CONTESTED BEAZILO-AEGENTINE FEONTIEES. 



201 



Since the middle of the nineteenth century railway engineers and other surveyors 

 have traversed the country in all directions, but their itineraries, prepared for 

 special purposes, have contributed little to a general knowledge of the land and of 

 its vast agricultural resources. 



S. Paulo represents nearly one-half of the whole region in extent, and its 

 population is greatly superior to that of the two other States together.* Santa 

 Catharina, smallest of the three, threatens to be still further reduced by the loss 



Fig. 83.— Contested Brazilo- Argentine Territory. 

 Scale 1 : 3,000,000. 



Territories claimed by Argentina. 



Territory originally 

 claimed. 



Territory added 

 to the first claim. 



60 Miles. 



of the south-western district, which is the territory claimed from Brazil by 

 Argentina. This debatable land remains unsettled and almost abandoned since 

 the Spanish-speaking settlers are advancing into the interior by the route of the 

 lower Parana, and the Portuguese by that of the seaboard. 



After the first treaty of 1750, a mixed commission was appointed to fix the 

 common frontier ; but its work was never finished, and in 1777 it was decided 

 by the treaty of S. Ilrlefnnso that the boundary should follow the waterparting 



* Area of S. Paulo : 112,000 square milps ; of Parana and Santa Catharina, 11",000 square miles; 

 respectiA?e populations, 1,386,000 and 423,000. 



