Stations, as they are generally a pretty good index of what is
behind them, and I found the Great Southern far in advance of all
the others as regards provision for the traffic it has to carry on.
The money which has been spent in shed accommodation was only an
absolute necessity, and is of that practical character which quite
meets the case. The single-roofed shed into which the wool is
discharged from the railway trucks on one side, and taken out from
the other, is most convenient, and to look at the sheds, which are
divided into compartments, and all numbered, you might fancy
yourself at one of the warehouses of the London Docks, with which
you are familiar. The booking offices, refreshment rooms, &c.,
occupy the centre of the station, with the platform in front for
passengers; the warehouses occupying the two wings. There is also a
goods receiving shed, with stabling for horses used on the tramway.
The only thing I see in the distance is that more station room will
be required. Leaving the station by a double line of rails, you soon
cross the handsome bridge over the Riachuelo and arrive at Barracas
station, situated near the centre of a large population, and
connected with the Boca, where a large portion of the business of
the port of Buenos Ayres is carried on, the place being studded with
saladeros and large warehouses, where the produce of the country is
deposited, a great drawback being the abominable stench arising from
dead carcasses and offal strewed about, and nests of piggeries which
are allowed to locate spite of all municipal regulations to the
contrary. After leaving Barracas the line strikes at once into the
campo, or open country, the first ten or fifteen miles being studded
with quintas or farms, and establishments of one kind or other, when
you reach the great plains covered with sheep, cattle, and horses,
and at this time the pastures look green and healthy, though at the
same time they could do with rain. The line is nearly a dead level
with few curves, the stations well built and commodious, and of a
very durable nature, easily added to if required; in fact, I do not
see how a railway in this country could be better adapted for its
work; the rails, permanent way, as well as the rolling stock, all
appear to be in good order. Although the line may be said to
traverse a sea of land, and does not pass close to any town of
importance until it reaches Chascomus, there were many more
estancias (farms) in the distance than I expected to find. We saw
Mr. Glew and Mr. Donsellear (after whom two stations are called) in
_propria persona_. The Somborambon bridge, crossing a river of that
name, is a fine work, and at the Chascomus station are evident signs
of considerable traffic, with machinery for hoisting the bullock
carts on to the railway trucks after their wheels are taken off, and
the cart with its contents (wheels included,) brought into Buenos
Ayres. Chascomus itself is a large straggling town, situated close
to a picturesque lake, on the banks of which Mr. Crawford (agent for
Messrs. Peto and Betts during the construction of the line) built
himself a large comfortable house, now converted into an hotel, at
which we enjoyed a very good dinner. During the career of Rozas
Chascomus was a military station, and many people from the
neighbouring districts came to spend some months of the year at the
town, but its glory in this way has departed, and it does not look
like a very go-a-head place at present. On the whole I returned much
impressed with the soundness of the undertaking and the favourable
prospect before it.
The Northern Railway, originally called the San Fernando, has been very
unfortunate from its birth, arising in a great measure from its being
made on a strip of land adjoining the river, where it was subject to
inundations in consequence of sea storms. Had it been carried over the
bank, within a few hundred yards to the left, it would have been
entirely out of the reach of such casualties, an instance of which
occurred a few days before I left Buenos Ayres, when a portion of the
earthworks was again washed away. Soon after my arrival out I made a
trip over the line, accompanied by Mr. Crabtree, the new manager, Mr.
Ford, locomotive superintendent and engineer, Mr. Santa Maria,
consulting local director, and Mr. Horrocks, the traffic manager. The
station at the Retiro is a plain, modest building, which answers the
purpose well enough, though rather open and exposed. The locomotives and
carriages are in limited number, but sufficient apparently for existing
wants, as the large American carriages hold many passengers. A tramway
from the most central point in the city, passing along the beach,
carries the passengers to and from the station in a much more convenient
manner than to any of the other railways, and there can be little doubt
that if the line could be rendered safe from the encroachments of the
river on the occasion of great storms, fortunately “few and far
between,” it would be a very prosperous enterprise, as it affords
accommodation for the most populous suburb of the city. It also touches
a branch of the river where a large portion of the steam traffic is
likely to be concentrated. I found the rails in tolerable order, and
altogether more life in the concern than I had expected, considering the
drawbacks, financial and otherwise, with which it has had to contend.
The first station is Palermo, the old paradise of Rozas, but which is
now allowed to go to ruin and decay, the beach from the Retiro to
Palermo being almost entirely monopolised by what has been termed “an
army of washerwomen.” The next station is Belgrano, where Mr. Matti, the
great steamboat agent, has a most fantastic quinta, glittering in green
and yellow colours, but of what style of architecture it would be
difficult to determine; nevertheless it is a pretty place, and evidently
no expense is spared to keep it in order. It is, however, too close to
the railway. Directly opposite is the hotel of Mr. Watson, where I can
testify to a first rate dinner being provided for those who want a
little relief from the closeness and monotony of the city. After
Belgrano comes San Isidro, near which are also many handsome quintas.
