URUGUAY.

The Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, as the smallest of the South American republics officially designates itself, instead of being also the least interesting, is in many respects one of the most progressive. Bounded on the north and partly on the east by Brazil, farther on the east and on the south by the Atlantic, and on the west by the estuary of La Plata and the Uruguay River, which divide it from the Argentine Republic, it is nearly inclosed on three sides by navigable waters as well as intersected by numerous navigable streams. Of its total frontier of 1,074 miles 200 is upon the Atlantic, 155 upon the La Plata, and in a direct line 270 upon the Uruguay, making 625 in all.

Uruguay was upon its first settlement a part of the viceroyalty of which Buenos Ayres was the capital, but subsequently became a province of Brazil, and so remained until on the 25th of August, 1825, it adopted a declaration of independence, which was given full effect by a treaty of August 27, 1828. A republican constitution was sworn July 18, 1830, by the provisions of which the Government is divided into the three usual branches. The President is elected for a term of four years, and is ineligible for the succeeding four years. The national legislature consists of a senate and chamber of deputies, which meet in annual session extending from February 15 to July 15; but in the interval two senators and five deputies are instrusted with legislative powers. Senators, one for each of the nineteen departments, are chosen by an electoral college for terms of six years, the colleges being elected by the people. One-third of the senators retire every two years. Depu ties are elected for a term of three years, one to every 3,000 adult male inhabitants who can read and write, there being a total of 53 such representatives. The vice-president, elected for four years, presides in the senate. The judiciary system is similar to that of other South American countries, based upon that of the United States.

AREA AND POPULATION.

Uruguay extends from a little above 30° south latitude to about 35° south, or 346 miles north and south; and from longitude 53° to 58° 30′ west, or about 290 miles from east to west, corresponding in position, relative to the equator and to a warm ocean current, to the State of Georgia, and having a similar climate as to temperature. Its area as given in the Statistical Annual of Uruguay is 186,920 square kilometers, or 72,170 square miles (English), about 2,000 square miles less than

that of the State of Washington. The estimated area of each department, with its estimated population, in the above-named government publication for 1889, with the names of the several departmental capitals, are given in the following table, viz:

The latest census of the province of Montevideo, November 18, 1889, showed a population of 214,682, of which 100,104 were foreigners, the balance mostly of mixed Spanish and Indian blood, and four-fifths lived in the city of Montevideo. The province of Artigas has less than 3 inhabitants to the square mile, while that of Montevideo has, taking the last census number for a guide, 838.6; and nearly or quite half of the population is contained in three of the nineteen provinces. Increase by immigration, for which effort is made, has been considerable during the last few years, both Uruguay and Paraguay profiting in this respect from the Argentine reverses.

PUBLIC FINANCES AND NATIONAL WEALTH.

Uruguay publishes annually what appear to be very complete statistics of the national funds and of the productive capital in the hands of private parties throughout the country. Relative to the former, the principal revenue accrues from customs duties, about one-third being derived from direct taxes, licenses, stamped paper, and stamps. For 1889 the revenue is stated in the Hand Book of the American Republics to have been $15,690,294, the expenditures $15,811,308, and the public debt on January 1, 1890, $81,279,752. Although import duties are high, they are so far below those of Brazil that large quantities of goods are said to enter that country through Uruguay, paying duties only to the latter.

By the customs law of 1888, in force in 1890, "all foreign merchandise imported for consumption" paid a duty of 31 per cent ad valorem,

except arms, powder, hams, meat, butter, cheese, etc., which paid 51 per cent; hats, clothes, shoes, furniture, carriages, etc., which paid 48, and various food preparations 44 per cent.

in

From statements relative to the payment of direct taxes in 1887, the Statistical Annual and as given by Child in his work herein referred to, 54,761 proprietors represented $272,529,674 of property, gold value, 51.34 per cent of these capitalists being foreigners and the balance natives. Of the former class Italians lead iu number, followed in order by Spaniards, Brazilians, French, Argentines, English, Germans, Swiss, Portuguese, etc. Brazilians have the largest capital, $50,823,238, while the French represent $16,000,000, the English $8,000,000, and the Germans $3,000,000.

