ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



33 



In the following table is given the number provinces, and the attendance thereat during 

 of schools, public and private, in the fourteen the year 1875 : * 



Concerning the number and general charac- 

 ter of the newspapers and other periodicals 

 published in Buenos Ayres, we reproduce the 

 following brief report from the Argentine 

 official publication already referred to : 



The liberty of the press is an old acquisition 

 among us, although it is much less abused than in 

 other states in the same condition. Extravagances 

 naturally take place here also, as certainly no one 

 will imagine that our press would keep itself within 

 the limits prescribed in other countries by the at- 

 torney-general or the prejudices of shop-keepers. 

 But it would be easy to prove that our journals are 

 generally well-conducted in this respect, and sustain 

 n good comparison with those of other countries 

 where the same liberty is enjoyed. 



Aside from the political newspapers which abound 

 particularly in the capital, and of the largest size 

 there is also a number of scientific periodicals ? which 

 naturally struggle here against many difficulties, but 

 whose efforts on that very account are only the more 

 meritorious. We also have newspapers in foreign 

 languages at present, two in English, four in Ger- 

 man, one French, and two Italian. The foreigners, 

 whose organs these newspapers are, also support 

 societies of charity and social enjoyment, which 

 nourish alongside of similar establishments of the 

 same kind founded and sustained by Argentine 

 citizens ; for charity is a virtue fully generalized in 

 this beautiful and wealthy country. 



Concerning the present condition of com- 

 merce in the Argentine Republic, but little can 

 here be added to what may naturally be in- 

 ferred from the remarks on finance. There 

 are, however, some statistical details of an 

 eminently valuable character, and which we 

 shall endeavor to set forth in as concise a form 

 as possible. 



It is first of all necessary to make two im- 

 portant observations in regard to the tables 

 given below, namely : that the countries 

 named therein are always those of entry or 

 clearance, though they are, in some instances, 



* For a detailed statement of educational matters in the 

 Republic, see the AOTJUAL CYCLOP JBDIA for 1874 and 1875. 



VOL. xvn. 3 A 



by no means the source of production. For 

 example, no inconsiderable proportion of the 

 merchandise credited to France and England 

 in the table of imports was sent to the various 

 ports of these countries for shipment to the 

 River Plate by countries having no direct 

 shipping communication with South America, 

 and conversely in the matter of exports. Some 

 countries, as Switzerland, for instance, receive 

 Argentine commodities in large quantities, but 

 indirectly, and consequently their names do 

 not appear in the tables at all. Belgium also 

 figures in the first place among the purchasers 

 of Argentine produce; but it would be a mis- 

 take to believe that she takes such . a great 

 quantity for her own consumption ; on the 

 contrary, a large portion of it passes to Ger- 

 many and to other North-European countries. 

 Again, a great many loaded vessels are cleared 

 for England, and nevertheless only touch in 

 the Channel for orders that is, to learn their 

 final destination ; in this way the owner is 

 able to send his cargo to a market where the 

 prices or other circumstances may be more 

 favorable to his interests. Yet this produce 

 appears in custom-house registers as exported 

 to England ; while, in reality, it is rarely in- 

 troduced into that country, but generally 

 figures among the imports of another one. 

 Thus, it is easy to understand that the books 

 of the Argentine Custom-House, and those of 

 countries in commercial relations with us, 

 cannot always agree on the head either of ex- 

 ports or imports. 



Our tables show quite large importations 

 from Uruguay ; but, at the same time, it is re- 

 marked that these almost exclusively consist of 

 foreign articles. This is explained by the fact 

 that many of the large commercial houses of 

 Buenos Ayres have their branches at Monte- 

 video, for the purpose, according to their con- 

 venience, of supplying both markets. On the 



