1882,$ 9,095,4091883,10,928,6391884-1885 (economical year),12,373,688—————Total,$32,397,7361885-1886 (economical year),$11,719,6921886-1887 " "12,704,8321887-1888 " "13,668,096—————Total,$38,092,6201888-1889 (economical year),$15,690,2931889-1890 " "17,415,1541890-1891 " "14,925,363—————Total,$48,030,810
The increase during the second period, if compared with the first one is: $5,694,884, and the increase of the third period compared with the second one is: $9,938,190.
They are the principal revenue of the Republic. From the year 1882 to the year 1891, the product of the custom duties, calculated by periods of five years each, has been:
1882,$5,501,3601883,6,968,3211884,7,749,4381885,7,731,2641886,6,803,761—————Total,$34,754,1441887,$ 8,671,2431888,8,845,7761889,10,786,6021890,9,848,7351891,8,648,509—————Total$46,800,865
The increase of the second period, if compared with the first one, has been: $12,046,721.
The licenses for trade houses, shops, etc., stamped paper and stamps have produced during the period 1887-1891:
StampedLicenses.Paper.Stamps.1887,$ 783,179$203,143$336,6881888,888,543253,610379,0631889,1,180,118283,009452,1671890,1,219,943301,058485,8501891,1,001,405220,882414,160———————————————Totals,$5,073,188$1,261,702$2,067,928Annual}Middle}1,014,637252,340413,585Term. }
On the 1st of January, 1891, the public debt was$ 89,848,850Augmentation of the public debt during the year86,182——————$ 89,935,032Redemption in 18912,145,059——————Public debt on the 31st of December, 1891$ 87,789,973
All the external public debt has been unified, including in it what was owed for the guarantee to railways, and also what remained due of the external debt service. The interest to be paid has been lessened and definitely established at the rate of 3½ per cent., and the redemption by the outbidding system has been restored.
The internal consolidated debt has also been unified with an interest of 4 per cent., and redeemable at the rate of 1 per per cent., accumulatively and by outbiddings.
The external consolidated debt (3½ per cent.) is $90,710,000.
The internal unified debt (4 per cent.) is $7,500,000.
The international debts, according to treaties with Italy, France and Spain, are $1,987,125.
All these debts that will be issued when these lines are published will form, more or less, a total of $104,000,000, mortgage bank warranty debt included.
The financial year begins on the 1st of July and concludes on the 30th of June of the next year.
From the financial year of 1889-90 it has been the anterior budget which has gone on ruling, with a general deductionof 10 per cent., and with some augments and changes in other parts of the budget.
A new budget for the financial year 1892-93 is going to be voted, which will consist of the following amounts:
I.—Administration:After a discount of 20 per cent. on the wages$5,840,306.41II.—House of Legislation582,558.00III.—Passive Classes:That is to say, annual allowances paid to pensioners, civil and military, soldiers disabled by wounds or age, widows and sons of the 33 Orientals who assegurated the national independence in 1825, citizens who took part in the Independence wars, etc. After a discount between 4 and 15 per cent1,324,503.32IV.—Public Debt and Guarantee to Railways5,724,620.24Various credits144,394.52
After a discount of 20 per cent. on the wages
That is to say, annual allowances paid to pensioners, civil and military, soldiers disabled by wounds or age, widows and sons of the 33 Orientals who assegurated the national independence in 1825, citizens who took part in the Independence wars, etc. After a discount between 4 and 15 per cent
So as to attend to this budget the Republic counts with the following incomes:
Customs duties$8,577,622.84Duties on property1,750,549.54Licenses925,535.87Stamped paper337,141.31Stamps219,548.57Taxes on manufactures256,751.59Postage203,585.73Public education219,251,13Ports56,414.46Duties on Inheritances127,363.80Duties on the signature of public acts, being excepted the value of the stamped paper15,162.02Police Duties36,473.40Revenue of the municipalities in the departments100,320.92Duties on amphibious fisheries7,000.00Cattle-marks3,000.00Duties of 1 per cent. on payments78,049.51Civil and military house for pawning56,534.74Eventual incomes, and revenue of the renting of lands belonging to the State15,570.41—————Total$12,985,875.84
NEW DUTIES.
Augmentation of the duty on slaughterhouses80,000.00Augmentation of the duty on inheritances140,000.00Augmentation of the import duties127,500.00Augmentation of the municipal duties100,000.00A discount of 20 per cent. on the wages of the clerks of the Montevideo municipality65,350.00————512,850.00
RECAPITULATION.
