RIVER AND RAILWAY 233 



service of boats on the Parana, and in this way it 

 kept up a traffic in goods consigned to stations on 

 the Central Argentine, to be transferred at Rosario. 

 These combinations of railway and river service dis- 

 appeared when the line from Buenos Aires to Rosario 

 was finished. 



In regard to export traffic the railways have not 

 attempted to compete with the river anywhere where 

 it is open to maritime navigation ; they have merely 

 been concerned to connect with it. On the other 

 hand, the railway and the river are rivals for the 

 home traffic and the traffic of the upper districts which 

 sea-going boats do not reach. Before the time of the 

 railways the river had taken all the goods traffic, but 

 had tolerated on its left bank a post-road between 

 Santa Fe, Corrientes and Asuncion. The railway 

 still has the advantage over the river in regard to 

 speed (in carrying passengers between Rosario and 

 Buenos Aires, and live cattle from the Chaco and the 

 Paraguay for Buenos Aires or the salting works of 

 the lower Uruguay). Even in regard to certain kinds 

 of heavy goods — quebracho timber — the river has not 

 secured a monopoly, and there is a good deal of 

 transport by rail. 