There are two or three other stations before arriving at San Fernando,
about which there is a large, scattered population. Here a new branch is
being made to the Parana, by a small company of which Mr. Hopkins is the
head; the intention being to build a new wharf and some warehouses
there; but I question whether the enterprise will ever arrive at
maturity, as the most natural point for the construction of such works
is undoubtedly the mouth of the Rio Tigre, on the Lujan River, as I have
previously observed. At the latter place we found some dozen steamers,
chiefly of large size, lying moored alongside the banks where there is
deep water. At the Tigre station is a good restaurant, kept by a
Frenchman, who provided us with a comfortable breakfast, and after two
or three hours spent in a boat looking about the river, and rambling
over the neighbourhood, we returned to Buenos Ayres much pleased with
our trip.
The Boca Railway is a small line, made to connect the city with the
important districts of the Boca and Barracas. It was laid on the beach,
and is not unfrequently partially washed away by the river storms. The
Boca is quite a little port on the banks of the Riachuelo, where
lighters discharge and load, and where small craft are also built.
Amongst other establishments there is that of the Messrs. Casares, the
largest lightermen in the place, which is at all times very busy and
generally crowded. A branch of the railway goes on towards Barracas,
where an old wooden bridge crosses the stream, rendered exceedingly
filthy by the refuse of the saladeros finding its way into the water.
The effluvia arising from this cause are of a very offensive nature.
Attempts, however, are being made to cleanse and deepen this valuable
river, but the slow pace at which improvements are carried on here will
probably postpone the event to a future generation. Most of the houses
about the Boca are of wood, and are built on piles to avoid danger from
floods, but there are also many large stone edifices in which produce is
stored. A few days before I left a river storm laid nearly the whole
locality under water, destroying a portion of the railway, and of course
stopping the traffic. The replacing of the rails is not, I understand, a
very formidable undertaking. The whole line, which is only three or four
miles in length, including the branch to Barracas, ought to have been
built on piles or led through an iron viaduct, so as to be out of the
reach of the floods; and under existing circumstances, not to speak of
the cost of repairing the permanent way, the traffic is interrupted at
the very time it would be of the greatest utility. The original plan,
and that for which the concession was obtained, was to connect the Boca
and Barracas with the city, running a branch to Ensenada, where it was
proposed to form a new port; but this part of the scheme is still in
embryo. Where the line is really of utility and would carry a large
traffic is from the Custom-house to the Boca, and across the bridge
higher up to Barracas, where the Government are making a large swing
iron bridge to replace the old dilapidated wooden one now in use. An
iron viaduct is about being laid to connect the Boca Railway with the
Custom-house. If properly constructed the Boca Railway would command the
whole traffic of this district, and direct communication might be
established with the Northern and Southern Railways; but a large
additional capital is required before this scheme can be realised. The
bulk of the Boca traffic is carried on by carts, under great
disadvantages and at a heavy expense; and it is a painful sight to see
the poor horses struggling through the mud, or toiling under the lash up
the steep, miserably paved streets which connect the beach with the
warehouses and depôts at the southern end of the city. In fact
everything in the way of locomotion is carried on under great
difficulties, and the detention of shipping in the outer roads is a
serious matter. When the river is low, the beach is covered with carts
galloping backwards and forwards, bringing cargo from the lighters or
taking produce to them—the horses up to their girths in water and
sometimes swimming. Many of the carts have a hollow bottom made water
tight to prevent damage to the goods; and at times, when there is not
water for boats to the mole, passengers have still to embark or
disembark in carts, as was the case when I last visited Buenos Ayres.
Both this mole and that to the Custom-house, for which the latter is
exclusively used, have been built since that time; but to show the great
want of accommodation which still exists to carry on the trade of the
port, there are upwards of 300 custom-house depôts in different parts of
the city besides the Custom-house itself, and at the north end a large
market is being converted into a depôt; in fact the trade of the port
has entirely outgrown the facilities for its reception, the whole, as at
Monte Video, being in a great state of confusion.
On the subject of railways generally in the Argentine Confederation
there cannot be a second opinion that it is through their
instrumentality the future development of the country must be looked
for; and it is to the credit of General Mitre that so much has been done
during his presidency, especially the great work of the Central
Argentine Railway, which more than any other measure must tend to link
together the provinces of the Confederation and strengthen their union.
