Climate
The climate of the country is called ideal, that of course depending on one’s taste. In general it is subtropical with two seasons, the summer temperature averaging 81°, the winter 71° or less. The rainfall is fairly distributed, the most in the hot months, December to February. Sudden changes of weather occur; from hot, humid north winds, or cooling south winds from the Argentine plains. In places the winter temperature may fall to 33°-42°, even with frost, but not near the Paraná River where there are fogs. In summer the maximum temperature at Asunción occasionally reaches 100° or more, and there are 60 inches of rain; more farther east, but less in the Chaco.
CHAPTER XL
PARAGUAY: THE CAPITAL AND OTHER CITIES
The Capital
Asunción, the population of which is variously given as 80, 90, 100, 120, and 125 thousand, is a quiet town on the Paraguay at a point where the bank rises to a considerable height, affording good drainage, and from the palace a pleasing view. An English writer calls the city the nicest, cleanest town above Buenos Aires. Although 1000 miles from the ocean, it has an altitude of but 203 feet above sea level. The classical building of the Custom House stands by the river side. The palace above, built by the Dictator, Francisco Lopez, as a residence, is used for the offices of the President and his Cabinet. Other important buildings are a House of Congress, a Cathedral, a Museum of Fine Arts containing a Murillo, and a National Library with many priceless documents.
The several hotels are fairly comfortable if not exactly modern in character. There are electric lights and electric car service. The streets at last accounts were poorly paved with rough cobble stones, but some automobiles are in use. The city is steadily advancing in commercial importance, 80 per cent of the imports and 40 of the exports passing through its Custom House.
Other Cities
From the meagre information available, to describe individually the various States or Districts of Paraguay is impossible, as also unimportant, the sparse settlements having little marked variation. Mention will be made instead of the principal towns, few of which have a population of 15,000.
Villa Rica, population perhaps 30,000, 40 hours from Buenos Aires and 93 miles from Asunción, is the second city of Paraguay. Situated in a rich agricultural district, it is destined to a sound if not rapid development. It will become important later as a railway junction; for the railway designed to cross the Paraná River into Brazil just above the entrance of the Iguassú, passing the great Falls, will connect with the São Paulo-Rio Grande Railway at União de Victoria and go on to São Francisco, called the best port in Brazil south of Santos. However, the date of this road’s completion is uncertain. The actual railway junction is at Borja, a little south of Villa Rica, but the latter place will receive the benefit. All of the towns are what we might call large country villages.
Villa Concepción, 130 miles up the river from Asunción, the third if not the second city of commercial importance, with a population given as 16, 25, also 30 thousand, is a port for yerba, cattle, quebracho, and sugar. The town of one story houses has better streets than those of the Capital, and a comfortable inn. It may now boast of 50 automobiles, instead of the one stylish turnout noted years ago by Colonel Roosevelt.
Villa Encarnación, population 15,000 or less, opposite Posadas, is another city of commercial importance, as the junction of the railway ferry and of river transportation. Here there is a change of river boats, those of lighter draft being required for the Upper Paraná.
Other towns are Paraguarí on the railway between Asunción and Villa Rica, Carapeguá near by, San Pedro north of Asunción, half way to Concepción, Luque, nine miles south of the Capital, and Pilar, well down the river. Villa Hayes is one of several centres of commercial importance in the Chaco.
San Bernadino on Lake Ipacaraí, two hours from Asunción, is a pleasure resort favored in winter by citizens of Buenos Aires. A large modern hotel caters both to fashionables and to sufferers from tuberculosis.
Transportation
River transportation in Paraguay is of the greatest importance. Large comfortable steamers give good service three times a week between Buenos Aires and Asunción, making the trip upward in four or five days, down stream in three. Above Asunción boats of suitable size and draft give poorer service on the Paraguay. Several lines run up 765 miles to Corumbá in Brazil, a three or four days journey, calling on the way at several Paraguayan ports, Concepción, 250 miles, San Salvador, Puerto Max, and others. Fares are high, especially down stream, apparently because one is obliged to go. Some ports on the Paraguay and on a few branches above and below the capital are visited by local steamers. Barges can be floated on over 2000 miles of internal rivers. Chatas (which are poled along) drawing 2-4 feet of water carry 10-100 tons; such boats on the Paraguay may carry 600 tons.
