Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/899

* URUGUAY. 7157 URUGUAY. of four years, and assisted by a Cabinet of five members, and in a Vice-President, who acts as tile presiding ollicer of the Senate. Kach terri- torial department is ruled by an exeoutive, ap- pointed b.v the President, and an administrative council, chosen by popular election. The supreme judicial power is vested in national courts of appeal, of which there are three for civil cases, two for commercial cases, and one for treasury cases. JSIontevidco (q.v.) is the capital. Finance. In ISSIO the Republic sull'ered from a financial panic which caused a great falling off in the revenue. The statistics for expenditure are not available, but the revenues for 1897-98 were reported to amount to $10,271,298, and for 1900-01. to $17,902,599. The larger portion is de- rived from customs, the sum being estimated at $10,000,000 for 1901-02. The builget for 1901-02 (estimated) balanced at $16,161,000. ilore than half the expenditures are for national obliga- tions: $2,300,000 were set off for the Ministry Government. The foreign debt in 1902 was about $100,000,000. The internal debt is aliout one- fifth of this .amount. The monetary standard is gold, and the peso, valued at $1,034, is the unit of exchange. There are no national gold coins in circulation, but foreign coins take their place. The Bank of the Republic, established in 1896 with a capital of $10,000,000. has the riglit to issue bank notes, redeemable in gold or silver, to the value of half its stock. For Army and Navy, see articles Armies and Xavie.s. Population. The population was estimated as follows, in 1901, the table including a list of the departments with their areas: DEPARTMENTS Area, square miles Population 4.31)2 1.833 5.7ti5 5.525 1.745 4.675 2.195 1.5i>0 4.795 •256 5,115 3.270 3.7*15 4.2S0 4.865 2.0iM) 3.5t;5 8.115 3.685 27.001 Caneloiies 80 735 37 ''36 Durazno 38 lU Florida 45 24S 51 5l>3 37 152 273.t'>r.5 44 411 Rio Negro 23.127 25 349 Rocfaa 30.i28 Salto 45.754 San Jos^ 42.181 38,851 38 7^19 Tacuarenibrt 25.800 Total 72.151 954.016 The foreigners numbered 97,415, chiefly from Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Argentina. The natives show a greater admixture than is the case with those of xVrgentina, and are very conservative, especially in the north, where there is a large Brazilian element. Education and Eeligion. The University of Uruguay, at Montevideo, has a faculty of about 100 instructors and over 400 regular students. There are also a school of art. an industrial school, a museum and a library, and a military school. The Government contributes annually about $700,000 toward the maintenance of about 600 public elementary schools, enrolling about 55,000 pupils. In addition there are over 300 private schools of this grade with about 22.000 pupils. Notwithstanding a compulsory educa- tion law, the school attenilance is only alnuit 8 per cent, of the total popilation. Koman Catholi- cism is the Slate religion, but there is complete toleration of other sects. History. The natives of the "Banda Oriental," the region to the northeast of the Plata Kivcr, for many years prevented any exploration of the interior, and in 1580 forced the garrison to abandon the only fort established in their terri- tory, on the San Salvador Kiver. In 1003 a powerful Spanish force, intended to protect a colony, was defeated, and it was not luilil the year 1624 that the first settlement which became permanent was founded, at Santo Domingo de Soriano, ou the Rio Xegro. The P<utuguese of Brazil claimed this region as a part of their ter- ritory, and their outposts crept down the coast from Rio de .laneiro, until, in 1080. they estab- lished themselves at Saenimento, not far distant across the river from I'.uenos Ayres. The local Spanish oilicials profited by the commerce be- tween this city and the Portuguese, and for fifty years no very serious efforts were made to drive them away. In 1723 the Portuguese fortified the heights surrounding the Bay of MonteviiU'o and apparently planned to enter into more active competition with Buenos Ayres. This aroused the Spaniards, who promptly organized an expe- dition which forced the svirrender of the Portu- guese works at Jlontevideo, where a colony of families from Buenos Ayres was established. In- termittent conflicts between the two claimants fill the annals of the remainder of the cightoentli century, resulting in the ultimate establishment of the Spanish rule. In 1807 the English fleet under Popham captured Montcvi<leo. but their oc- cupation ended with the failure of the attack on Buenos Ayres. The inhabitants of Uruguay promptly joined those of Argentina in the revolt against Spain in 1810, and established an inde- pendent confederation under the Protector Arti- gas (q.v. ); the Spaniards were driven from Monteiileo in 1814. The country was weakened and demoralized by the efforts to drive out the Spaniards, and the Portuguese in Brazil, perceiv- ing their opportunity, revived their claim to the territory. They captured Jlontevideo and drove Artigas into the interior, until he was forced to take refuge in Paraguay. Uruguay was annexed to Brazil as the Cisplatine State. The Uruguay- an patriots established headquarters acro.ss the Rio de la Plata in Buenos Ayres. watching for an opportunity to revive the struggle. This came in 1825, when an insurgent force was organized which won several engagements and shut tlic Portuguese up in their coast strongholds. In February. 1828, the Brazilians were decisively defeated, and in August peace was concluded and the independence of Uruguay was recognized. In 1830 the Repfd)- liea Oriental del Uruguay was organized, and for five years the country enjoyed comparative quiet under the Presidency of Kructuoso Ribera. In 1835 he was succeeded by Manuel Oribe and soon a political conflict broke out between the two, terminating in civil war. Ribera made himself the leader of the (Jauehos (q.v.) constituting the great mass of the non-Indian population, while Oribe represented the interests of the great land- owners. In 1838 Ribera succeeded in overthrow- ing Oribe, who thereupon turneil for aid to Ro- sas (q.v.), the dictator of Buenos Ayres. With