REVENUE, ARMY, AND POPULATION.

481

At the first meeting of the national congress of the Argentine Confederation, in May 18G2, it was decided that the seat of the central Government should be at the city of Buenos Ayres.

Revenue, Army, and Population.

The larger part of the public revenue is derived from customs duties, which average twenty-five per cent, upon imports, and ten per cent, on exports. All other sources furnish comparatively little to cover the national expenditure. The latter is made up chiefly of the cost of army and navy, and the service of the public debt.

The revenue and expenditure of the Argentine Confederation for each of the five years, ending March 31, from 1865 to 18G9, were as follows : —

Years

ending March 31

Revenue

Expenditure

£

£

1864-5

1,401.066

1,235,878

1865-6

1,659,014

1,375,235

1866-7

1,952,766

1,653,150

1867-8

2,497,981

2,841,155

1868-9

2,592,735

2,927,358

The greatly increased expenditure of the last two financial periods here given was due to the war carried on, in conjunction with Brazil and Uruguay, against the republic of Paraguay, brought to an end in 1870.

The official estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 1869-70, presented to the National Congress, were as follows :

Sources of Revenue

1S69-70

Import duties ....

Additional 5 per cent, ditto (war) .

Export duties ....

Additional 2 per cent, ditto (war) .

Storage ......

Stamp duty .....

Post Office

Interest at 7 per cent, on 17,000 shares of Central Argentine Kail- way

Sundries .....

Total estimated revenue .

Dollars

8,400,000

2,100,000

1,500,000

500,000

260,000

155,000

105,000

116,920 50,000

£

1,680,000

420,000

30(1.000

100,000

52,000

31,000

21,000

23,384 10,000

13,186,620

2,637,324

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