On the Alto Paraná, as previously stated, there is semi-weekly service from Corrientes to Encarnación and Posadas. Above, three times a week steamers, with many calls on both sides of the river, make a four days’ journey to the Iguassú and beyond to Puerto Mendez, from which point a short railway in Brazil passes around La Guayra Falls.
Railway facilities are increasing, construction though not so easy as on the Argentine plains being less difficult than in general in the other Republics. Nearly 475 miles of track are in operation, 200 of them privately owned. The main line of the Central Paraguay, Encarnación to Asunción, 230 miles, has first class equipment with through sleepers to Buenos Aires, 966 miles from Asunción. Several short lines of very narrow gauge, about 30 inches, transport quebracho and timber from the interior to river ports, 152 miles of these in the Chaco. A railway of 40 miles serves sugar mills back of Concepción. If the cross lines proposed to Brazil and Bolivia (of one of the former some miles are in operation) are constructed within the decade, a rapid development will ensue. Cart roads are few and very poor. In wet weather six or eight oxen are required for a cart. Two-wheeled vehicles are much employed.
CHAPTER XLI
PARAGUAY: RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES
The chief resources of Paraguay at present and for an indefinite future are pastoral pursuits, forestry, and agriculture.
Forestry
Quebracho. The exploitation of quebracho is an important source of wealth. On the estimated 27,000,000 acres of forest land in the country are valuable woods of many varieties, among which the quebracho is preëminent. The first factory in South America for the extraction of tannin from this wood was established in 1889 at Puerto Galileo in the Chaco. The Forestal Company, British owned, was a leader in the development of the industry in which one or more American companies have lately become interested. Large sums have been invested, $15,000,000 it is said by a single company. Most of the properties are located in the Chaco, which has great tracts of land distributed to individuals or companies, some of whom have never seen their holdings. One American company has 1,500,000 acres.
Unlike most other trees from which tannin is derived, the tannin is not in the bark, but it permeates the entire wood. Formerly the logs were exported, but this is now forbidden. The International Products Company has a mill at Puerto Pinasco on the west bank of the Paraguay above San Salvador, and 300 miles north of San Antonio. The wood is remarkably rich in tannin which runs 20 per cent. The wood must be cut and then ground to extract the substance, the refuse wood running the engines. One tree weighing a ton will produce 600 pounds of extract. By means of three rotary evaporators, the extract may be solidified so as to be packed in bags, 75-100 tons of the solid in 24 hours. The Company, owning enough wood to produce 450,000 tons, is equipped to supply 30,000 tons of the extract annually. The trees are hauled by oxen to a light railway which brings them to the port, the railway being extended as the felling of the trees goes farther inland. Twenty million pounds of extract were exported from Paraguay in 1919.
Other Wood. Several other trees have bark which is used for tannin, among them the curupay, said to have 28 per cent in the bark, which is used in Paraguay. This is one of the strongest woods in the world, like quebracho much wanted for railway ties. The urunday is a wood so durable that posts of it in damp ground have lasted 200 years. Other woods resemble the hickory, the English walnut, the soft pine, etc. The ivara-pitak is a fine all around timber, light, tough, and hard, an unusual combination. Lignum vitae (palo santo), almost as hard as quebracho, cedar, and bitter orange abound, the leaves of the latter used for essential oil, chiefly exported to France. The hard woods are useful for railways, for cabinet making, and fine furniture; also for firewood on account of the enormous price of coal. From the proximity of the forests to the coalless region of Argentina and its plains, mostly treeless or supporting light woods only, like eucalyptus and poplar, forestry is certain to have in Paraguay a speedy and extensive development, in spite of the fact that there is a great variety of trees growing in a small space, as 47 different kinds among 163 trees in a tract 100 yards square. However, in places in the Chaco the quebracho chiefly abounds.
Other woods found in the eastern forest are ibiraro, close grained and flexible, the best for wheels, which made of this wood last for years without tires, excellent also for boat and ship building; the caranday or black palm 30 feet high, used for telegraph poles and scaffolding; palo de rosa (rosewood), a mahogany used for cigar boxes; the tatum, good for clothes boxes, being obnoxious to insects; and many more, valuable but little known. Also there are fibre plants, ramie, jute, etc.
Yerba mate, although now to some extent cultivated, is chiefly a forestal product. Once known as Paraguay tea, it is a famous product of the country, and in some sections the most important.
