>UL Annex IC 171 .P2 M 19Q9 A A— ^ 0-^ — 5 -^ — 1 9 i 9 1 LIS in 9 — ^i f — i 7 p 5 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO 3 1822 01503 4804 L LIBRARY unive:;3iiv of CAtifORNIA SAN DIEGO RY INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF AMERICAN REPUBUCS JOHN BARRE^TT. DIRE:.CT0R FRANCISCO J. YANES. SECRETARY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO ARGENTINE REPUBLIC GENERAL DESCRIPTIVE DATA PREPARED IN JUNE, 1909 WASHINGTON. D. C. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF AMERICAN REPUBLICS JOHN BARRELTT. D I R El C T O R FRANCISCO J. YANES. SECRETARY THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC GENERAL DESCRIPTIVE DATA PREPARED IN JUNE, 1909 WASHINGTON, D. C. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 rvi H r 171 ARGENTINE REPUBLIC The Argentine Republic, the third largest of the American Kepub- lics, is situated between latitude 22° and 56° south and longitude west of Greenwich 53° and 57°. being bounded by the Republics of Chile. Bolivia. Paragua}', Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of 1,135,84:0 square miles, equal to about one-half the total area of the United States of America, and a population of ().100.3(>1. or 5.4 per square mile, as against 23.2 in the United States of America. Stretching over 34° of latitude, the country presents a variety of climate and products, ranging from tropical in the north to arctic in the south, but the larger part of its territory lies within the temperate zone. The broad, fertile plains extending from the At- lantic to the foot of the Andes, occasionally broken by a series of low mountains, afford excellent pasturage for thousands of cattle, and nearly all cereals, especially wheat, corn, and oats, are successfully cultivated. Other industrial articles produced in export cjuantities are hides and skins of all kinds, and the valuable quebracho wood and its extract. Sugar, cotton, tobacco, and grapes are largely grown, but mostl}^ for home consumption. The mountains contain rich deposits of silver, copper, and gold, which are as yet exploited to a limited extent only. HISTORICAL SKETCH. The Si:)anish navigator, Juax de Solis, in search of a passage to the Pacific Ocean, was the first European to explore the Rio de la Plata, in the year 1508 and again in 1515. Sebastian Cabot sub- sequently explored the country, sailing up the Parana and Paraguay rivers in 1526. Pedro de Mendoza was appointed Governor of the countrj' by the Spanish Crown in 1536. and founded what is now the city of Buenos Aires. The settlement was, however, destroyed by the Indians, and it was not until the year 1576, when Juan de Garay became Gov- ernor, that any serious attempt Avas again made to colonize the coun- try. The Province of T'ruguay. as the entire territory Avas then called, was placed under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Peru, but in 1776 the La Plata country had become of sufficient importance to warrant the establishment of a separate viceroyalty. and Don Pedro DE Cevallos was appointed Viceroy of the Rio de la Plata Provinces. 3 ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. In the year 1805 Great Britain, then at war with Spain, attempted to seize the city of Buenos Aires, which had become an important trade center, but the British troops were unsuccessful, and in the fol- lowing year they temporarily abandoned the contest. Within less than a year, however, the attempt was again made to capture the city, the British being again and finally defeated on July 6, 1807. The war for independence from Spanish rule began on Maj^ 25, 1810, Don Manuel Belgrano, General San Martin, and Admiral GuiLLERMo Brown being among the distinguished patriots engaged in the struggle. The Spanish troops were defeated both by water and b}' land on June 22, 1814, and were obliged to abandon the fort of Montevideo, their last stronghold in the La Plata Provinces. A constitutional Assembh^, which convened at Tucuman, formalh' declared the independence of the " Provincias Unidas del Rio de la Plata" (United Provinces of the La Plata River), on July 9, 1816, and vested the executive authority in a Supreme Director; Don Juan Martin de Pueyrredon being elected to that position. The title of Republic was subsequently changed to that of Argentine