A long report upon the trade of this country has been drawn up by a committee of British merchants, and presented to the Consul, extracts from which have appeared in the English newspapers. Great talent has been exhibited in the detail and writing of this report, although I think the picture has been too highly painted.
Should the trade of Paraguay be thrown open to Buenos Ayres, it will be of great advantage. The present Governor, Francia, follows the Jesuits’ system; and Pekin is not more secluded from the inspection of strangers. Some unfortunate Englishmen, who ventured there with goods, had both their persons and property detained, and no satisfactory intelligence has been received of them. In February, 1823, a memorial was sent to Sir Thomas Hardy, by their friends in Buenos Ayres, entreating his interference. This memorial has been forwarded to the British government. It is surprising that the people of Paraguay, a country so rich in its natural productions should be quiet under such severe restrictions. One is led to suppose, from their passiveness, that they are content with the system. Francia, however, has lately permitted communication and trade with the Portuguese in Brazil; Itapua, on the frontiers, being the depôt town.
They have no regular exchange for the merchants to meet in, at Buenos Ayres. A new general Commercial Room is about to be established, to which persons of all nations will be allowed to subscribe. Some late regulations of the British Room have given offence; the committee of which, in derision, have been named “the Holy Alliance,” and have had several anonymous letters addressed to them, upon their aristocratical notions in a foreign country. The refusal to allow any but British subjects to subscribe to the Commercial Room, has been much commented upon; some years back it might have been advisable, but at this period a more liberal system would perhaps be better.
The Creoles of the country now engage in mercantile pursuits with great avidity; and commerce has spread into so many hands, that money does not roll in quite so fast as formerly.
The competition amongst the store-keepers materially diminishes their profits, and reduces the concern upon a level with English chandlers’ shops.
The number of shops in Buenos Ayres is very great; they abound in the streets leading from the Plaza. Every shop and house has a proportion of taxes levied upon it: and there is also a species of property tax upon the English plan. The taxes now imposed considerably diminish the profits they used to make.
The linen-drapers have a choice assortment from all countries, neatly arranged. Their shops are well lighted; and although they fall very short of the splendour of the London ones, yet they are equal to some of those of our best country towns: they are open till nine and ten at night. They call the Buenos Ayreans a lazy people: the shopkeepers, at least, do not merit this epithet.
The shopmen are mostly young men, who appear to have all the persuasive arts of their brethren in London, prevailing upon their fair customers to get rid of their money, and subjecting them to a good scolding from husbands and mammas, for extravagance, leading to pouting and sulks for a week. Those gentlemen of the shop have a great deal to answer for.
Every article of apparel, both for male and female, can be purchased at the retail shops, of which there are many: they have coats, waistcoats, trowsers, &c. hanging in front, in the mode of Monmouth Street. Mr. Niblett was the first Englishman that opened a shop of this description.