The trees or shrubs grow wild in the forest to a height of 10-25 feet; from these the bright green leaves are gathered from which the tea is made. How to propagate the trees was for years a mystery, but it is now known that soaking the seed in hot water will promote germination. If planted in tiny wooden boxes with no bottom, 9 inches deep, the roots may be transplanted without injury. A tree comes into bearing in five years, but reaches full production only after 12 years. Some plantations have been established on the Alto Paraná, but the greater part of the mate comes from the virgin forest. The natural trees in the forest grow better if that is cleared of underbrush and of the larger trees. When full grown they can endure 5-6 cuttings a year without permanent harm.
The Industrial Paraguay, with a capital of $5,000,000, is said to export about 75 per cent of the total. This Company holding a property of 8400 square miles, was the first to undertake on a considerable scale the cultivation of yerba mate in plantations. Their largest is in the north at Nueva Germania on the River Acaray. Barthe and Company, with a property of 3000 square miles, has a plantation near Nacunday on the Paraná River with 1,400,000 trees producing, and 1,000,000 more immature. The plantations of 28,000 acres will soon supply 5,700,000 pounds a year. Mate sold in 1918 at 8-10 cents a pound. In that year cultivated trees produced 6,700,000 pounds, and the natural 17,200,000 pounds. Chatas, flat boats, carry the dried leaves down stream to river ports where they are taken by steamers to Asunción, Posadas, Corrientes, or Buenos Aires to be ground. The Industrial has two ports on the Paraná and one on the Acaray, with mills in Asunción, Corrientes, and Buenos Aires. La Matte Larangeira, a Brazilian Company, has some yerbales in North Paraguay, but more in Matto Grosso.
Ten to twelve million persons in South America drink mate, though tea and coffee are more fashionable in the large cities. Its use was spreading in Europe before the War, but few persons in the United States are acquainted with its virtues. Containing less tannin, it is more healthful than tea or coffee, is soothing to the nervous system, and beneficial to digestion unless taken to excess. When used instead of food it becomes injurious. It is much drunk on the plains of Argentina, counteracting the effects of an excessive meat diet. It may be made like tea, but in its native haunts, the powder is put into a gourd called a mate, boiling water is poured on, and after steeping the liquid is drunk with a bombilla, a tube ending in an oval ball, with small holes to admit the liquid, but supposed to keep out the yerba.
Agriculture
Tobacco, largely cultivated in Paraguay, is the most important agricultural product with the first place in foreign trade. Almost every one smokes large cigars, even women and girls. The leaves are divided into seven classes: the first class called pito containing 2¹⁄₂ per cent of nicotine, the seventh class 7 per cent. The first four classes are used in Europe as fillers, the last three in Argentina as wrappers, having larger, stronger leaves. The tobacco is mainly from Havana seed introduced in 1900. The leaves are dried and fermented, and made into various types of cigars, or shipped in crude form to Europe, formerly the most to Germany, later to France and Spain. Of one crop of 7000 tons 4000 went to Europe, there sold under different names. In Argentina and Uruguay the cigars and cigarettes are popular under the name of Paraguay.
Small Farm Products. Agriculture is naturally important for home consumption, but aside from tobacco and oranges the exports are slight. As almost everything will grow in the rich soil, with increasing population agriculture will become a great source of wealth. Mandioca and corn are staple for the small farmer, the latter of two varieties, a hard white and a soft yellow, the former of especial excellence both for nutriment, and withstanding the ravages of the grain weevil. Three crops a year may be raised from one variety of sweet corn. White potatoes flourish, though not so well as sweet, no great hardship. Beans, peanuts, millet, and various European vegetables are raised for home consumption. Wheat is experimental. Coffee does fairly but is often injured by frost; alfalfa not so well as in Argentina. Rotation of crops is unknown and few implements are employed. Life is so easy that the small farmer is rather shiftless, and practically nothing is done on a large scale.
Oranges, grown by every one, are the most noteworthy of the many varieties of fruit produced in Paraguay, but high freight rates make them less profitable than they should be. They grow freely and are exported in large numbers to Argentina and Uruguay, 200,000,000 in 1919; they have been called the best in the world. However, they do not keep well, and being carelessly packed many are spoiled in transportation. The introduction of hardier varieties is talked of.