Republic and later to Argentine Confederation and finally, in the year 18(30, to Argentine Nation, which is now its official designation. In the year 1821 the executive })ower was vested in a President of the Republic, and Don Bernardo Rivadavia was inaugurated as the first executive of this office on February 7, 1825. The incorporation of the territory now constituting the Republic of Uruguay into the Argentine Confederation resulted in war with Brazil. This war began on December 10, 1825, and lasted until 1827, when a treaty of peace was concluded, on Febnuiry 20, whereby the independence of Uruguay was guaranteed. Among the great men of the Argentine Nation may be mentioned Don Bartolome MrpRE, author, statesman, soldier, and patriot, Avho com- manded the allied forces in the war with Paraguay; Don Domingo Faustino Sarmi- KNTO, the great educator, wlio organized (he school system of the Republic; Don Nicolas Avellaneda, who stinuilated commerce and iiichistries; and Don Jcmo Roca, who sub- dued the troublesome Indians of the (^haco and successfully averted a war with Chile which threatened to exentuale as the result of a boundary disi)ute. Don .Manuel Quintana was iuaiiguralcd Pivsideiit of tlie Ivepublic on October 12, IDOI. but di('»| oil March 12. lUOCi. before (he expira- tion of his lei III o| ollice. lie waS succeeded by I lie (lien Vice- l*resi(len(. Dr. .losi'; I'^na kiio \ Ai.coiti'.\, \\lio>e (enii of olliic will expire on Octobei- II. JUIO. On. DOM JOS^ FlOUf WO* Al COtlTA. Pllt»- totur Of TMf AiiofNT Nr nrcuniir. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT. The Argentine Republic is one of the five American Republics which have adopted the Federal Union of States as its form of government, the others being the United States of America, the United States of Brazil, the United Mexican States, and the United States of Venezuela. All the other American Republics have a unitary or centralized form of government. The constitution adopted May 1, 1853. modeled closely after that of the United States of America, provides for the usual three branches of government — the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative power is vested in the National Congress, consisting of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, the former with 30 mem- bers and the latter with 120. Senators are elected by the legislatures of the States, usually called '• provinces," and in the federal district by a special body of electors, for a term of nine years, two senators being named for each province and two for the federal district. The Senate is. however, renewed by thirds every three years. Deputies are elected by direct popular vote, for a term of four years, in the proportion of one for every 33,000 inhabitants. The Chamber of Deputies is renewed by halves every two years. The President of the Republic, assisted by a cabinet of eight min- isters or secretaries of state, exercises the executive authority. The President and Vice-President are elected indirectly, as in the United States, by electors chosen by the people for that purpose, and for a term of six years. Xeither the President nor the Vice-President may be elected for a second term immediately following their incumbency of the office. The Vice-President is the President of the Senate. The jiulieiary is composed of a national supreme court for courts of appeals and courts of first instance. Each province has its own judiciarw The supreme court is composed of lixc judges and (he courts of appeals of three judges each, apjioinled by the Pi-esith^il of the Republic. President I ""• •T<»si'; Fua kkoa Ai.couta. Miiiislei- of tlie Interior Dr. Marco Avkm.ankda. Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Victorino ni': i,a Ti.aza. Minister f>f the Treiisnry Dr. AfANtiFii, hk Iriondo. .Minister of .Tiist ice and I'nidie Instruction Dr. S. S. Na^n. Minister of IMiltlie WorlvS 1 'r. Iai cjriKi. Uamos MkxIa. .Minister of A'^'riciiltnre Sr. I'idko Kzourra. .Minister- of \\;ir Sr. (Iciieijil l{ \i ai;i. M. Aim'ihrk. .Ministr-r of M.irinr Re:n- Adniiial Onoiui: I'.i Tninr.R. The sahiry of the i'resich'iit is PT'J.OOO ($;•,»',.()()()) per anmiiii. INTI'.Iilol! (;oVERNMKN'r. 