So soon as the line is open to Cordova the communication with the
western provinces will be speedy, and produce will find its way to that
city as a central point, thence to be brought down to Rosario, Buenos
Ayres, or Monte Video, comparatively at great saving of time and
expense. At present the cost of transit absorbs a large part of the
total value, the effect of which has been to discourage any notable
increase of production beyond the necessities of local consumption. The
railway will in addition afford a more easy mode of locomotion, and will
greatly promote intercourse, while emigrants can be at once conveyed to
distant places where their services are required. On every ground,
therefore, the promotion and extension of railways is the first duty of
President Mitre's successor, and it is to be hoped Senor Sarmiento will
not be remiss in this respect. At all events, the way has been paved and
a good example set. The only other railway to notice, and which I had
not an opportunity of seeing, is a small one from Puerto Raiz, on the
Parana, to Galaguay, a distance of about six miles, which was
constructed by Mr. Coghlan for a sum of £20,000, or about £3,380 per
mile. I believe it is very useful and returns a fair percentage on the
outlay.
EMIGRATION TO BRAZIL.
Both the Government and the people of Brazil feel the necessity and the
value of promoting immigration to the fullest extent. Experiments have
been tried, and small colonies of Europeans founded in some of the
southern provinces, all of which have been more or less successful.
In my account of the Province of San Paulo I have alluded to the
settlement of Germans on the coffee plantations of Senhor Vergueiro, and
to the desire of other large owners of property to follow his example. I
also instanced the case of a little colony of Germans at Juiz de Fora,
in the Province of Rio de Janeiro, which I had an opportunity of seeing,
and there are besides in the same province other colonies on a larger
scale. Various efforts have been made by individuals in other parts of
the Empire to introduce foreign labour.
Slave labour is of course an impediment to the more general influx of
Europeans, but where lands are set apart and arrangements made for the
location of colonists there is no reason why the latter should not
succeed, and form the nucleus of a large future population. The
assistance and pecuniary co-operation of Government is of course
required to effect any decided progress in this direction; and
considering that every labourer brought into the country contributes to
the national revenue, as well as to national production, the primary
expense of passage money is soon repaid.
Many of the high table-lands of Brazil are admirably adapted to
agricultural purposes, the climate, owing to elevation, being also
favourable to European settlement. Enormous tracts of such land are at
the disposal of the Executive, but it needs some outlay in order to
prepare the way for emigrants, as they cannot be expected to pioneer as
in the case of the United States, on account of their ignorance of the
language and the difficulty of access from the port of debarkation.
The time is fast approaching when slavery must cease to exist in Brazil;
and it behoves the Government to anticipate this event by the
introduction of free labour. It is morally certain that the negroes,
even if they settle down under their new condition, will not labour so
constantly as when in a state of servitude. The Government ought,
therefore, I repeat, to adapt itself to the exigences of its position,
and encourage by every means the accession of European agricultural
labourers of a suitable class. Large landowners, whose estates are now
only partially worked, might devote a portion of them for new comers,
and, in connection with the Central and Provincial Governments, attain
the desired end. Financial difficulties, caused by the long war with
Paraguay, may be pleaded as an excuse for neglecting this great
question, but the very drain that has thus taken place of men and money
only renders the case more pressing. I believe the Emperor entertains
the most enlightened and practical views, both as regards doing away
with slave labour and replacing it by the introduction of emigrants; but
the trammels of a war expenditure, and the degree of attention the
struggle demands on the part of the Ministers, prevent their
inauguration of measures which all must see are inevitable, if the
Empire is to prosper as heretofore.
In our own colonies the Colonial Governments have naturally been the
chief promoters of emigration, from exercising, as they do, full control
over their own revenues and over public lands; but in Brazil the impetus
must first come from the action of the Central Government, which
receives and distributes the provincial revenues after payment of
provincial expenditure.
In the southern provinces of Brazil the cultivation of coffee and cotton
offers the greatest scope for European labour, and the Province of San
Paulo alone is capable of wonderful development as respects the growth
of these two important articles if only proper means are adopted to
provide augmented manual power.
The northern provinces present greater difficulties, from the nature of
the climate, which is more adapted to a people like the Chinese than to
Europeans. There is, however, an objection to this industrious race in
consequence of their desire to return home when they have accumulated a
little money. A further introduction of the African race as free
labourers would be very advantageous. Though this might be a great gain
to the negroes themselves, whose lives in their own country are at the
mercy of such wretches as the sable King of Dahomy, philanthropists
object to the removal of Africans from their native soil on any grounds,
entirely ignoring the miserable existence they lead there and the
barbarities to which they are subjected. But let slavery be once
abolished in Brazil, and there could be no objection that I can see to
their settlement in those provinces where their labour would be most
useful, say from the River Amazon down to the Province of Bahia. This,
however, is only a casual remark, and does not come within the scope of
my present inquiry, namely, as to the best mode of introducing European
labour into Brazil. As I have already pointed out to the Government, the
passage money of emigrants must be paid, or advanced, the selection of
them must be carefully attended to, and on reaching Brazil they should
be sent on immediately to their ultimate destination, where suitable
accommodation should also be provided against their arrival. Every
necessary arrangement can easily be made if the Government and landed
proprietors would take some trouble and show their practical earnestness
in the matter.
