Argentine Republic.

THIS Country has an area as great as all Central and Western Europe combined (about 1,619,500 sq. miles), and a population of 1,768,681 by census of 1869, now estimated at 2,500,000. It abounds in remarkably fertile plains, called pampas, with rich alluvial soil four or five feet thick, formed by decay of luxurious vegetation.

It consists of 14 provinces; the province of Buenos Ayres is the most populous, having over half a million population, with a capital city-Buenos Ayres-of 200,000, estimated for 1878. The vast extent of Indian country is very sparsely populated. The population of Buenos Ayres and the riverine provinces is largely European, and immigration has increased enormously of late years, attracted by the fertility of the soil and the prosperity and free institutions of the Republic. By the last census there were 212,000 people of foreign birth, Occupying 2,000,000 acres of land, in the province of Buenos Ayres alone, and owning 35 million sheep, besides multitudes of horned cattle, buildings, etc., acquired in a few years by men who, on arrival, did not own a dollar.

Eminently a pastoral country, with about 18 million horned cattle, and 100 million sheep, the exports are largely of wool, hides, and tallow. The premium on gold varied from 30 to 33 per cent in 1878. The exports in 1877 were $43,393,609, and the imports $39,309,141. Twelve lines of steamers run to Europe, the passage occupying 29 days. The Republic has nearly 1500 miles of railway, and 8000 miles of telegraph, besides an Atlantic cable communicating with London.

The revenue for 1879 was $16,870,000, derived almost wholly from import and export duties. The expenditure in 1877 was $17,193,284, and the total national debt $61,277,802.

The government is a Federal Republic, modelled on the Constitution of the United States, except that the ministry is responsible to Congress, an adverse vote in the Senate and House leading to the formation of a new Cabinet. The laws are the same for all, native or foreign; immigrants are free to naturalize themselves as Argentines or to maintain their foreign nationality.

Austria,

Called, since 1867, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (240,000 square miles; population in 1869, 35,904,435), comprises five countries, each bearing the name of kingdom. Its largest city and capital, Vienna, had 833,855 inhabitants in 1869.

The population of Austria em

braces several distinct races, the most numerous being the German, numbering 9 millions, or 25 per cent of the whole.

The various Slavonic races number about 16 millions, or 46 per cent. Poles, Croats, Serbians, Czechs, Moravians, etc. The Magyars, or Hungarians, number 5 millions, or 16 per cent; the Wallachians, nearly 3 millions; the Jews, 1,100,000; the Italians, 515,000; and Gypsies, 140,000.

About two thirds of the people profess the Roman Catholic religion. Education receives great attention, and is open to all at small cost, or even gratuitously. In Austria, all children from six to twelve are bound to attend the common schools, and 76 per cent actually do so. There are 92 gymnasia, or higher schools, and 6 universities, while Hungary has 142 gymnasia and one university.

The majority of the people pursue agriculture. About 30 per cent are engaged in trade or manufactures. The productive land of Austria is estimated at 89 per cent of its area; Hungary, 84 percent. The great crop is grain, an annual yield of over 400 million bushels. For commerce, Austria is not favorably situated, being an inland country. The principal seaport is Trieste, on the Adriatic. Total imports about 83 million dollars, and exports 65 million dollars.

The legislative body, or Reichsrath, consists of a House of Lords nominated by the Emperor, consisting partly of life members and partly of hereditary nobles; and a House of Representatives, 353 members, elected by all citizens who possess a small property qualification.

Hungary has a Reichstag, consisting of a House of Magnates for high officers and peers of the kingdom, and a House of Representatives elected for three years. The sovereign (the Austro-Hungarian Emperor) is styled king in Hungary.

In the imperial finances Austria pays 70 per cent and Hungary 30 per cent toward the expenses of the empire. The budget of 1878 summed up: receipts, 56 million dollars; expendi tures, about the same. The budget of Austria proper amounted to 181 million dollars in 1878; the expenditures to $179,500,000. The Hungarian budget for 1878, including receipts, $109,000,000; and expenditures, $120,500,000. The public debt of the empire was $1,489,600,000.

The army, on a peace footing, consisted in 1878 of 275,531 men and 16,635 officers. Military service is compulsory for ten years.

The navy in 1878 consisted of 55 vessels, 11 of which were ironclads, and 30 steam vessels, with 820 guns.

Belgium.

