own, derived from local taxes. The liabilities of all the provinces, except Buenos Ayres, the annual expenditure of which is about $2,000,000, are internal. That province contracted in June, 1870, a loan in England of 1,084,700, issued at 88, with 6 per cent, interest, to be redeemed at par in 33 years. In 1866 treasury notes were issued, bearing interest, for payment of government dues, and to be received in pay- ment of customs duties. They represent sil- ver dollar^ and are of the denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. Much has been done of late years for the advancement of education, and in the chief towns it is better than in most parts of South America. There are at present 142 municipal and state schools in the province and city of Buenos Ayres, besides a large num- ber of denominational and other private and Sunday schools in that, and a proportionate number in the other provinces. The capital and C6rdoba have each a university, and Bue- nos Ayres and Corrientes have each a colegio national, the studies in which embrace the usual classic and scientific courses, besides mod- ern languages, and degrees are conferred in theology, law, and medicine. New colleges are being founded in Entre-Rios ; and normal schools will shortly be established in all the provinces. About 90,000 children attended school in the whole republic in 1871, and there were 1,884 students in the national colleges. There are extensive libraries, chief among which is the Molioteca national, founded in 1870 un- der the auspices of President Sarmiento. The predominant religion is Roman Catholic ; but all others are tolerated, and the ministers of some other denominations are paid by the gov- ernment. In 18(59 it was estimated that there were 10,000 Protestants among the English, Scotch, American, and German settlers. The mouth of the Rio de la Plata was discovered in 1512 by Juan Diaz de Solis ; and as early as 1535 Don Pedro de Mendoza began the settlement at Buenos Ayres, while the country as far N. as the site of Asuncion, the present capital of Paraguay, was explored by parties under his orders. Many colonies were founded in that century, and much progress was made in the civilization of the Indians under Don Juan de Garay, who was in 1580 appointed lieutenant governor of those provinces, which were then regarded as forming a part of the viceroyalty of Peru. In 1620 a new government was formed, having for its capital Buenos Ayres, hitherto dependent upon the government of Paraguay, and both continued under the viceroyalty of Peru till 1776, when the viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres was created, comprising the territories now known as Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the Argentine Republic. In 1806 Buenos Ayres and Montevideo were captured by a small British force, which, however, was soon compelled by the bravery of the inhabitants to relinquish the conquest. An attempt was made in August, 1807, by a British army 10,000 strong, to reconquer the city of Buenos Ayres ; but the invaders were defeated. Gen. Whitelock, who commanded the attack, was on his return to England cashiered for in- capacity. The struggle for independence was begun about three years later, and was waged on both banks of the Plata, until the only re- maining Spanish forces surrendered in Monte- video in 1812. During this period the war of independence was also going on in Upper Peru (Bolivia) with varied results, and in the adja- cent provinces, the Spaniards suffering con- siderable reverses in Salta and Tucuman. In