'I'h<- Aroeiii inc licpiil.lic i- ro\iiices. I (» territories, iiimI I fclcial (li-lrni. llic |iin\iiHc- lieiiio- aiil noil- in their in- 8 • ABGENTINE REPUBLIC. terior government, while the executive authority in the territories is vested in a Governor appointed by the President of the Republic. The federal district is administered by an intendento. or mayor, who is likewise appointed by the President, and assisted h\ a municipal council elected by the people. The following are the political divisions of the Argentine Republic : Federal district of Buenos Aires, capital of the Republic. Province of — Capital. Buenos Aires La Plata. Catamarca Catamarca. Cordoba Cordoba. Corrientes Corrieutes. Entre Rios Parana. Jujuy Jujuy. Mendoza Mendoza. Rioja La Rioja. Salta Salta. San Juan San Juan. Santa Fe. Santa Fe. Santiago del Estero Santiago del Estero. San Luis San Luis. Tucumau Tucuniau. Territory of — Chaco Resistencia. Chubut Rawson. Formosa Formosa. Los Andes San Antonio de los Cob res. Misiones Posadas. Neuquen Cbos -Malal. Pampa Central General Acba. Rio Negro ^ Yiedma. Santa Cruz Puerto Gallegos. Tierra del Fuego Ushuaia. AHMV AND NAVY. Under a law enacted in 1901, military service in the Argentine Republic is conijiulsory. All able-bodied citizens nnist serve from their twentieth to their forty-fifth year, nominally for a period of twenty-five years, although the actual service larcly extends beyond one year. There are two reserve corps — the National (iuard, com- prising all citizens between the ages of 28 and 10 years, and the Territorial (Jiiaid. composed of citizens over 1() years of age. Those nrxler "28 and oNcr 'JO serve foi- one year with the colors. Naturalized citizens are (-xempt fi-om military duty for a term of ten years aftei- their naluralizal ion. The i;e|)iililic iv divided into live military districts, each with a disti'ici commaiidei'. In ca- ^ijiinliiit; army consists (if eleven reKitiients. The men are expert linr-eineii, ami llii- liniiieli uf Ilie national service ap|M-al- to lliem. The nionnls are of small •.lalnre, virunt'. har'ly. ami liit'li ~|.iriteT,()00,0()(). (li\ ided among Buenos Aires, Rosario. La I'lata. and P)ahia T'lanca in the order named. .Ml of these ports, ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 15 with the exception of Rosario, showed an increase in imports over 1907. The expenditures reached a total of $103,000,000, leaving a surplus of $9,000,000. The budget for 1909 as approved by the National Congress pro- vides for expenditures of $25,907,777 gold and ?=1 98,344,400, with estimated revenues of $67,820,433 and ^=100,639,516. Bank deposits in the Republic on January 31, 1908, aggregated $23,538,215 and ^'Sll, 026,530, while the cash on hand on the same date amounted to $47,570,137 and ^230,161,400. The Government gold reserve for the conversion of national currency amounted to $126,482,515.76, an in- crease of $21,368,644.26 over 1907. The capital of the Bank of the Argentine Nation was increased by a law authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $17,177,000 gold, secured by the general revenues of the Republic. British capital continued to figure prominently in various enter- prises to the extent of £243,000,000, railways proving the principal attraction for investors, with government bonds in second place. COMMERCE. The Argentine Republic was one of the few countries of the world reporting advanced trade values for the year 1908, a gain of over $56,000,000 being reported. The immense grain crops of the year, which swelled the exports of the country, accounted for this gratify- ing result. The total valuation of the foreign commerce of the Re- public for 1908 was $638,978,077, as compared with $582,065,052 in 1907. This increase is to be credited entirely to the side of exports, amounting to $366,005,341, as compared with $296,204,469 in 1907, a gain of $69,800,972; while imports worth $272,972,736 declined by $12,887,947, the figures for the previous year having been $285,860,683. Only for one year has the reported trade balance of $93,022,605 been exceeded, when in 1905 the exports were greater than imports by over $117,000,000. The countries of origin for imports during the year under review, with the respective valuations furnished by each in comparison with the preceding year, were as follows: Great Britain, $93,371,396, a decline of $4,564,347 ; Germany, $37,847,076, a decline of $7,964,094 ; United States, $35,597,004. a decline of $3,245,273; France, $26.