Sugar finds excellent soil but is liable to suffer from frost or drought. It is grown mostly in the north near the rivers, railways, and factories. There are at least seven mills, two at Villa Hayes in the Chaco, one at Concepción. Some small mills make brown sugar and caña; 387,500 tons were produced in 1918. About 20,000 acres were cultivated in 1919, but some sugar is imported. The methods have been crude but are improving.
Cotton. Good cotton land exists especially in the southwest, and in the Chaco. An indigenous tree bears 10-12 years. The staple is of good length and quality. Not enough is produced to supply the home market, but its culture is increasing. A Belgian obtained annually 1000 pounds an acre for six years. At present the seed is not utilized.
Rice is grown on low ground between the Paraguay River and the railway. Two crops a year may be raised giving 2000 pounds to the acre, a quantity which might be nearly doubled. The coconut palm, peanut, and castor bean flourish.
The Stock Industry
Cattle raising is beginning to be very profitable in Paraguay as in the neighboring countries; and here there is a chance for the small capitalist. Formerly some live cattle were exported, but ten times as many hides; also dried meat from saladeros. During the Great War operations were carried on by three American companies. A plant at San Salvador, nearly three hundred miles above Asunción, for slaughtering cattle and putting up canned meat, was conducted by Morris; another by Swift 5 miles above the Capital, where over 900,000 six-pound cans of meat were put up in 1918. But with the conclusion of the War the demand fell off so rapidly that both plants are closed and dismantled.
A third establishment, however, at San Antonio, 15 miles below the Capital, is actively engaged and about to increase its output. The International Products Company has a thoroughly modern equipment, a real frigorifico, for the export of frozen meat, with a capacity of 175,000 head of cattle a year, to be shipped to Buenos Aires and Europe. The cattle are in part purchased from individual farmers, but the Company has a large property where its own production is increasing. Nearly 300 leagues of land are owned back of Puerto Pinasco in the Chaco: one half for cattle grazing and half quebracho lands. They have 600 miles of barbed wire and a herd of 70,000 with some blooded stock. The western section is used for young cattle which are moved east the third year for fattening. The Company besides tugs and lighters for the transport of the cattle has two refrigerating steamers to carry the frozen meat to Buenos Aires. The hides increase the value of the production.
The native cattle are far better than the Texas Longhorn, but not equal to the blooded stock of Argentina. They weigh 850-1000 pounds and afford excellent beef. The Argentine is heavier but called coarser than that of the United States. The Paraguay stock is now being improved especially with Herefords. A 50 per cent increase of the herd is general. It is estimated that the number of cattle in Paraguay is now 5,000,000, and that 40,000,000 may be easily supported. The native grasses are good, and the jaraguá from Brazil is used. Stock may be bought at $15 a head, perhaps less in large numbers, affording the best possible opportunity for the small capitalist. The dairy industry is slight, the native cows being poor milkers.
The Chaco land near the River is liable to floods but few cattle are lost as there is usually time to drive them back 20-30 miles to the second and higher zone beyond the danger. It has been said that cattle covered with ticks east of the Paraguay on crossing into the Chaco soon become free of them. A French company in 1919 had 150,000 head of cattle with over 500 Hereford bulls, a breeding stock of more than 100,000. One thousand miles of pasture were enclosed. The Company makes use of 130 telephones, has shops, a tannery, etc. Besides Herefords there are Durhams and Polled Angus. Two hundred men are in charge of the stock. The natives make good cowboys, better I was told than some Americans who went down from here a few years ago.
Other Stock. As to other stock, horses are comparatively few, not one tenth of the number of cattle, hardly enough for home use. They are liable to disease and do not thrive in the Chaco, better east of the River. Mules serve well though smaller than in the United States. Horses are outnumbered by sheep, which are valuable for meat, though mutton is not favored by the natives. The climate is obviously warm for sheep and their fleece is light. New stock must be introduced. Hogs and goats thrive better.
Mining
Iron, 34 per cent pure, was produced at Ibicuy, 1863-69. Indications of it are widespread near the Alto Paraná, and near Caapacá, Quiquió, and Paraguarí.