Belgium is a kingdom of Western Europe; area, 11,378 square miles; population, 1876, 5,336,185; capital, Brussels, 164,598. Most of the people are Roman Catholics, there being about 15,000 Protestants, and 3000 Jews. Revenue, 1875, $58,340,000; expenditures, $142,720,000.

The public debt in 1878 was $374,620,201. Imports in 1876, $290,000,000; exports, $213,000,000. Army, peace footing, 46,383 men.

Railways in operation, 1878, 2194 miles, two thirds of which were owned nnd managed by the government. Miles of telegraph, 1878, 3144; postoffices, 585; letters carried, 63,641,094; postal-cards, 11,671,296; journals, 77,938,000. The great interests are agriculture and manufactures, Belgiumbeing one great workshop. Education is zealously promoted by the government, but, notwithstanding abundant primary school provisions, only 58 per cent of the population above 7 years of age were able to read and write in 1866.

Bolivia.

Bolivia, a republic of South America, named in honor of Bolivar (536,200 square miles; population 1874, estimated, 1,811,368, to which should be added about 245,000 wild Indians), is divided into 9 departments, each having a distinct governor. The government is popular in form, three legislative chambers being elected for four years, eight years, and for life. The president is elected for life by a majority of the collective legislature. The administration belongs wholly to the ministry, which is responsible to the Senate. Religion is free, the Roman Catholic being the prevailing form.

The public debt in 1875 was $17,000,000. The revenue was $2,929,574 in 1874, one fifth of which was derived from customs, about as much from Indian tribute, and half as much from the sale of guano; expenditure, $4,505,504. Imports in 1877, $5,500,000; exports, $4,500,000.

Bolivia abounds in high plateaus, constituting granaries of wheat production, has much valuable timber, and the lowlands are the seat of tropical forests and swamps, with every variety of climate, and two or more zones of production. It produces coffee, cotton, sugar-canes, garden vegetables and fruits in surprising luxuriance and abundance. Western Bolivia contains the highest mountains of the two Americas, with frequent volcanoes. The great Cordillera range, reaching up into the region of eter nal ice and snow, culminating in the peak of Sorata, 24,800 feet high. The silver-mines of Potosi, world-famous for richness of production, have yielded over $1,600,000,000 since 1545. Bolivia is poorly supplied with roads, and railroads are as yet almost un

known, great natural difficulties being presented to their construction.

Brazil.

Brazil, the only kingdom in America (area, 388,110 square miles; popu lation, 1872, 9,700,187), is the largest of the South American countries. First occupied by the French in 1558, the country early fell into Portuguese possession, afterwards passing under the Spanish rule, but reverting to Portugal in 1640.

The legislative power is vested in a Senate of 58 members elected for life, and a Chamber of Deputies, 122 members, chosen for four years by indirect suffrage involving a property qualification.

The executive power is vested in the emperor and his ministers and secretaries of state. For administrative purposes, the Brazilian empire is divided into twenty provinces, comprising 642 municipalities, each having a council chosen directly by citizens possessed of an annual income of $112.

The public debt of Brazil is about $380,000,000, of which $85,000,000 consists of paper money issues. The revenue for 1879 was $52,541,100, more than one half of which was customs duties, and one sixth from export duties, the taxes in both these forms on commodities being very heavy. The expenditure in 1879 was $51,885,000.

The army consists of 17,942 men, raised to 32,000 on a war footing.

The naval force embraces 61 steam vessels, with 230 guns, and 4136 sea

men.

Free public schools supported by the state exist throughout the empire, and in some of the provinces instruction is compulsory.

Brazil has about 200 newspapers, of which six dailies are published at the capital, Rio de Janeiro.

The Roman Catholic religion is established, other forms being tolerated, though they may only be practised privately, and dissenters enjoy civil rights, except that of election to the General Assembly.

Brazilian commerce is flourishing, and there are 18 lines of steam vessels, receiving annual subsidy from the state to the amount of $750,000; besides this, the North American steamship line, running between Brazil and New York, enjoys a Brazilian subsidy of $100,000 annually. The imports in 1876 aggregated $86,650,000, and the exports, chiefly of coffee, hides, and sugar, $92,449,050. By a decree of 1867 the great river Amazon was opened to the trading ships of all nations. In 1874 a submarine telegraph cable was completed from Europe. The roads of Brazil are wretched, but railways have been constructed to the number of over twenty, and are being rapidly extended by the state, as well as by private enterprise.