- 476,917, an advance of $1,008,891 ; Italy $24,913,248, an advance of $910,007 ; and Belgium, $12,753,373, a loss of $3,143,477. From the above figures it will be noted that the three ranking countries de- creased their sales, while the two next in order increased their ship- ments. Great Britain holds first place, with 34.2 per cent, while Germany and the Ignited States follow, with 13.9 and 13.2 per cent, respectively. GREAT-BRITAIN BELGIUM GLRM/^Y BRAZII^ UNITID STATES ITALY NETHERLANDS SPAIN CANADA CHILE AUSTRR-HCrnGMYl URUGUAV BOLIVIA OTHERS- OTHERS BOLIVIA CHILE. PARAG UAY] NETHERLANDS URUGUAY AUSTRIA-HUNGARY BRAZIL^ SPAIM BELGIUM ITALY FRAMCE "UNITED STATESJ GERMANY G2EAT BRITAIN ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 17 A classiHcMtidii of the imijort^ for the \\'-dv .S3cS; wines and liquors, $13,270,781; and mineral and verazil still lead in the import of Argentine horses, 1,255 and 1,228, respectively, being credited to the two coinitries. The Kepublic has done much to cement firmer trade relations with countries heretofore occupying unimportant i)ositions on its trade list, as is shown by increased imports from Tt;»ly, S])nin. Austro-Hungnry. France, the Xdlicrlands, and Chile. INDl SriUKS. The pjiriimoiinl imporlancc of Mgriciilhirc ;imong (he indiisti'ics of the I{('|inl)lic is (jcnionslriitcd l)y the h';i(lf ictiirn- for Ihc y<';ir 1908. 'IIh- |)rn(hi''t ion of ccrrMU for the \c;ir \\;i~ c-l iinatcd ;il iiliont n.'iM),- OOf) Ion-. The (Toll- for tlic \<';ir wci'i': \\'li(';il. .'i. •_'('),■',. 7()5 ion<: lin- ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 19 seed, 1,100,700 tons; and oats, 492,770 tons. Corn exports represent practically the entire crop of 1,711,804 tons. The general area of cereals under cultivation in 1908 was 39,500,000 acres, the area under wheat, linseed, and maize and oats being 15,- 000,000, 3,835,000, 7,434,000, 1,393,000 acres, respectively. The agricultural area under cultivation in 1908, as compared with 1895, has increased 21G per cent. A large portion of this increase is due to the increase in the cultivation of wheat, the area of which shows an increase of 195 per cent as compared with 1895. During the same period the linseed area increased 295 per cent, and the maize area 138 per cent. A phenomenal increase is noted in the cultivation of oats. The cultivation of alfalfa has also largely increased during the past decade, and it is estimated that the 1,782,000 acres of alfalfa under cultivation in 1895 increased to over 10,000,000 in 1908. Viti- culture has also largely increased, and the area now under this culti- vation is estimated at 140,000 acres. Under careful government regulation and the application of the latest and most approved scientific methods the Republic maintained its place among the countries of the world engaged in stock raising. This is especially true with regard to cattle, as the last returns from seven provinces showed $536,800,000 invested in this industry. A re- cent agricultural and pastoral census of the Republic showed live stock in the following quantities: Cattle. 29,116,625; horses, 7,531,376; mules, 465,037: donkeys, 285,088; sheep, 67,211,754; goats, 3,245,086; and hogs, 1,403,591, representing a total valuation of $645,000,000. Annual expositions of live stock held at Palermo, in the vicinity of the capital, show a constant improvement in breeding and selection of stock, and the promulgation of the executive decree of May 8, 1908, enforcing rigid quarantine regulations in regard to imported live stock, clearly indicates the attitude of the Government in the protec- tion of one of the country's principal industries. The Republic now occupies first place among the countries of the world as a purveyor of frozen meat, though the industry is as yet practically in its infancy, and with the cheapest and most excellent raw material in the world at hand in inexhaustible quantities it will undoubtedly reach proportions greatly in excess of the present. This industry in 1907 represented over $35,000,000 and gave employment in various establishments to nearly 5,000 workmen. In the beef- salting factories of the River Plate region the cattle slaughtered num- bered 1,426,800 in 1908. Uruguay furnished 754,300; Brazil, 425,000: and the Argentine Republic, 247,500. This field has attracted the attention of United States capitalists, and the packing interests are investing large sums in Argentine establishments. The sugar output, of which the Province of Tucuman is the pro- ducine: center, amounted to nearlv 120,000 tons which, although ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 21 not (.'iilircly .