Resources$12,985,875.84New resources512,850.00——————$13,498,725.84
The law of the year 1862 established the metrical system throughout the Republic.
Metres.1 lineal league,5,1541 lineal cuadra,85-900 c.1 lineal vara,859 c.1 lineal foot,286 c.Litres.1 pipa, or 192 frascos,455-4241 frasco,2-3701 English gallon,3-805Kilogs.1 fanega, maize, ears,274-5441 " " grains,137-2721 ton,918-8001 quintal (100 lbs.),45-9401 arrobe (25 lbs.),11-4851 livre (pound, libra),0-4591 Pesada (dry hides, 40 lbs.),18-3761 " (salted hides, 75 lbs.),34-455
Argentine Republic,1 argentino ($5 gold),$ 4 66Austria,8 florins,3 73Belgium,(the same value as French coins).{ 20,000 reis,10 56Brazil,{ 10,000 reis,5 28{ 5,000 reis,2 64{ 1 condor ($10),8 82Chile,{ ½ " ($5),4 41Columbia,$20,18 66{ £1 (20 sh.),4 70England,{ £½ (10 sh.),2 35{ 100 frcs.,18 66{ 50 frcs.,9 33France,{ 20 frcs., and also the{ Italian, Belgian and{ Swiss 20 frcs. or lire{ coins,3 73Germany,{ 20 marks,4 60{ 10 "2 30Peru,20 soles (suns),18 66Portugal,1 crown (10,000 reis),10 45{ 1 doblon (100 realsSpain,{ and 10 escudos),4 82{ 25 pesetas,4 66Switzerland,Like French coins.{ 1 double eagle, $20,19 32United States,{ 1 eagle, $10,9 66{ ½ eagle, $5,4 83Venezuela,20 pesos,18 66
The standard currency in Uruguay is gold.
The nominal unit, $1, 1 peso ($1), has a weight of 1 gramme, 697 mgrm. of gold and 917 mills standard.
The official value of the national silver coin, 1 peso, has a weight of 25 grammes and 900 milles standard.
The other minor silver coins are: $0.50, $0.20, $0.10.
In all accounts, the limited quantity that can be paid in silver, is determined by the law, according to the total amount.
The police under the care of the Political and Police Chief (jefe politico y de policia) of each department and depending on the Executive power employs a great many persons, the wages of which are relatively very small. However, the police service goes on with a perfect regularity in the capital and in the departments. The whole police administration costs half a million to the state.
The organization of the Uruguayan army is perfect, as well in regard to the discipline as in regard to the military tactics. They are dressed as well as the best European soldier. They use the Remington gun; but they are going to be provided with the reformed Mauser gun. The artillery regiments have 67 Krup, Armstrong and Nordenfeld cannons.
The army is composed of 23 chiefs, 202 officers and 3,425 soldiers, forming 10 battalions, that is to say: 4 Hunters battalions, 1 artillery battalion, 4 cavalry battalions and 1 light artillery battalion, besides which must be counted the general Artigas fort garrison and the "Prague Nacional" or Arsenal detachment.
One Hunters Battalion and the four Cavalry ones serve as garrisons in the departments. The other battalions remain in the capital.
The national fleet is employed for coast and fort guarding. It is composed of three large gun-boats and 6 small steamers. They all use Remington guns; as for the cannons, they belong to various systems.
The great maritime town of Montevideo, the capital of the Republic and the so-called department, was founded in the year 1726 by the Spanish marshal Don Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, with some Spanish families, who came from Buenos Ayres and Canary Islands.
The town is built over a rocky peninsula, in the middle of the salt waters of the River Plate, with a height of over 100 feet above the sea.
It is actually divided into three large sections called the Antigua (old) town, the Nueva (new) town and the Novisima (newest) town. All around the town will run the great boulevard General Artigas. The whole town consists in 1,600manzanasor square cuadras, more than 600 of which are already edificed; it must be added that every day new buildings are begun everywhere about the town. In all directions new streets are opened and new houses are built and new suburbs created, making Montevideo larger and larger every day.
The streets are all straight and nearly all of them well paved with granite stone. In the old town they are 10 and 11 metres wide and in the new town 17 metres, with broad pavements and trees planted on both sides.
The principal roads that lead to the town are broad, part of them covered with a bed of macadam and the others with a bed of stones.
There are six public squares, called, Zabala, Constitucion, Independencia, Libertad, Treinta y Tres, General Flores, and the smaller ones called Solis and Muelle Viejo.
