18 



ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



Imports. Exp6rts. 



1S76 . . . $34.910,290 $46,535,705 



1&77. .".'.'.'.'.' 89,309,111 43,393,609 



This apparent decline of 7 per cent, in our exports 

 is due to the fact of reduced valuation on wool, hides, 

 etc.. as we find the quantities exported in 1877 ex- 

 ceed those for the previous year ; but_ the valuation 

 was reduced 15 per cent. Meantime it is desirable 

 to invent new sources of revenue, since customs du- 

 ties are too* liable to fluctuation. We must imitate 

 the United States in this regard. 



The money for the coming coupons is already in 

 London. We have been no less punctual in paying 

 the home debt, and in a few days we will pay to the 

 Provincial Bank the quarter's installment due last 

 February on account of loan of September, 1876. 

 Our stocks have risen in London, but some of the 

 English papers continue to question our solvency, 

 although we honorably pay our way. As we have 

 safely gone over the crisis, there is no reason now to 

 propose any alteration of the terms with bondhold- 

 ers. English capital will steadily flow into this 

 country, ^because Englishmen know that by spend- 

 ing millions in America, India, and Australia to 

 grow cotton, sugar, and wool, they have enriched 

 England more than if they had kept the money in 

 London. During the last three trying years we 

 have notably reduced our national debt, which is 

 now as follows : 



London loans $88,000,000 



Homedebt 21,279,549 



Floating debt 1,998,253 



Total $61,277,802 * 



Equal to about 12,000,000 sterling, including 1,- 

 190,400 not emitted (of the Varela loan) but re- 

 served to make a port at Buenos Ayres. 



The number of immigrants last'year was 29,000, 

 being nearly the same as the previous year, and more 

 thau the aggregate of arrivals from Europe in all the 

 other countries of South America. The colonization 

 and homestead law of 1876 is carried out in the most 

 generous manner, and we can boast of the following 

 colonies established since the passing of said law 

 Libertad (Entre-Rios), 672 inhabitants; Gen. Al- 

 vear (Entre-Rios), 850 ; Reconquista (Chaco), 1,200 : 

 Resistencia (Chaco), 500 ; Iriondo (Chaco), 214; San 

 Javier (Chaco). 169; Olabarria (Buenos Ayres), 305; 

 Caroya (Cordoba), 615; Santa Cruz (Patagonia), 47. 

 Moreover, the Welsh colony of Chubut has doubled. 

 Thanks to Senor Carlos Calvo's efforts in Europe, the 

 steamships allow us a reduction of 40 per cent, for 

 immigrants' passages. It is necessary to be more 

 liberal in providing funds for new colonies, as Mr. 

 JJillon's task is to imitate the homestead law of the 

 tnited States, and prevent the working classes from 

 crowding into towns. 



The republic joined the Be- no postal league on 

 1st. The Argentine postage stamp will now 



"known and respected from Japan to Greenland, 

 and thence to India and Polynesia. The post-of- 

 fice returns for the years 1873 and 1877 were as fol- 

 lows : Receipts-1873, $158,906 ; 1877, $273,801. The 

 latter figures show an increase of 70 per cent Ex- 

 penditures-isrs, $436,715; 1877, $328,804, showing 

 n decrease of 25 per cent. The telegraph returns for 

 SS? e ear8 ^ re: Recei Pts-1873, $55,273; 1877, 

 $79,812. Expenditures-1873, $171,172; 1877, $171,- 



' -r ep JT become C08tl y after five years' service. 

 In spite of the state of the public exchequer, we have 



Hit a new post-office, the handsomest of our public 

 buildings, and extended our telegraph lines to the 



For detailed statements of the nationnl 

 volumes of the 



for 



and schools are all in good working order aud ihe 

 number of scholars has increased. It will foe neces- 

 sary to resume the official inspection of schools all 

 over the country, and foster a spirit of learning in 

 each locality. The Minister's report shows that 

 there is a slight increase in the number of scholars ; 

 there are at present 6,900 students enrolled in the 

 national colleges and schools.* The Observatory at 

 Cordoba has now in print the " TJrauometria Argen- 

 tina," which is likely to prove the most valuable 

 scientific work of its kind ever published. The 

 Meteorological Department has published its first 

 volume, a work also due to the zeal of the Director 

 of the Observatory, and which is of vast scientific 

 importance, as it proves, what has long been sus- 

 pected, the relation between changes of temperature 

 and those in the spots on the sun's disk. Dr. Bur- 

 meister's great work on the physical geography of 

 the republic is also progressing. 



In May, 1877, the new frontier line was defended 

 by a ditch 20 leagues long, and several forts. The 

 ditch is now 80 leagues long, aud there are 423 kilo- 

 metres of telegraph, uniting Paun and Trenquelan- 

 quen. Along the new line have been built 150 

 brick houses, 200 ranchos. two hospitals, and seven 

 schools, attended by 200 children ; 400,000 trees have 

 been planted along the line ; 1,600 national guards 

 have been released from service, and there are now 

 only 200 national guards on the frontier, who will 

 also be sent home immediately. 



Recent expeditions against the Indians have been 

 successful, the savages surrendering, since they can 

 no longer make raids as before. 



Messrs. Senators and Deputies, there is a vacant 

 seat here to-day. It is my sad duty to announce of- 

 ficially the death of Dr. Adolfo Alsina, the late Min- 

 ister of War. He died in harness, and on his death- 

 bed drew the plan for Colonel Levalle's victorious 

 expedition. The Argentine people and Govern- 

 ment have paid well-deserved honors to his memory. 

 The present Minister of War will continue the work 

 of his predecessor. Fresh efforts are necessary. We 

 can not reduce the army till we push on to a frontier 

 that can be defended by 3,000 men. 



An act was passed last year for a station at C6r- 

 doba, to join tne Central aud Tucuman Railways, 

 and the work is in progress. The Primer Entre- 

 Riano line is now Government property, and although 

 it is short it will do good service. The most impor- 

 tant item, however, is the contract for the construc- 

 tion of the Transandine Railway. The \\orks will 

 begin in 1879 ? and be finished in five years. 



The republic will be represented at the Paris Ex- 

 hibition quite as well as it was at Philadelphia, yet 

 we have not exceeded the small sum voted for the 

 purpose. 



The National Bank has been reorganized. I must 

 repeat what I said last year of the" necessity for n 

 uniform currency throughout the country. Mints 

 would cost too much to establish here, but we can 

 get monev coined for us abroad. It is impossible to 

 carry on business with such a fluctuating coin as the 

 Bolivian ; and Bolivian notes must be got rid of for 

 ever. 



Our relations with all countries are friendly. You 

 will hear with pleasure that protocols of a treaty put- 

 ting an end to the long and vexed questions with 

 Chili have been signed and approved by both Gov- 

 ernments ; they will be laid before you at once. The 

 questions at issue will be ^left to arbitration. If the 

 Congresses of both countries approve the treaty, my 

 promise on assuming office will be fulfilled. Drs. 

 Tejedor and Elizalde merit public gratitude for their 

 parts in this negotiation. 



We have concluded an extradition treaty with 

 Uruguay, and a protocol about river navigation. 

 Ratifications of the treaty with Paraguay have been 

 exchanged, and a treaty of extradition with France 



* See "Annual Cyclopedia" for 1877, p. 88. 



