[5.] Approximate figures.
[6.] £125,274,000 approximately.
The relative importance of the various lines with their nationalities is as follows:—
| 1904. | Length of line (Kilometres) | Engines | Coaches | Vans | Waggons | Special Waggons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State-owned Railways:— | ||||||
| Andine (5ft. 6in.) | 339 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 504 | 5 |
| Central Northern (Metre) | 1,122 | 85 | 51 | 43 | 1,418 | 74 |
| North Argentine (Metre) | 563 | 15 | 26 | 13 | 250 | 27 |
| TOTAL | 2,024 | 118 | 93 | 72 | 2,172 | 106 |
| Southern (5ft. 6ins.) | 3,980 | 290 | 344 | 261 | 9,533 | 426 |
| Buenos Aires Western | 1,197 | 129 | 136 | 148 | 3,711 | — |
| B. A. Rosario | 1,997 | 146 | 188 | 154 | 4,982 | 111 |
| Central Argentine | 1,785 | 162 | 208 | 109 | 5,199 | 76 |
| B. A. Pacific | 1,261 | 100 | 80 | 60 | 2,523 | 15 |
| Great Western (5ft. 6ins.) | 714 | 90 | 54 | 37 | 1,258 | 56 |
| Bahia Blanca and N.W. (5ft. 6ins.) | 385 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 286 | 3 |
| East Argent. (4ft. 8½ins.) | 161 | 14 | 21 | 8 | 279 | 5 |
| N.E. Argent. | 662 | 36 | 42 | 16 | 340 | 7 |
| Entre Rios | 758 | 30 | 38 | 19 | 492 | — |
| Prov. Santa Fé (French) (Metre) | 1,392 | 81 | 112 | 47 | 1,852 | 48 |
| Centr. Córdoba (N.) | 885 | 80 | 76 | 56 | 1,606 | 74 |
| " " (E.) | 210 | 13 | 20 | 12 | 654 | — |
| Córdoba and Rosario | 289 | 29 | 55 | 32 | 654 | 21 |
| N.W. Argentine | 196 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 520 | 2 |
| Córdoba and N.W. | 153 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 86 | — |
| Transandine | 175 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 130 | 8 |
| Central Chubut | 70 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 57 | — |
| TOTAL | 16,270 | 1,265 | 1,424 | 998 | 34,162 | 852 |
In “The Review of the River Plate” the growth of British-owned Railways is given as follows:—
| Kilometres. | |
|---|---|
| 1864 | 25 |
| 1874 | 860 |
| 1884 | 1,748 |
| 1894 | 10,785 |
| 1904 | 15,315 |
For the total kilometrage of the year 1904 the same authority gives 18,412 kilometres, a considerable discrepancy from the official figures. Of the two authorities the government statistics are generally regarded as the less trustworthy. But whatever the true figures may be, the proportion owned by British interests will not be lessened by the total of the more optimistic estimate, which is based largely on unrealised concessions. And in any case, the economic point to be emphasised is not weakened, namely the overwhelming preponderance of British influence in this direction. Moreover, not only has this influence been increasing relatively to that of competitors, but, absolutely, the increase is exceedingly great.
We have, then, in this department of industry a market for goods of proportions that quite exceed those of any other in the country, the greatest impetus to its development being given by the admission into the country of all railway material duty-free. In any estimate therefore, of the true position of any country’s trade, this privileged demand must be considered. And in estimating future conditions, the tendency noted in the chapter on railways must be borne in mind, viz., the tendency to discourage the continuance of the quasi-monopoly of one country.