In all these squares there are trees and banks; they are lit with electric light and the paths that surround them are made of the finest granite.
Most of them are one manzana large, that is to say 7,378 square metres. The square called Independencia is a parallelogram 221 metres long by 232 metres broad with an area of 29,260 metres. In it is situated the government palace. The boulevard called 18 de Julio is the continuation of the Independencia Square, from W. to E., being 26 metres broad.
The common sewer has an extension of 93,000 metres and more than 7,500 are directly its conduits.
The drinkable water comes from Santa Lucia (61 kilometres from Montevideo); the various conduits have an extension of over 180 kilometres.
All the streets and even the suburbs have the electric light; some others have still the gas light.
Three gasometres, two of them 100,000 cubic feet and one 70,000, are employed for the preparation of the gas. The gas pipes represent an extension of 128 kilometres. The power of each light is equivalent to that of 18 candles.
There are two important establishments for the preparation of the electric light, which is now used by a great many trade houses and shops.
The town is composed of over 19,000 houses—20 per cent. of them being houses with two stories; a good many of them have three and four stories. The architecture of the houses is most elegant, especially of those which were built during the last fifteen years.
Among the public buildings remarkable for their importance are: the Cathedral, the Charity Hospital, the Insane Asylum, the Central Cemetery, Solis Theater, Normal School, Government Palace, Parliament House, Custom House, Professional School, National Bank, San Felipe and Cibils Theatres, London Bank, South America British Bank, Uruguay Club, Gas Works, Prison, San Francisco, Capuchin Friars, Concepcion and Carmen Churches, Orphan Asylum, Seminary, English Church, Music Academy, Oriental Hotel, Gounouilhou Baths, etc.
The suburbs and environs are most picturesque, with a great quantity of the most elegant country houses, built all along the avenues called Agraciada, Paso del Molino, Duranas, Miguelete, Sierra, Goes, Suarez, Larranaga and many others.
Being the capital of the Republic, Montevideo is the residence of the three high powers of the state, of the aggregate of foreign ministers and consuls and also of the bishop. It is the centre of all the most important business of the Republic and reputed one of the best markets in the River Plate.
In Montevideo reside all the principal Societies and Associations in the Republic.
The aspect of the town is agreeable and quite that of a European city, and its population is quite a cosmopolitan one.
The census of the year 1891, Dec. 31, gave a result of 234,688 souls for the department of Montevideo, 190,000 more or less belonging exclusively to Montevideo, and 53 per cent. of them being natives and 47 per cent. foreigners.
All the most important trade-houses are in Montevideo, the largest and finest hotels; there are three theatres, fifteen churches and nine chapels, three cemeteries and three markets, etc.
During the bathing season a great many foreigners come to Montevideo, owing to its fine shore and beautiful bathing establishments, like the one called Los Pocitos, where exists a beautiful and elegant building for the foreigners, and those called Romirez and Capurro.
The following table gives an idea of the immense yearly consumption of meat in Montevideo:
OXEN, COWS.SHEEP.TOTAL.YEARS.——————Kilogs.Kilogs.Kilogs.187415,918,8751,373,72117,292,596187515,379,0421,166,72116,545,763187614,801,6961,088,19915,889,895187714,578,7111,009,30915,588,020187815,208,5431,378,11416,586,657187913,468,4551,394,75114,863,206188014,019,2361,420,64115,439,377188114,228,3751,472,59815,700,973188215,297,0931,408,49716,705,590188316,100,3221,448,12617,548,448188416,380,6231,450,67917,831,302188519,293,4351,426,34520,719,780188617,911,8941,738,30519,650,199188718,027,8141,272,31419,300,128188820,499,3251,555,74322,055,068188924,681,6221,733,48726,415,109189024,724,2871,021,56825,745,855189125,087,020847,43525,934,455
There are in the Republic many beneficent establishments, hospitals, charity and mutual assistance societies, that do important services to all who need them without any distinction of nationality.
In the capital there are, under the care of the State and of the National Charity and Beneficence Commission, the Charity Hospital, the Alms House, the Insane Asylum, the Orphan Hospital, the Maternal Asylum and also a small-pox Lazaretto.
There exist also, under the care of private beneficence, the English Hospital, the Italian Hospital, and soon there will be a Spanish Hospital.
