PALERMO PARK, BUENOS AIRES.
It is not easy to make the reader realise foreign scenes, even when small towns or glimpses of natural beauty are attempted, and it is probably impossible to give any satisfactory description of a vast city, for the great towns and their crowds have a peculiar spirit and their own harmony of noises which render photographs or lists of streets and buildings inadequate and misleading. Probably few cities are more difficult to describe than Buenos Aires. Its streets are quite as narrow as those of Italian towns, but every one is full of noise and bustle. This absence of wide streets, squares, boulevards, and parks greatly detracts from its magnificence; the wood can never be seen for the trees. As is the case with practically all Spanish-American towns, the streets are perfectly straight and intersect one another at right angles, so that it is very easy to find one's way about, for if a pedestrian desires a cross street, say to the north, he has only to march northwards up any given street and he must eventually reach his designation. The people regret the cramped proportions of the town, and, in the days of the great boom, they cut the handsome Avenida de Mayo through the congested streets, and its fine effect shows what a sumptuous city Buenos Aires would be if the process were extended. But that any more avenues of this kind will be made is very unlikely, for the expense would be prohibitive. Not only is land of immense value, but costly buildings have been erected all along the narrow streets, and the loss entailed by their demolition would be immense. It may be added that during a period of inflation the wisest policy is to spend all available money in bricks and mortar, streets and squares, for when the bubble bursts the buildings remain. Bombay is an excellent instance, as also is Buenos Aires.
It is true that Rio de Janeiro has during the last few years cleared out many acres of narrow streets and rebuilt itself in brave fashion, but the old edifices demolished were insignificant in value compared with those of the great Argentine capital. The Avenida de Mayo is inferior to the Avenida Central of Rio in length and splendour of appearance, as Buenos Aires must always be inferior to the Brazilian capital in beauty, but this disadvantage is far more than counterbalanced by the prosperity and enterprise of the inhabitants who in these respects leave their neighbours far behind.
Every one admires the buildings of Buenos Aires. The Jockey Club is probably unsurpassed by any Club building in the world, and the Bolsa, or Exchange, is extremely stately. Unfortunately the Congress Hall is built in a poor style and has come in for general condemnation, while the Cathedral is an unimposing brick-and-plaster structure. It has, however, a rich portico with twelve Corinthian pillars, and the work surpasses the material, but South America is not a place for the lovers of church architecture. The shops are large and full of valuable goods tastefully arranged, but Buenos Aires cannot be recommended as a place for making purchases, owing to the abnormal dearness of all articles. But the streets and shoppers present a fine spectacle; the architecture of the buildings is sumptuous and the pavements are full of life; there are long rows of splendid equipages, and beautiful women, daintily attired and bejewelled, flit from shop to shop as in all other capitals, and the pride of wealth and luxury flaunts itself as bravely as in Paris or London. The keen, stimulating air gives vivacity to the inhabitants, the streets hum with gay chatter, and the unbroken prosperity of many years helps to maintain the general good-humour. The only drawback to the pleasure-seeker is the narrowness of the streets. He is perpetually jostled off the tiny pavements and has perpetually to spring back to the kerb-stone to save himself from annihilation by the rapid tramcar. These cars are cheap and also much faster and better than anything of the kind in London. It is thus tolerably easy to get about Buenos Aires under ordinary circumstances, although the suburban railway service is not very good and the cabs are indifferent. The trams penetrate almost everywhere, but probably a system of tubes would be convenient. It is true that cabmen and tram-men have a disconcerting habit of going on strike; nor does their violence appear to surprise any one, the newspapers merely remarking that it is fortunate for tram proprietors that the Argentines are a peaceful and orderly people, unlike the Brazilians who on such occasions burn the cars.
LA CROZE TRAMWAY, NEAR BUENOS AIRES.
The town was planned with narrow streets to afford shade and mitigate the great heat of summer, but now that its size is so great it may be doubted whether the disadvantages arising from closeness and congestion are not more serious than any that might be caused by the rays of the sun. Indeed, Buenos Aires is, perhaps, too completely a town to charm for long together; it is almost destitute even of squares, and though towards the outskirts some of the streets are more spacious, the general impression is that of being cramped. The Avenida de Mayo runs from north to south, and is met by the best streets which come from the river and railway line and which, as they approach the Avenida, become gradually more fashionable. Among the best are the Calle Maipu, Florida, Cangallo, San Martin, and Bartoleme Mitre. At Palermo there are attractive gardens and recreation grounds, and attempts are being made to establish parks, but as yet they have not borne fruit. Belgrano is an extremely untidy suburb. The multiplication of the amenities of Buenos Aires can only be effected by creating pleasant suburbs, and to effect a reasonable plan for surrounding it with garden-like tracts and giving them good communications would, however expensive, be the greatest benefit that could be conferred upon it.