A GLIMPSE OF BUENOS AYRES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 45, 8 November 1890, Page 2

A GLIMPSE OF BUENOS AYRES.

HE Argentine Republic, or Spanish America, contains fourteen provinces and sight territories on the east coast of South America. The capital, Buenos Ayres, is on the right bank of the Rio de la Plata, 150 miles from the sea, with a port town known as * The Boca,’ where a vast amount of shipping takes place. The river is so wide at this point that it is quite impossible with the naked eye to see the opposite bank, but in many parts it is so snallow that ships drawing fifteen or sixteen . feet of water have to lay out seven or eight miles from the shore. This is a country presenting matters of considerable interest. The principal articles of export are wool, hides, tallow, maize, wheat, flax, and frozen and salted meat, the former being one of the chief exports to Europe. Unfortunately for the country, its statesmen have gone ahead too fast, the result being that there is little or nothing more than paper currency, although the Argentine sovereign and silver coins are to be met with. The main speculation on the ‘ Bolsa,’ or Stock Exchange, is gold—that is specie, the consequence being that it is almost impossible to know the absolute value of a sovereign from day to day. I have known an English sovereign to be wortli 86 in one month, and three months afterwards 811 (the intrinsic value of a South American dollar is 2s 8d), so that business houses have at all times a considerable difficulty in calculating their prices. The city itself, which has a population of considerably over 300,000, is built on a scale similar to Paris, forming squares. A stranger is struck with the clean appearance of the houses, and air of independence of the inhabitants. The buildings are nearly all stone, and the display of goods in the shops are similar to those seen in large continental cities, ritore particularly the jewellers, which are equal to those seen in Paris. In Spanish houses chimneys are unknown ; they use the * brazero ’ for heating purposes. Of Sublic buildings may be seen Government House, the resience of the President, the * Catildo,’ or Courts of Justice, with the Cathedral, which is surmounted by a very handsome dome forming nearly two sides of the Plaza Victoria (called after the victory over the English in 1807), the finest square in Buenos Ayres, not forgetting the lovely spot known as the Palermo Park, adjoining the Zoological Gardens, which has a drive of over a mile in length, all lit up with the electric light on either side, and on Sundays you will see as many carriages in proportion as turn out in Hyde Park, London, during the season. Very interesting sights are the Carnival, held periodically, as in Rome, and the Battle of Flowers, as in Nice, at which H.R.H. Albert Edward is accustomed to assist. The Spaniards are passionately fond of music, a taste which they inherit from their forefathers, and Adelina Patti has on two occasions within eighteen months visited Buenos Ayres, and in a few weeks taken away with her between twenty and thirty thousand pounds. I may mention that smoking is a most universal habit, and in all the banks and offices, etc.. the employes are accustomed to smoke the whole day, as in all public vehicles, trams, etc. There are two splendid race-courses, and plenty of sport of all kinds. The Duke of Westminster’s horse, Ormonde, arrived ashorttimeago, thepricepaidbeing£2o,ooo. Infact, gam blingis indulged in toagreat extent,even down to thesmall office boy, who goes to the races, which always take place on Sundays, puts his money on a horse, smokes his cigar with the dignity of a man of mature years, and dresses accordingly. The natives are rich, and consequently live in great luxury ; they seldom walk anywhere. Business men, especially the brokers, all keep their carriages. They go out first thing in the morning, and retain them the whole day. The ladies, who are beautiful to look upon, and marriageable at the age of twelve, invariably wear the Spanish mantilla and not bonnets, always shop in the same way, but never go out alone in the daytime, and at night you never see a female in the streets of any description. There is no capital punishment ; the consequence is everyone more or less carries a revolver or dagger, the punishment for murder being two years in the army. Drunkenness is a thing comparatively unknown except amongst the English section, who are consequently not much thought of by the other classes of society. The principal inhabitants are Spaniards and Italians, the English-speaking races being quite in the minority. The language of the country is Spanisn, which is not difficult to acquire. At the present time there are millions of money being spent upon public improvementsunderthesupervision of English contractors, and the rail ways in workingorder, principally English capital, extend over 5,000 miles. It is one of the finest countries in the world for enterprise, although Brazilian affairs have seriously interfered with its progress of late. Immigration is being greatly encouraged, but 70 per cent, is Italian. For English artizans of all kinds there is a great opening, and immediate employment is easily obtainable. Capitalists would do well to take a trip, and they would be surprised at the openings which present themselves. John C. Porter. Lake. Takapuna.