For a long time there have been many Ladies' Beneficence Societies, and many Mutual Assistance Societies: La Junta Central Espanola de Beneficencia, La Fraternidad, Societa Italiana, Circolo Napolitano, Societe Francaise de Seccours Mutuels.
The number of the members of all the societies is more or less 25,000.
Charity Hospital.—In the beginning of the year 1891, there were 489 ill people in the hospital; from January to December of the same year, there entered 5,361; therefore, during the year 1891, 5,850 persons were attended at the hospital. Out of them 5,022 were cured, 4 ran away and 451 died, remaining 373 persons for the year 1892.
Out of the 5,361 persons who went to the hospital, 1,529 only were natives and 3,832 foreigners.
Insane Asylum.—In 1891 the number of people attended to was 987. During the year, 58 went out and there remained for 1892, 768 persons.
The 258 people who came to the hospital in 1891, were 107 natives and 151 foreigners.
Alms House.—Out of 473 beggars living in the asylum, the greatest number, in the year 1891, were foreigners.
Orphan and Foundling Asylum.—In the beginning of 1891 there were 397 children. During the year there entered 574; thence there were 971 children in the hospital during the year 1891. Out of them 56 foundlings were claimed for by their parents and 22 orphans by their relations; 63 orphans were adopted by various families.
Maternal Asylum.—The three Maternal Asylums received during the year 1891, 1,937 children of both sexes, who were attended to by the Charity Sisters.
In all the departments there exist Beneficence and Mutual Assistance Societies that do great services to the poor people.
EXECUTIVE POWER.
President of the Republic—Doctor Don Julio Herrera y Obes.
Government Minister—Don Francisco Bauza.
Minister of Commerce, Industry, Railways and Public Education—Engineer Don Juan Alberto Capurro.
Minister of Finance—(Interium) Don Eugenio Madalena.
Minister of War and Navy—General Don Luis E. Perez.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship—Doctor Don Manuel Herrero y Espinosa.
LEGISLATIVE POWER.
President of the Senator Chamber and General Assembly—Don Tomas Gomensoro.
President of the Deputy Chamber—Doctor Don Miguel Herrera y Obes.
JUDICIAL POWER—TRIBUNALS OF APPEAL.
President of the Tribunals—(1st) Doctor Don J. M. Vilaza. (2d) Doctor Don Trofilo Diaz.
In France—Minister, Mr. Alejandro Herosa.In Italy—Minister, Dr. Don Jose Vazquez Sagastune.Secretary, Eurique Rovira.In Germany—Minister, Dr. Don Federico Susviela Guarch.Secretary, Dr. Luis Garabelli.In Great Britain—Minister, Dr. Don Alberto Nin.Secretary, Alfonso S. Zumaran.In Spain and Portugal—Minister, Dr. Don Juan Zorrilla de San Martin.Secretary, Eduardo Herrera y Obes.In Chile—Minister, Mr. Jose C. Arrieta.In Argentine Republic—Minister, Dr. Don Ernesto Frias.Secretary, Dr. Don Pablo Perez Gomar.In Brazil—Minister, Mr. Blas Vidal.Secretary, Julian Alvarez Conde.In Paraguay—Minister, Mr. Ricardo Garcia.Secretary, Dionisio Ramos Montero.
ConsulViceCountries.General.Consuls.Consuls.Argentine Republic,1914Brazil,11421Paraguay,116Chile,12..United States of America,1614Switzerland,131Great Britain,11632Germany,17..Belgium,144Italy,11717Portugal,1415France,1137Spain,12624Holland,12..Sweden, Norway,12..Bolivy,11..Austria,1....Venezuela,..1..Peru,11..Russia,......Greece,..1..Haite,..1..Denmark,..1..Turkey,..1..
Italian—Minister, Commander Jose Anfora, Duke of Lucignano.1stSecretary, E. Ferrara Dentrice.2dSecretary, Emanuel Berti.Portuguese—Minister, Viscount de Favia.German—Minister, Dr. R. Kranel.Secretary, G. von Pilgrim Ballazzi.Brazilian—Minister, Don Pedro C. Alfonso Carvalto.Argentine—Minister, Don Enrique B. Moreno.Secretary, Solano Torres Cabura.British—Minister, Hon. Ernest M. Latou.Austrian—Minister, Baron of Salzberg.Spain—Minister, Don Jose de la Rica y Calvo.Secretary, A. Alava y Amoros.Belgian—Minister, Mr. Ernest Van Bruyssel.French—Minister, Mr. A. Bourcier Saint Chaffray.Secretary, J. A. Larret.Saint Marinan—Minister, Don Francisco Brin.Secretary, Arthero Brin.Equatorian—Minister, Don. Francisco A. Gomez.Swiss—Minister, Coronel E. Rode.Secretary, J. Choffar.Chancellor, F. Chury.Paraguayan—Minister, Don Jose Segundo Decond.
