- 12 



COINCIDENCE OF 



THE TIME DURING 



WHICH THE RIVER 



IS LOW WITH 



PORTA TION OF 

 THE HARVEST. 



IMPORTANCE OF 



TRAFFIC IN THE 



ARGENTINE 



PORTS. 



RESUME. 



As can be seen from the diagrams of the height of the 



water, the periods of the lowest rivers occur precisely at 



the time of the exportation of the harvest. The losses 



that of the ex su ff ere ci by commerce and navigation, specially by the 



coastwise, are in some cases enormous. 



The amount of the yearly traffic of the argentine ports 

 on the river Uruguay is estimated to be 350.000 tons and 

 This amount would increase if the condition of navigation 

 were improved, for many of The cargoes, which before 

 went to Concordia in transit with destination to Brazil 

 and which are now sent directly by rail from Montevi- 

 deo or Paysanchi to the mentioned Republic ( which will 

 occur on a yet larger scale once the port of Montevi- 

 deo is finished) would in such case again take the high- 

 way of the river. 



Condensing the proceeding antecedents it will be seen 

 That the slope of the river is insensible as the high 

 Tides are propagated as far as the port of Concordia, 

 which, without this circumstance would not be accessible 

 during about four months of the year but for vessels 

 drawing one metre. 



For the same reason the fear disappears which might 

 exist respecting the possibility that the level of the re- 

 tained water upstream of the different bars will be lowered 

 to a sensible degree after their canalization. 



The only great slope is that of the Corralito bar, but 

 as we will see further on, when this bar will be con- 

 sidered in detail, the work To be carried out is specially 

 one of rectification, the increase of section which will be 

 given to the river at this place being depreciable. 



Uu the other hand, the fact that the retained water 

 above this bar might lower a few centimetres, will do 

 no injury to Tie- Port of Concordia, where there are no 

 works and in fronl of which there is. a depth which is 

 at some places as much as 25 meters. 



Entering now into the description of each section of 

 tin- river Uruguay, the difficulties i1 presents to naviga- 

 tion, and the manner in which they may be remedied, 

 will In- studied. 