-at isfactory. sliowi-d a coiisidcraMe iiici-easc owr prcNious years. Domestic consuinptioii is 140,000 tons necessitating ini|><)ila- tions to the extent of some -JO.OOO tons to meet the demands of the home market. The wine inchistry. at the be<»:inning of 1S)0S. repre- sented ca[)ital aji<»'re<>atinr'Mlii(iiiiii 1)1" wlu'iil ill llic Ki'public is aljoiit live iiiul n half iiiillinn inii- a year, of w liicli over four million tonsure f.\porti.' iiiMiiy of the precious metals abduinl in the l\(']>ublic, re iind iniiilic lit il ity corporMl ions repoi'ted a j)i'osp('rous year ; capitiil so employed re|)resonle(l an aggivgate invest- ment of $133,199.<;31, with a total yearly output of $lm;T.32l'.^(;2 and a working force of 118.315 workmen. 'I'he mo^t important industi'ial entei-prises. oilier llian agiMcultural and pastoial, from the point of view of capital, aic nie;il pncking and nfrigerating plants, $31,13r..9T:; : lirewcries. $ir).9r>0.()(iO: Hour mills, $11,357,022: jiaper mills. $0,489,000. AKGENTINE REPUBLIC. 23 Of the public-utility corporations in the capital, the seven street- railway companies represented a total mileage of 608 kilometers, with 5,778 operatives and 1,005 cars. The city lighting represented an output of 28,105,103 kilowatts of current, and for private consump- tion three gas companies furnished 37,000.000 cubic meters of gas. The royalties accruing to the municipality of Buenos Aires for the last quarter of 1908 from the German electric company amounted to $181,245 on a basis of per cent for the period indicated. Other public utilities in contemplation are an underground railroad, the enlargement of the port of Buenos Aires by the construction of a deep-water canal to connect Avith the Parana de las Palmas River, to cost $47,000,000, and a custom-house at Buenos Aires to be erected at an expense of $1,650,000. Real-estate transfers recorded during the year amounted to $98,- 811,621, as compared with $88,627,961 in 1907, while mortgage trans- actions covered 6,577 properties, representing 3,844,059 square meters, held as security for loans aggi^egating $42,246,289. Land companies in the Republic had a prosperous year, as is shown by their yearly reports. The public domain of the Republic in March. 1907. was 203,798.650 acres available for settlement and which the Government holds at $1 per hectare. RAILW^AYS. The Argentine Republic is practically covered with a network of railways, which extend in every direction and connect the capital with all i^oints north and south, and the ports of Bahia Blanca, Rosario, Parana, Santa Fe, and San Nicolas with the interior. The railway extending north from Buenos Aires via Rosario, Santa Fe, Tucuman, Salta. and Jujuy connects with the Bolivian Railway, and will, when completed, establish direct communication with the capital of Bolivia. The Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway, between Buenos Aires and Mendoza. makes connection with the Transandine Railway at the latter point, which railway, when completed, will establish the much-needed railway connection between Chile and Argentina. At present there are in operation in the country 15.476 miles of rail- ways, representing a capitalization of over $788,964,416. Xearly 1.000 miles were added in 1908. Receipts from operating roads during the year are estimated at $101,391,000 and expenses at $61,368,000, leav- ing a profit to the companies interested of $40,023,000. The number of passengers carried was 48.593.600, and freight transported amounted to 31,930,600 tons. The majority of these lines are owned and operated by private companies, although three of the lines, viz, the Central Xorte, Argen- ARGENTINE REPUBL,1C. 25 tino del Norte, and the Andiiio railways, are owned and operated by the Argentine Government. These last have a total mileage of 1,838 miles. Buenos Aires, the capital, is the center of the Argentine