The town, Hurlingham, 15 miles from the city, almost in the suburbs, is much frequented by those athletically inclined. A hippodrome containing apparatus for physical exercises is the scene of frequent hippie and athletic reunions with large and distinguished crowds. There is a race track of 2000 meters for horses, grounds for tennis, polo, cricket, etc., with pavilions for spectators, restaurant, garage, stables, and dog kennels. The whole, covering 22 squares, belongs to a society with 6000 members. At the opening of the season occurs an annual fête called Gymkchana. Among other sports is a Whistling Race. In this, after 500 yards, men must pause before a lady and whistle a tune, the name of which she hands to him on paper.
In the real suburbs of Buenos Aires, at Villa Devoto, 10 miles from the city station, is a rifle range established by the Italians. The field, 1000 meters long and 100 wide, has a shooting gallery 550 meters long. Of the 30 targets 24 are for guns at from 300 to 500 meters, and six for revolvers at 10 meters. English societies have here tennis and golf grounds. Among many chalets with fine gardens is one belonging to John A. Hall containing about 1500 varieties of orchids. Of two asylums in the place, one called Umberto Primo, was the gift of the philanthropist Antonio Devoto, of which the cornerstone was laid February, 1904, by Prince Luigi de Savoia, Duke of the Abruzzi. From this suburb a tramway conducts to the city, passing on the way a Dispensary for the Tuberculous, and the National School of Agriculture and Veterinary, which was inaugurated September, 1904. Continuing by rail, one has on the left a glimpse of the river, and on both sides, of the Palermo Park, before reaching the station Retiro, a short distance from the center of Buenos Aires.
This wonderful city, the Metropolis of South America, which in the last half century has grown at a rate exceeded by few in the United States, was founded as early as 1535 by Pedro de Mendoza; but being twice destroyed or abandoned on account of troubles with the Indians, its permanent settlement dates from 1580. For this the honor belongs to Juan de Garay, Acting Governor of the Province of which Asunción was the capital. The latter city had been founded in 1536 by Juan de Ayolas, sent thither to discover a way through to the rich country of Peru. This colony, more fortunate than Buenos Aires, endured, and for many years Asunción was the chief city of this part of South America. Several other settlements were made in the present Argentine country before the permanent establishment of Buenos Aires: Santiago de Estero in 1553; and within ten years thereafter, Mendoza, San Juan, and Tucumán.
The name, Buenos Aires, dates from 1535 when Pedro de Mendoza, January 6, inaugurated the city of Santa María de Buenos Aires, in recognition of the sailors’ devotion to Nuestra Señora del Buen Aire, their especial patroness at Cadiz; tradition also has it that on disembarking here one said to another, “Que buenos aires son los de este suelo!” “What good airs are there on this land!” The town founded February 2, 1535, was practically destroyed by Indians and abandoned in 1541. In 1580 Garay with sixty-three colonists, provisions, tools, etc., coming from Asunción, on disembarking Sunday, June 11, 1580, proceeded to an elevated spot, where now is Parque Lezama. There he pronounced in Spanish the words, “City of the Trinity and Port of Santa Maria of Buenos Aires, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” All, saying Amen, then knelt to ask a blessing on the city to be founded. Proceeding north to an open space on the wooded shore they fixed upon the present Plaza de Mayo as the center of the city and placed the first stone at the corner of Rivadavia and San Martin. The new city was arranged in sixteen squares from north to south along the river front, and in nine squares east to west, with farms and gardens beyond. While the general trend of the river and the shore on this side is northwest to southeast, the front just here is almost due north and south, the Avenida de Mayo, at right angles, therefore running east and west.
The growth of the city was slow, being much hampered by strange regulations of the Mother Country. No commerce was permitted, either imports or exports, hence smuggling became popular. While the Viceroy at Lima was ruler of the entire country, his practical authority was here small, the Audiencia in Charcas (now Sucre), Bolivia, being in charge of the country east of the Andes. Subordinate to this were the Royal Governors of the Provinces, always Spanish, while the cities were ruled by Cabildos of from six to twelve members who were natives or creoles. These serving for life had charge both of judicial and administrative matters. The troubles with the Indians, and with the Portuguese who had settlements on the opposite bank may be passed over, but those with the British should be mentioned. At last, after about two hundred years, Buenos Aires in 1776 had a Viceroy of her own and more liberal government; unfortunately too late to undo the evil which had been wrought, although trade now flourished and the population soon doubled. In June, 1806, a squadron under Admiral Popham, and General Beresford with fifteen hundred men landed below Buenos Aires then a city of about 40,000. The Viceroy fled and June 27 the British occupied the city. A French officer, Liniers, in Spanish employ, procuring one thousand regular troops and some cannon in Montevideo, approached the city and was joined at his camp by many. The British on the advance of the army of Liniers, August 12, after hard street fighting, finally surrendered; the British flags then captured are still preserved in Buenos Aires as trophies. Four months later the British again came and with four thousand troops captured Montevideo. General Whitelock approaching Buenos Aires put to flight the army of Liniers which had come out to meet him; but on entering the city, July 5, stubborn street fighting ensued, and after forcing their way to the barricaded Plaza and losing in two days one-quarter of their men, the British agreed to withdraw and to evacuate Montevideo within two months.