There is an Emigrants' Home, or temporary abode in Rio de Janeiro, where
proper attention is paid to them, and an officer (Dr. Galvao) is
especially appointed by Government to look after this department. I
quite intended to have visited this establishment, but was unable to do
so. I had, however, a conversation with Dr. Galvao on the subject of
emigration generally.
EMIGRATION TO THE RIVER PLATE.
No country in South America is more favourably placed, or presents a
greater field for European labour than the River Plate, notwithstanding
the drawbacks which have to some extent retarded its progress and
injured its character. It has an advantage over Brazil in the absence of
slavery, and is of a milder climate, though it is very hot during the
summer months, as I experienced when at Monte Video, in January last, at
which time the cholera was at its height.
A friend, who has resided in Buenos Ayres for two or three years,
chiefly out in the campo, has thus recorded his experience of the
average temperature:—
20 Days very cold 45 to 55 deg. Fah.
182 Days moderate 55 to 75 deg. Fah.
60 Days warm 75 to 88 deg. Fah.
45 Days hot 80 to 85 deg. Fah.
58 Days intensely hot 85 to 105 deg. Fah.
———
365 Days.
The thermometer, in exposed places, reaches 110 Fah. in the shade, but
such cases are very exceptional.
He also adds as follows some very useful remarks as to clothing:
Flannel shirts are best; woollen drawers should also be used
For working, clothes of such colour as will not show the dust are
best.
The thickness of the clothes for summer wearing may be very much the
same as would suit in England during hot summer weather; they
should be waterproofed before being made up.
Indiarubber coats, although very useful in winter, are ruined in hot
weather, and stick together and tear, so as to be useless.
Good English boots are not to be had, and are therefore very useful.
As to food he says:—
Be careful about eating and drinking, especially when newly landed,
and avoid as much as possible unnecessary exposure to the sun.
Fruit should not be taken in quantities at first. Peaches are said
to be the best and most wholesome.
I may add from my own experience that where it is intended to frequent
the campo a pair of good riding boots are very necessary, and a rough
pea jacket would be a very good companion in winter. In town cloth
cloaks are much worn, and in the campo chiefly _ponchos_.
The boundless tracts of open country are in a great measure occupied by
sheep and cattle, and do not require much of the labour of man; but
sheep farming having been carried to a large extent, the price of wool
has much depreciated, and sheep can be bought very cheap. In
consequence, agriculture is now much more attended to and will require
labour. Good wheat can be grown in most of the Argentine Provinces, and
now forms a staple commodity, which may be increased to almost any
extent where railways afford the means of easy transport, and so soon as
there are sufficient labourers to cultivate the soil. Indeed, there is
no reason why wheat, as well as Indian corn, should not be largely
exported, and I believe this will be the case in a very few years. Wheat
crops are liable to injury from drought, but the price obtained for the
product is a very remunerative one, and it is not subject to losses by
depreciation as frequently occurs with sheep and cattle.
Foreign settlers in distant provinces have of late been much damaged by
Indian raids, to prevent which the Government has done very little,
owing to the drain of soldiers for the war and to internal discord, but
this plague is merely a temporary one, and nothing would tend more to
remove the evil than a large increase of population, of which the
country stands greatly in need.
Emigration, at present, goes on to a limited extent, but chiefly of the
class suitable for cities and towns, and not for an agricultural or
country life. Several colonies, founded under arrangements with the
Provincial Governments of Santa Fé and Entre Rios, are prospering, and
those in the fine Province of Cordova will also do well when the
National Government is able to repel Indian inroads and protect the
settlers. Many young Englishmen have settled in Cordova during the last
four years, with more or less capital, and have bought land,
particularly near the line of the Central Argentine Railway, naturally
looking to Government for protection, which unhappily has not been
effectively extended. In many cases their stock has been carried off by
the savages, and their prospects seriously injured. They are now turning
their attention to agriculture, and I have every reason to think they
will be successful.
Numbers of young men have come out to the Plate with little or no
resources, expecting to find employment on sheep farms, and failing
this, have fallen into bad habits, often wandering about the country and
undergoing great hardships and misery. To do any good in such a country
steadiness of character is the most essential quality, nor is it at all
safe to trust to the chapter of accidents. It is only by well organised
arrangements, and great perseverance, that new comers can expect to
overcome the difficulties attending their settlement in a new country,
the very extent of which is a disadvantage until such time as the influx
of population and the formation of communities do away with these
inconveniences.