railway system, and from this city, trunk lines extend to the city of Rosario, ISO miles ; to the city of San Juan, capital of the Province of San Juan, 745 miles, which line also connects with the city of Mendoza, tapping the fertile wine district, as well as with the Transandine Railway ; to the city of Cordoba, the capital of the province of the same name, known as the city of churches and universities, a distance of 433 miles. Another trunk line extends from Buenos Aires in a southwesterly direction, connecting all the more important points in the Province of Buenos Aires with the capital, and extending into the Territories of Neuquen and Pampa, 785 miles long. From Rosario a trunk line extends to the cities of Salta and Jujuy, in the extreme north, connecting at Tucuman, the center of the sugar industry, with a total length of 810 miles. This line runs through the grain belt of the Argentine Republic, of which Rosario may be called the center, handling the largest percentage of the grain exports, and second only to Buenos Aires in its total foreign trade. From Corrientes, the capital of the province of the same name, a rail- way, 330 miles in length, extends in a southeasterly direction through the Province of Corrientes and the fertile region of the Province of Entre Rios, as far as the cities of Concordia and Gualeguaychu, a branch line connecting with the city of Parana, on the Parana River. The progressive spirit of the nation is shown by the fact that during the past year Congress granted concessions for the construc- tion of new railway lines representing nearly 3,125 miles of railway, the building of which wnll involve an expenditure of nearly $25,000,000, and for wliich the President has been authorized to issue bonds. Existing lines were extended and connections established via Rosario with the northern limits of the Province of Santa Fe, and a French company has begun work on a line to connect with the rail- road between Rosario and Point Belgrano, which will tap a rich sec- tion of land suitable for agriculture and stock raising. To the south also the work of extending existing mileage showed progress, and the appointment of two committees for the survey of new railroad lines in that direction gave ample assurance that the Government was fully alive to the immense possibilities of Patagonia. Improvement of fluvial navigation also figured in the government project for the bet- terment of the national transport, an appropriation of $3,850,000 having been made for that purpose. STEAMSHIPS. The principal port in the Argentine Republic, at which most of the foreign vessels enter and clear, is the port of Buenos Aires, while 26 AEGEXTINE EEPUBLIC. Rosario de Santa Fe is the second in size. Baliia Blanca and La Plata, in the Province of Buenos Aires, are also accessible for ocean- going vessels and have considerable impoit and export trade. Five steamship lines pi}' between ports of the United States and Buenos Aires, viz, the Lamport & Holt Steamship Compan}-, the Prince Line, the Norton Line, the Houston Line, and the United States and River Plate Steamship Company. Of these only the hrst- named company has a regular passenger service between New York and Buenos Aires, steamers leaving New York once a month, making the run in twenty-four to twenty-six days. The other four lines liave only foreign boats, with limited passenger accommodation in this service, leaving New York or New Orleans at irregular intervals, and occupying from twenty-eight to forty days in the voyage. First- class passage on the Lamport and Holt steamers ranges from $190 to $250 one way, while the rates on the other four steamship lines vary from $125 to $160. An excellent service, for both passengers and freight, is, however, maintained with all European ports, there being three Italian, two French, two English, two German, one Spanish, and Danish line with regular weekly or biw'eekly service between the ports of Genoa, Burdeous, Marseilles, Liverpool, Hamburg, Bremen, Barcelona, etc., and Buenos Aires. These steamers take from fifteen to twenty- five days for the trip, the passenger rates varying from $135 to $250 one way. The Royal Mail Steamship Company and the Hamburg South American Steamship Company have the fastest and most ele- gantly equipped steamers in this service, and usually take from six- teen to eighteen days between Southampton and Buenos Aires, while the Italian liners make the run from Genoa to Buenos Aires in about the same time. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's passengers arc iians- shipped at Montevideo (whence these steamers proceed directly to the West Coast), at which port the White Star I^ine's steamers also touch, establishing communication with Auslralia and New Zealand. A\'ilh ll\() (le Janeiro and all Brazilian ports connec-tion is made \>y ilie Ll(jyd Brazilerio steamers, while the Hamburg South Ameri- can Company has established a regular line of stcaniers. living tlu; Ai'gcntinc Hag, between l)n('nos Aii'e> and all points south as far as PiM-ito ( iailcgos. 'Jlircc lines of steamers jily hetwcen r)iieno> Aire'- and Moiilex ideo, making the run in one night, and regular sei'vice is maintained hy the Mihano\icli line between Buenos Aires and points on the; Parana, Uruguay, and I'aiagnay Kivcr as far as Asuncion, the capilol of I'araguay, live; days being refjuired for the entiic lii|). The sliip[>ing for the year showed arrivals of vessels iniinbering 2,232, representing a total tonnage of 4,888,741 tons, whirh as com- 28 AEGENTINE REPUBLIC. pared with 1907 is an increase in steam tonnage of 998,978 tons, and of sailing vessels 10,931 tons. Of this total tonnage the United States was credited with 4.074 tons, represented by four small sailing vessels. WATERWAYS. The Argentine Repttblic has been endowed l)y nature with a num- ber of excellent waterways, some of which form the means of trans- portation and communication for several provinces, and connection with Paraguay and Bolivia, as well as with Uruguay and the interior of Brazil. There are a number of interior ports, such as Concordia. Concep- cion del Uruguay, Corrientes. La Paz, San Nicholas, Parana, Santa Fe, and Campana. all of Avhieli afford good anchorage for ocean- going vessels. Among the rivers are the Uruguay. na\igabl(' uj) to the city of Concordia for large steamers; the Parana, navigable for ships of 12 feet draft as far as the city of Corrientes: the Paraguay, navi- gable for vessels of 12 feet draft as far as the city of Asuncion, in Paraguay, and for light-draft vessels almost in its entire length of 1,800 miles; while the Pilcomayo and the Bermejo are both navigable for short distances. The Rio Negro is likewise navigable for vessels of light draft for a considerable length, as are the Chubut, Senguer. Doseado. Rio Chico, Santa Cruz, and Gallegos rivers. These afford the means of trans- portation for the southern j)rovinces and territories. Five companies operating river steamers establish communication between the different ports and cities on the Paragiuiy, Urugua3% and Parana River, as well as on the estuary of the mighty La Plata, or River Plate, formed by the confluence of these three rivers, which is 150 miles wide at its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean near Montevideo, and extends for some 200 miles inland, narrowing down to only 35. miles wide, wliere the Parana and Uruguay empty into it. A number of j)ictures(|ue lakes ai'e to be found in the southern [/art of tlie country, among which Luke Nalnicl Ilii,i|ii. which has a total area of '500 M|U!U-e miles and on which theic arc •_'('. little islands. Othei- ];\]<('< of importance ai'c San .Mai'tin. N'icdnia. and Argentino, all of which ai'e notable for their scenic beauty, and are navigable for small craft. Among the |)(ut ini|)ro\ cnient- in conleni|ilal ion by the (Joxfrn- ment ar<' includ<'ler the control of a school iKjanl, and primary instruction is obligatory. A iiiiiijltcr of scholar- iioiii each prosiiicc arc aiimially sen! abroad at the expense of the Goveinmeiit to complete their studies at the various colleges and universities of the riiited Stutes. Kughuid, Ger- many, France, and ilaly. there being at the [treseiit time 30 of these students in the \iiiioM> universities and ctiHeges of the Ihiiled States. Niimertxir, j)ri\;ite -ch(»oU otaltlished in cxciy -cctKiii of the count rv also j)rovid(' e(hicat iona I ;iil\ antnges. 'J'he Industrial School of I'.iiciko Aires, which \\-a> recently re- moved lo new iiiid e\teii-i\e <|ii:irters. is a bo iiiaintnincd by the X:ilion;il ( i(»\ciiinienl . It lia^ elaborate \V(»rl