This experience inspired in the Argentines a feeling of self-reliance. Accordingly when Napoleon, after he had overrun the Spanish peninsula, demanded, May 22, 1810, the resignation of the new Viceroy Cisneros, who had taken office in 1809, an armed assembly came together in the Plaza and proclaimed the Cabildo supreme in authority. While Acts were made in the name of Ferdinand VII, the Spanish ruler of Castile and Leon, then in prison, this date is regarded as that of the dawn of Independence. The Cabildo sent armies in various directions and bloody combats ensued, several at first successful, then with varying results. There were long troublous times, though Buenos Aires never again fell under foreign sway, and the sentiment of independence became firmly established by 1812. In this year returned from Europe the great patriot, San Martin, who, through the labors of the historian, Bartolomé Mitre, is now generally recognized as the savior of South American Independence.
San Martin, born, February 25, 1778, of a creole mother and a Spanish officer father in a small mission town of the Jesuits on the Uruguay River, was taken to Spain at the age of eight years, educated in the best military schools, and served in many wars. Having imbibed liberal ideas he returned to Buenos Aires in March, 1812, and later, with a chosen company of the best youths, proceeded to Mendoza, where for three years he was forming and drilling an army for the purpose of invading Chile. This he did in January, 1817, the battle of Chacabuco, February 12, giving that country its independence. Going to Peru with his army in 1820, he proceeded himself to meet Bolívar in Guayaquil. When the latter rejected the coöperation proffered, San Martin gave up the army which he had organized and withdrew to Buenos Aires, suffering the imputation of cowardice without a word, and returning to Europe to live in reduced circumstances until his death at Boulogne in 1850.
Independence was formally declared by a Congress in Tucumán, July 9, 1816. From 1812 to 1862 civil and other wars were frequent. July 9, 1825, a National Constitution was adopted, and in 1826, Rivadavia, a very able man, became the first President. The greatest constructive statesman of the period, he undertook to reform the laws and administration, created the University of Buenos Aires, founded hospitals, etc., and engaged in war with Brazil, by which Uruguay became independent. But after a single year of office, on account of dissensions, he resigned. In 1829, following two years of strife, de Rosas became President and in 1835 Dictator. His name and his tyranny are regarded with detestation. Defeated June 8, 1852, by General Urquiza, he fled to the British Legation and later to England.
In 1853 Buenos Aires was recognized as an independent state, but in 1857 the Porteños or harbor people, as the residents of the city are called, under General B. Mitre were defeated by General Urquiza and again joined the Confederation. In 1861 another battle occurred under the same generals with a victory for Mitre, who then became President of the entire nation and by granting the Provinces autonomy succeeded in creating better feeling. In 1868 Dr. Sarmiento, a broad-minded scholar, was peacefully elected and did much to promote education and develop the nation’s resources. His successor, Dr. Avellanda, had a more troublous term of office. General Roca who followed, 1880, gained his position by hard fighting. He first declared the city the Federal District of the nation, promoted railway extension, and put down dissensions. After Dr. Celman had misgoverned for four years, Carlos Pellegrini finished the six years’ term in good fashion. Dr. Saenz Peña followed in 1892, but becoming unpopular, resigned; and the Vice President filled out his administration. Another term for General Roca was succeeded in 1904 by that of Dr. Quintana and after his death Dr. Alcorta; the present incumbent, Dr. Roque Saenz Peña, taking office October 12, 1910.
Buenos Aires, the Metropolis of South America, resembles Chicago in being located on the level frontier of a great prairie, and on the border of a large body of fresh water; at the same time it is like New York in being the chief seaport of a great nation. The so-called Rio de la Plata or La Plata River is in reality more of an estuary; so wide as to have rather the effect of a bay or gulf. Formed by the union of two rivers, the Paraná and the Uruguay, the La Plata basin is the second largest in the world, the flow of the river being 80 per cent greater than that of the Mississippi. And here let me make a feeble protest against the usage, general among the English, and now copied in the United States, of speaking of this water as the River Plate. Was there ever an uglier name in sound or sense? Were there any difficulty in saying La Plata there might be some excuse. True, one is liable to commit a tautology by saying the La Plata River, a repetition of the the in another language, but some sins are worse, and one to my mind is changing Plata to Plate. Plata means silver. Why not then call it the Silver River, if one would translate, or else say the Plata River? I, at least, give notice here that in this book it shall be properly called. The first a of course has the sound of ah.