Manganese runs 63 per cent in beds of 60,000,000 tons. Copper exists near Encarnación and Caapacá. There are large beds of good stone, talc, graphite, kaolin. Probably petroleum will be found in the Chaco.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is non-existent, aside from the quebracho and sugar mills, save for a few necessities of life, as by many regarded. Beer comes first with the largest investment of capital, flour mills next, then boots and shoes, furniture, brick, tiles, matches, hard and soft drinks, soap, vegetable oils, etc. The opportunities are vast for the development of electric power. Labor in general is fair and loyal, undeveloped, but with good intelligence. The men lack steadiness and a feeling of responsibility. There has been less labor trouble than in Argentina and Chile, but men from Argentina have been attempting to unionize them. Strikes are common. Wages are from 50 cents to $3.00 a day, the lower with quarters. At the frigorificos $1.00 is paid with free rent, for ten hours’ daily work.
Investments
Perhaps no other country of South America presents to the small farmer and willing worker, with or without small capital, openings more favorable than Paraguay, if equal to these. Some stock raising for local use or for the packing houses might gradually be added to agriculture. The dairy industry ought to be profitable. Fruit raising for export or for canning is undoubtedly of excellent promise; a large proposition of this nature is now being considered by an American corporation. Saw mills and lumbering would give good returns. Small industries, well managed, might afford fair earnings. For quebracho, yerba mate, or large scale stock raising, much capital is required, yet a modest sum here might go farther for stock than in any other country. Thousands of acres of land suited to agriculture are available for colonists in accordance with their liberal colonization and homestead laws. The price goes from $1 to $13 an acre. Grazing land costs $2-$5, agricultural $5-$20, Chaco land $1-$2.50 an acre. Special arrangements are made for and with a party of colonists as in all of the countries.
CHAPTER XLII
URUGUAY: AREA, HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, POPULATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Uruguay, still occasionally called the Banda Oriental (the land east of the Uruguay River), is the smallest Republic of South America.
Area, Population, Boundary
Area. With an area of 72,172 square miles, Uruguay is larger than New England.
Population. The country has now about 1,500,000 inhabitants.
Boundary. Uruguay is nearly surrounded by water, having the Atlantic Ocean for 120 miles on the east. The river or estuary of La Plata 235 miles on the south, and the Uruguay 270 miles on the west, both separate the country from Argentina; on the north and east between Uruguay and Brazil three rivers and Lake Mirím form the boundary most of the way, with the Santa Hills for some distance.
History
In 1512 the explorer, Juan de Solis, entered the gulf-like River Plata and landed upstream, 70 miles beyond Montevideo. Here were found Charrúa Indians, accounted by the Guaranís rather ferocious. On his next visit, 1515-16, Juan de Solis was slain by them with all his party that had gone on shore. It was many years later that permanent settlements were made in this region by Portuguese or Spaniards and not until 1726 was the city of Montevideo founded by Spaniards. In 1777 a rival Portuguese settlement was driven out by General Zavala of Buenos Aires. Subsequent to 1750 Montevideo was independent of Buenos Aires. After the Junta was formed in that city in 1810 the Spanish Viceroy for a short time had his seat at Montevideo; but the people soon became eager for independence. Under Artigas they waged war for years against the Spanish, the Portuguese, and also the Porteños of Buenos Aires. When in 1824 the power of Spain was finally destroyed in Peru, Uruguay alone was not independent. Accordingly a refugee in Buenos Aires, Lavalleja, with others, 33 in all (Treinta y Tres, a popular name in Uruguay), set out from Argentina, crossed the Uruguay River, gained adherents, captured Dolores, and August 25, 1825, established a government at Florida. In August, 1828, after many struggles Brazil and Argentina both acknowledged the independence of Uruguay; and May, 1829, Lavalleja entered Montevideo. In 1830 the Assembly elected Rivera President, after which Lavalleja tried to overthrow the Government. Under the second President, Uribe, one of the 33, a battle occurred when the colors red and white were used by the opposing parties, from which date the two parties: Red, Colorados, party of Rivera; Whites, Blancos, of Uribe and Lavalleja. Strife continued, the deaths of the leaders making no difference to the factions, and the parties continuing to the present with these names. In February, 1865, Flores, who had secured the support of Brazil, became dictator, but Paraguay having been previously asked to interfere continued the fight. Flores was assassinated, in 1868 occurred a terrible visitation of cholera, and in ’69 a financial crisis that ruined thousands. Troubles continued; until within the last few years no President has had an entirely peaceful term. In view of this fact the development and prosperity of the country has been remarkable.