ConsulViceConsularCountries.General.Consuls.Consuls.Agents.Argentine Republic,1125..Brazil,2..63Chile,1..1..Bolivy,..1....Peru,..1....Equator,1......Nicaragua,..1....Salvador,..1....United States of America, ..211France,1....8Italy,1..18Portugal,..12..Great Britain,1..6..Spain,1..20..Belgium,111..Sweden,..11..Denmark,..11..Hawai,..11..Switzerland,..12..Holland,11....Paraguay,1......Germany,..1....Columbia,..1....Russia,..1....Austria,..1....Saint Marinan,..1....Mexico,..1....Venezuela,..1....
The Montevideo custom-house produces the principal revenue the public treasury counts with. The other custom-houses all over the littoral and in the Brazilian frontiers are comparatively a great deal less important.
Imports have to pay general dutiesad valorem, which vary between 8 and 51 per cent., and also specific duties, such as for wine, brandy, tobacco, rice, sugar, petroleum, olive oil, beer, matches, etc.
There is a law regulating these specific duties.
According to the law of the year 1888 all national products were free from duty; but in the year 1890 a new law restored the specific duty.
Corn, wheat, flour and lucerne pay also the specific duty.
Since the year 1888 many modifications have been introduced in the custom duties laws, in order to increase the revenue and also to protect national industry.
Besides the dutiesad valoremthere is also an additional duty of 5 per cent.
IMPORTS.
Article 1. All goods imported from foreign countries for consumption will pay a duty of 31 per cent. of its value, excepting the following goods, which will pay:
1, 51 per cent.—arms, powder, ammunitions, snuff, tobacco, perfumery, cheese, butter, ham, preserved meats and all eatables preserved in tin boxes or in bottles, rockets and mine, quarry and gun powder.
2, 48 per cent.—brushes in general, painting brushes, shoes of all sorts, ready-made linen, hats, furniture, coaches, harnesses, medicaments, formularies and business papers either lithographed or printed.
3, 44 per cent.—cakes and pastry of all sorts, chocolate, candles in general, vermicelli, jams, soles and tanned skins.
4, 20 per cent.—lumber in general, iron, either plate, crow, joist or ingot, steel plate, copper and brass ingots, tin plate, lead bar or plate, zinc plate or ingot, fresh fruits, roof tiles, slates, Roman cement, vegetal coal, quicksilver, tin, talc, plaster, tar, pitch, sack-cloth, forage in general and empty match-boxes.
5, 12 per cent.—potatoes of all sorts, even those imported for sowing.
6, 8 per cent.—printed and bound books, typography or lithography machines or presses, printing types, white paper for newspapers, lithography paper, 87 centim. long by 54 broad, printing ink, flower and vegetable seeds, sulphuric, nitric and chlorhydric acids, gums, phosphorus, gold jewels and gold and silver watches.
7, 6 per cent.—printed books without binding, maps and geographical globes and all things necessary for natural, physical and mathematical studies, mineral coal in general, sea or rock salt and precious stones.
Art. 2. All things necessary to divine worship, the introduction of which may be asked by the ecclesiastical authority, shall be free from all duty.
2. All things introduced for the personal use of the foreign ministers and consuls residing in the Republic, provided there be reciprocation for our ministers and consuls.
3. All the machinery for steamers that are going to be built in the country, stamped gold and silver, gold and silver paste or powder, sheep-curing specific, live plants except vines, live-stock and blooded animals, luggage, linen, clothes and instruments and tools for personal use, all special materials to be employed in building ships in the country, ploughs, machinery for ships and industries, common and double sodium, hop, saffron, agricultural machines, hemp, indian cane, rabbit hair, otter and hare skin for hat-making, sewing machines, glass or clay bottles, potash and chlorate of potash for industry, capsules for bottles, dynamite, wires forfencing, lucerne seeds, and sulphur flower.
Art 3. The introducing of all coloring substances employed in the falsification of wine is forbidden, as well as all substances the Public Health Board will consider as hurtful, etc., etc.
Article 1. The goods hereafter mentioned, imported from foreign nations since the 1st of January, 1889, shall pay the following specific duties: