SOCIAL CONDITION OF AEGENTINA. 



473 



The telegraph system has been developed even at a more rapid rate than the 

 railways, while the postal service stands on nearly the same level of eificiency as 

 that of most commercial European nations. But the correspondence consists 

 largely of business letters, iu which foreigners take a relatively larger share than 

 the natives. About half of the whole correspondence is centred in Buenos Ay res, 

 and the proportion was even higher some years ago. 



Public instruction, despite considerable progress during the last decade, is 



Fisr. 186. — Geneeal View of La Plata. 



still far from embracing nil the youth of the country. About three- fouribs of the 

 schools and teachers belong to the State system of education. But tbe financial 

 disasters which have occurred since 1890 have involved tbe closing of numerous 

 establishments, and in several provinces the teachers have been discharged by 

 the dozen.* The rate of attendance has been proportionately reduced from one- 



* In Auffixst, ] 894, as many as 330 public schools in every part of the Republic had to be closed for 

 want of funds to maintain them. 