Government
The government of the country is that of a centralized republic with the usual divisions; the President is elected for four years and not eligible for reëlection. The new Constitution which began to operate March 1, 1920, is unusually radical in character, a tendency observed in Uruguay some years ago. The Executive Power is shared by the President and a National Commission of nine members elected by the people. Some Members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President, others by the Commission. Congress elects the members of the Supreme Court, approves or rejects treaties. Bills may be presented to either Chamber by Cabinet Members, who may take part in deliberations or be summoned by a vote of one third to answer questions. A permanent committee, two Senators and five Deputies, represents Congress when it is not in session, and has power to convoke it.
| Departments | Area, in square miles | Population | Capitals | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On the Uruguay River | ||||
| Artigas | 4,400 | 37,000 | San Eugenio | 9,000 |
| Salto | 4,900 | 69,000 | Salto | 30,000 |
| Paysandú | 5,100 | 63,000 | Paysandú | 22,000 |
| Rio Negro | 3,200 | 30,000 | Fray Bentos | 12,000 |
| Soriano | 3,600 | 52,000 | Mercedes | 18,000 |
| On the Plata River | ||||
| Colonia | 2,200 | 78,000 | Colonia | 15,000 |
| San José | 2,700 | 56,000 | San José | 15,000 |
| Montevideo | 256 | 400,000 | Montevideo | 435,000 |
| Canelones | 1,800 | 110,000 | Canelones | 10,000 |
| Maldonado | 1,600 | 38,000 | Maldonado | 4,000 |
| On the Atlantic | ||||
| Rocha | 4,300 | 44,000 | Rocha | 12,000 |
| Bordering on Brazil | ||||
| Treinta y Tres | 3,700 | 38,000 | Treinta y Tres | 8,000 |
| Cerro Largo | 5,800 | 55,000 | Melo | 14,000 |
| Rivera | 3,800 | 44,000 | Rivera | 15,000 |
| In the Interior | ||||
| Tacuarembó | 8,100 | 58,000 | San Fructuoso | 9,000 |
| Durazno | 5,500 | 53,000 | Durazno | 17,000 |
| Flores | 1,700 | 17,000 | Trinidad | 13,600 |
| Florida | 4,600 | 55,000 | Florida | 10,000 |
| Minas | 4,800 | 64,000 | Minas | 15,000 |
The 19 Departments or States with approximate area, population, and capitals, beginning at the northwest, are given on the preceding page.
Population
The population of Uruguay, about 1,500,000, is practically of the Caucasian race with slight intermixture of Indian and Negro. The Indian tribes previously inhabiting the country were mostly exterminated, a few departing into adjoining regions, a few of the milder tribes being absorbed by their conquerors. In the north are some negroes near the Brazilian border and some of mixed blood. More than any other country of South America Uruguay is inhabited by a homogeneous white population.
Education
A fine educational system has been developed, with primary and graded schools throughout the country, so that hardly more than 25 per cent of the population is illiterate. Primary education is free and obligatory. In the Capital is a well equipped University with the usual Departments, including Engineering and Architecture; a School of Arts and Trades, kindergartens, and two Normal Schools; six of the latter are found in other cities. In the suburb of Montevideo is a School of Agriculture; four model farms are located at Colonia, Salto, Paysandú, and Cerro Largo.
Press, Religion, etc.
The Press is of high character with a number of good papers in Montevideo, and some in other cities.
The Religion, of course, is Roman Catholic, although there is no State Church. Complete toleration exists for other forms of worship.
Telegraph, etc. The Government has about 4800 miles of telegraph lines and four wireless stations. Wireless is compulsory on all steamers visiting Uruguayan ports. Telephones belonging to two private companies are likely to be taken over by the Government; 19 towns have this convenience.
Money. The gold standard was long ago adopted, but no gold was coined and no bullion is carried by the State. In spite of this we have the curious fact that the paper peso is equivalent to gold, and in ordinary times to $1.034 of our money; though unhappily when once I received some of the bills here, exchange being normal, I could obtain but 90 cents on the dollar for them. One broker even offered me 80 cents. Subsidiary coins are of silver and nickel, and a silver dollar is carried at par. The credit of Uruguay is obviously excellent, and its bonds are often above par.
Weights and Measures according to the metric system are obligatory. The importation even of other weighing apparatus is forbidden.