is — %r 



of more stringent sanitary measures in dealing with Italian immigrants has 

 been removed, after lasting for a year, by a sanitary convention which 

 takes into account the rights of both countries. The Republic, which has 

 suffered severely from the lack of Italian labour, will now be in a position 

 to secure such labour in time for the new harvest. Argentina has now 

 been able to form a true estimate of the high value of Italian immigration, 

 which ranks as one of the principal factors of the development and wealth 

 of her territories, and to recognise that the cultivation of friendly relations 

 with a nation which is able to supply labourers in such numbers and of 

 such useful calibre is of the highest possible importance. 



The most recently published annual statistics of Argentina reveal the 

 extent to which German exports to that country have increased within 

 recent years. According to these statistics the value of imports (in millions 

 of pesos) from the leading foreign countries was as follows: — . 



1909 1910 



from the United Kingdom . . . 99,20 109,38 



„ Germany 44,56 61,13 



„ the United States .... 43,07 48,42 



„ France 30,80 33,65 



Italy 26,87 31,78 



It will se been from the above that the increase of imports from 

 Germany (16,57 million pesos) has been far greater than that from any 

 other country. Within the last thirty years Germany has mounted in the 

 scale of importers into Argentine from the fifth to the second place, 

 whereas France has receded from the second place to the fourth. Further, 

 whereas in German exports to South America the Argentine so recently 

 as 1895 occupied the third place, ranking behind Brazil and Chile, she 

 now holds unchallenged the premier position. 



In Chile business in our manufactures increases perceptibly year by 

 year. In this country, which imports heavy quantities of merchandise, 

 local manufactures in the soap- and perfumery -branches are constantly 

 acquiring greater importance, although very considerable quantities of 

 European manufactured goods are still marketed. The development of 

 the local industry is worthy of special recognition when the difficulties 

 which confront the manufacturers there are taken into consideration, 

 inasmuch as practically all the raw materials required by the Chilian 

 industry have to be brought from Europe. This year, moreover, an 

 altogether unforeseen event, namely the interruption of the land-route 

 over the Andes, has rendered business still more difficult. On this occasion 

 it became evident that the Transandine railway is absolutely unequal to 

 its duties and claims. For a month and a half, as a result of snow-drifts, 

 # Chile remained without any postal communication from Europe. High 

 hopes are now entertained of the impending opening of the Panama Canal, 

 which is to bring Chile a little nearer to the Old World. As a result of 