MENTAL AND RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

Primary school instruction is obligatory in Uruguay upon children from 6 to 14 years old, and provision is made for this in about 400 public and the same number of private schools, with over 1,400 teachers. There are, for higher education, numerous academical institutions, religious seminaries, a few colleges, and a university at Montevideo having 60 professors and nearly 700 students, besides a normal school for girls, and a technical school upon a military plan for orphan boys over 14 years old. There are also a national library and national museum, and about a hundred newspapers and periodicals. The state religion is Roman Catholic, but there are several Protestant churches tolerated.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

Little can be said in favor of the common highways of Uruguay, upon which "the jolting diligence maintains an undisputed reign over a greater part of the territory; roads are wanting." "As in the Argentine, the railways already made, in making, or to be made, are practically the monopoly of English capital."* The most of the lines are owned by the Central Uruguay Company, and are in regular operation, or, in the case of the three last named below, to be completed in 1892. The length of the lines and their terminal cities are as follow:

The main lines of these roads connect the western parts of the country with Montevideo, Brazil, and important points on the Uruguay and

* Child's Spanish American Republics.

La Plata rivers. Another line about 45 miles long, likely to be built, would place the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul in direct communication with Montevideo, toward which its business sympathies at least extend.

Through the improved port of Montevideo, and some others, Uruguay has connection with many lines of foreign steamers, and there is all necessary steam service upon the La Plata and far up the Uruguay, as there is to some extent upon tributary streams.

The telegraph lines in operation in 1889 had a length of 2,422 miles, besides a submarine cable of 173 miles. The mails carried nearly six million letters and packets, over fifty-six thousand postal cards, and over fourteen million pieces of printed matter and samples during 1888.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

Relative to the general appearance of the country, away from the principal river, Mr. Child states as follows, after personal inspection in 1890: The physical aspect presents a strong contrast with the flat, treeless, and often arid pampas of the Argentine; the Banda Oriental abounds in wood, water, and hills; from end to end the undulation is continuous, and in some departments, for instance Minas, one might almost imagine one's self in Switzerland, so fine does the hill and mountain scenery become. The hill chains are numerous, and spread ove the whole country, forming countless streams, rivers, and lakes. There are also many isolated hills, like the Cerro of Montevideo. The greatest height of the mountains, if they may be so called, is 500 meters (1,640 feet), attained by the Cuchilla Grande, and a little less for other chains of mountains.

*

*

As to the appearance of the country along the principal rivers, the same observer states:

The important rivers number seventeen, of which the chief are the Plata, the Uruguay, and the Rio Negro, the last of which runs through the center of the territory. The Uruguay River is navigable as far as Paysandú for ocean-going ships, and as far as Salto for coasters and for the passenger steamers of light draft of the Platense Company. The scenery of the Uruguay resembles that of the Paraná, being in some places perhaps a little bolder and more picturesque, but in general the aspect of the banks, of the bluffs, and of the towns offers nothing strikingly different from what may be seen on the Paraná between Martin Garcia and Corrientes. The watershed of the Rio Negro covers nearly three-fourths of the Republic, and the soft scenery of its banks is characteristic of large sections of the country.

Situated in the temperate and close to the tropical region, with its eastern and southern parts exposed to the continual influence of a portion of the great equatorial current, Uruguay, with its fertile soils. similar to those of Paraguay and its equable temperature, has the possi bilities of producing in much perfection most of the crops and fruits of both a temperate and subtropical climate. Agriculture has been developed, however, only in the provinces of Montevideo, Canelones, and Colonia, its progress in the interior not being notable. The three provinces named are the most populous in the country, but their united area is considerable less in extent than that of the State of Connecticut.

The remaining seventeen-eighteenths, larger in extent than the State of Missouri, is mostly in a primitive condition, except as modified by the prevalent industry of cattle-raising.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.

Having usually neither extreme heat nor cold, nor an excessive annual rainfall, Uruguay has a climate favorable to health and to outdoor industry, superior to that of any other country of South America, as a whole. The following table, compiled from the Statistical Annual of Uruguay for 1887, exhibits the climatic conditions at Montevideo for several years:

Season temperatures and rainfall at Montevideo for six years ending with the year 1886.

*Not stated. These observations were taken by the Society of Sciences and Arts. Dr. Martin de Moussy observed the temperature, rainfall, and winds at Montevideo from 1843 to 1852, and states that only once in that time the themometer showed 41° C. (105.8° F.), which was in January, 1847. From October to April are the hot months, and from May to September the winter ones. These are practically the only seasons, which may be called winter and summer. "Of the climate no evil can be spoken," is Mr. Child's final testimony.

FIELD AND FARM PRODUCTS.

Notwithstanding the adaptation of the most of Uruguay, with and without irrigation, to the usual farm products of a temperate climate and alluvial soil, there is little to record concerning cultivated crops except