ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



31 



miento in the cause of public education have 

 been fruitful of most surprising results. Ac- 

 cording to the President's own statement, 

 there were, in May last, 1,645* public schools, 

 attended by 97,549 pupils, 32,000 of whom in 

 Buenos Ayres alone ; and, if to these figures 

 be added those of the universities and other 

 schools, there will be shown an aggregate 

 number of 103,000 Argentines having received 

 instruction in 1873. 



The military school gives much satisfaction ; 

 the corps of professors, versed in the most ap- 

 proved European systems, was completed by 

 the arrival of a Prussian captain of artillery. 



A naval school was established, and the va- 

 rious courses of instruction commenced in the 

 first quarter of the year. 



The public libraries opened in various parts 

 of the republic have already been productive 

 of happy results; 112 have so far been founded, 

 and the Government promises to extend their 

 number as may be required. 



The National Observatory in C6rdoba has 

 already rendered important service to science. 



Despite all other influences, the mind of 

 President Sarmiento was still occupied with 

 the important question of colonization, as will 

 be seen from the following synopsis of a bill 

 proposed by him, enacted by the Legislature, 

 and containing provisions of unexampled lib- 

 erality, with a view to attract the laboring 

 classes of the Old World to the Argentine 

 shores. The leading provisions were as follows : 



Maps to be made representing systematic survevs 

 of 625 farm-lots of 266 acres each, in Misioncs, the 

 Chaco, Pampas, and Patasronia, to be hung up in 



Sublic and conspicuous places. The maps to be 

 ivided into squares, as on a chess-board, the Mark 

 squares of which corresponding to land to be re- 

 tained by the Government, and the white for colo- 

 nists. 



A premium was to be given of fifty hard dollars 

 each, on the flmt 110,000 immigrants settling in the 

 above territories, payable eighteen months after 

 their arrival. 



The Government may contract with any company 

 offering at least one hundred and sixty families tow- 

 ard colonizing a section. 



No contract will be admitted by the Government 

 unless the company stipulate to give the settlers a 

 house, farm implements, seeds, and food for twelve 

 months. 



At the expiration of two years the Government 

 will give the colonist his title-deeds to 266 acres. 



Settlers who have come out at their own expense 

 may elect their farm-lots at the National Land- 

 Office, and will receive, after eighteen months, the 

 premium of $50 per head for each of the family be- 

 tween twelve and forty-five years of age. 



Ship-captains, brokers, etc.. shall be entitled to 

 * like premium for every able-bodied immigrant 

 thiiv introduce. 



This premium shall be in bonds bearing eight per 

 cent, interest, for which Congress hereby authorizes 

 the gradual emission up to the total of five million 

 hard dollars. 



* Ho (rroat sn Increase, as compared with the number 

 given in the ANXTTAT. CTTLOP^DIA for 1R72, namely, 

 1.407. whlrh latter was copied from the ofHrlal census. 

 Is altogether Incommensurate wllh the previous annual 

 Increase. It Is probable that the President's statement 

 has been reported inaccurately. 



After reserving forests and rivers, the Government 

 will mark out sites for towns, etc., giving the first 

 one hundred settlers in each section a town-lot 

 gratis. 



The black lots in each section, belonging to Gov- 

 ernment, shall in due time be offered by auction at 

 an upset price of $100 per farm-lot, payable one-fifth 

 cash, the rest in four annual payments. 



Speculators who may wish to buy lands in the des- 

 ert, not marked out for colonization, will have the 

 option of taking lots of 1,000 acres each for $400, 

 payable as above, the Government reserving alter- 

 nate lots of 1,000 acres; the buyers must stock or 

 cultivate such lands. 



All colonists established on the sections marked 

 out by virtue of this law shall be free from taxes for 

 ten years, besides being allowed to bring in seeds, 

 implements, arms, and oaggage, duty free. 



The colonies established on the Patagonian coast 

 south of the peninsula of San Jose 1 are to be free 

 ports until 1880 for all articles imported, and for 

 all produce exported, besides any coal or iron that 

 mav be found. 



tv'herever fifteen families are settled, they shall be 

 entitled to ask for a commissary and ten policemen. 

 The colonists shall elect their own justice of the 

 peace and five municipal councillors. 



Each section may demand a gift of 100 rifles from 

 the Government. 



As soon as any territory counts five settled sec- 

 tions, the President will name a governor, with the 

 same attributes as in the Gran Chaco 



A land-office will be formed, with a superintend- 

 ent and seven assistants, to carry out the provisions 

 of this bill. 



As far as possible, each colony shall be composed 

 of various nationalities, with five per cent, of natives. 



Parties holding national lands at present must 

 have their titles revised within three months. 



Freedom of worship and instruction, with civil 

 marriage, in all the colonies. 



The Government will provide means of commu- 

 nication, public defense, and education. 



This law to be freely circulated in English, Ger- 

 man, French, and Italian, throughout Lurcpc, for 

 general promulgation, by means of consular agents. 



Such a system clearly signifies the utter an- 

 nihilation of emigration to Brazil and other 

 South American states, leaving them either to 

 rely solely upon their own resources for their 

 development, or to adopt the policy of a com- 

 petition of favors with their far-seeing neigh- 

 bor. 



The immigration returns show 34,000 ar- 

 rivals for the first half of the year. In one 

 day 1,500 were chronicled. The average an- 

 nual number is 84,000. 



In pursuance of a new land-law passed by 

 the provincial Legislature of Buenos Ayres, 

 settlers will be enabled to purchase frontier 

 land at the rate of twenty-five cents per acre, 

 payable by installments extending over a term 

 of nine years. Lands so acquired, however, 

 must be occupied; and the smallest lots will 

 be of 13,820 acres. 



An area of 650,000 acres in the Gran Chaco 

 was purchased by a private company for the 

 nominal price of $15,000, and requiring the 

 establishment of 1,000 immigrant families on 

 the lands within five years, in default of which 

 the property will revert to the Government, 

 with forfeiture of the purchase-money. One 

 hundred families must be settled before a year 

 has elapsed after the measurement of the 



