BUENOS AYRES, the capital of the Argentine Confederation and of the province of Buenos-Ayres, is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the La Plata, in Lat. 34. 39. S. Long. 58. 18. W. The river is at this point so wide, that it is quite impossible with the naked eye to distinguish the opposite bank; and at the same time so shallow, that ships drawing 15 or 16 feet of water must anchor seven or eight miles from the city. Small craft generally anchor in what are called the inner roads, abreast of the city. As the depth of water is never sufficient to admit of their coming to shore, passengers and goods are landed by means of large-wheeled carts, which are either drawn or pushed by
Buenos Ayres. the requisite number of horses. The town of Buenos-Ayres is situated in a vast plain extending westwards to the Andes. The level uniformity of its outline is only broken by the spires of the various churches. The stranger, on landing, is struck with the regularity of the streets, which are quite straight, and intersect each other at distances of 150 yards forming squares like those of a chess-board, with the cleanly appearance of the houses, and the general air of independence that distinguishes the inhabitants. The only public buildings that have any pretensions to architectural beauty are the churches, which were built for the most part by the Jesuits. The houses have never more than two stories, and commonly only one, the rooms of which open into each other, and till lately were chiefly supplied with furniture of a very inferior description from the United States. A chimney was a thing unknown, as the old Spanish brazero alone was employed in heating the damp and white-washed rooms. A great change has, however, taken place in these respects within the last few years. The furniture is now supplied from Europe, the walls are papered, grates and chimneys have come into fashion, and English coal is burned at a lower price than it brings in the London market. These comforts are all the more valuable, as the climate of Buenos-Ayres is one of the most humid and changeable in the world. As the system of police is still somewhat of the rudest, the inhabitants are obliged to guard themselves and their property by means of the iron railings with which they protect the windows of the houses. Even this, however, is not always found to be an efficient safeguard against the dexterity of thieves. Though the city is built within 50 yards of the largest river in the world, the supplies of fresh water are both scanty and expensive. There are no public reservoirs or fountains, and the wells of the city yield only a brackish and disagreeable water. By the wealthier classes tanks are constructed, in which a sufficiency of rain-water for domestic purposes is collected from the roof of the house. The common people are obliged to purchase water from the water-carriers. As it is derived from the river, it is commonly muddy, and must stand for twenty-four hours till the sediment sinks to the bottom. It is then found to be excellent. The streets of the city are now tolerably paved with granite. Many of them, however, are still unpaved; and these in wet weather can hardly be traversed by a mounted horseman, and are utterly impassable by a person on foot. Floriculture is a favourite pursuit; and many English and Scotch gardeners have nurseries in the neighbourhood of the town.
Of the public buildings may be noticed the fortress, which is situated on the beach, and, besides guarding the town, serves as a residence for the president of the confederation; the cathedral, which is surmounted by a handsome dome, and has a large portico with twelve Corinthian pillars; the cabildo or town-house, in which justice is administered and the business of the municipality conducted; the churches of La Merced, San Francisco, and San Domingo; and the custom-house. The Plaza de la Victoria, round which some of these edifices are grouped, is the handsomest square in Buenos-Ayres. In the centre of it is a handsome monument, erected as a memorial of the war of independence. When the number of British residents in the town began rapidly to increase, application was made to General Rosas for a site for a church. This was immediately granted, and the minister for the time being set an example of liberality and toleration to his countrymen by laying the foundation-stone of the edifice, which cost in all about £4000, half of which was defrayed by the British government. The Scottish residents, who muster about 1000, have recently built a small Presbyterian chapel; and the Roman Catholic portion of the English subjects are allowed the use of one of the national churches, in which a priest performs the service. In 1842 the Methodists erected a meeting-house,
which is used by all denominations of the British Dissenters. The Protestant Germans, who are pretty numerous, have a church in connexion with the Established Church of Prussia. To each of these places of worship schools are attached for children of both sexes. The facilities for education are very considerable, and of these the inhabitants avail themselves extensively. Besides the denominational schools already alluded to, there is a university, attended by about 500 students, and possessing a valuable though not very extensive library. The sons of the wealthier families of the city are very frequently sent to Europe to complete their education at some of the great schools and colleges in France and England. The Buenos-Ayresans inherit from their ancestors much of that passion for music which characterizes the Spaniard, and are said to excel in this accomplishment. Poetry also is much cultivated among them; and a collection of lyrical ballads, under the title of Lira Argentina, is said to be well worth the notice of all lovers of Spanish verse. Besides its university, Buenos-Ayres contains many other literary and scientific institutions. Of these, the most important are the academy of medicine, the academy of jurisprudence, a special academy of mathematics and the physical sciences, a normal school, and a society for the promotion of agriculture. The charitable societies, though not very numerous, are rather important. Spanish is the language spoken by the Buenos-Ayresan descendants of the old Spanish settlers, as well as by the native Indians, who constitute the bulk of the lower classes.
Buenos-Ayres was founded in 1535 by a Spanish expedition under Don Jorge de Mendoza, who landing at this place after many hardships, bestowed upon it the name it now bears in commemoration of the fine weather which prevailed at that time. At first he endeavoured to conciliate the native Indians, but hostilities soon broke out, and, despite their utmost efforts, the Spaniards were obliged to abandon the new settlement; and after almost incredible difficulties succeeded in reaching Assumption in Paraguay, with their numbers reduced by three-fourths. In 1580 another expedition under Don Juan de Garay took possession of the site of the old fort and established themselves there, founding cities and establishing settlements in every direction with such success, that in 1620 a new government was erected, under the name of the government of the Río de la Plata. Buenos-Ayres became the capital, and the seat of a new bishopric created at this time by Pope Paul V., at the request of Philip III. of Spain. After the lapse of a century, Buenos-Ayres began to rise into such importance as to excite the jealousy and alarm of the home government. The insane restrictions imposed upon her foreign and internal commerce led only to continual heart-burnings with the parent country, and Buenos-Ayres soon became a rendezvous for the smugglers of such nations as were strong enough to set Spain at defiance. After numerous modifications of its government, and of its relations to the parent state, the provinces of the Río de la Plata were in 1776 erected into a vice-royalty, of which Buenos-Ayres continued to be the capital. Two years later the old commercial restrictions were abolished and a new commercial code promulgated, so liberal as to be called the "Free-Trade Regulations." According to the old system the Buenos-Ayresans were only allowed to export merchandise to the Portuguese settlements in Brazil, and the quantity was limited to 2000 fanegas of wheat, 500 quintals of jerked beef, and 500 of tallow. All intercourse with other countries was strictly prohibited. By the new system, nine ports in Spain and twenty-four in the colonies were declared puertos habilitados, or ports of entry. The effects of the new policy were immediately visible. Of hides, for instance, the staple commodity of the country, the exports to Spain before 1778 only amounted to 150,000 annually; after that year they rose to from 700,000 to 800,000. In 1805, and
again in 1807, the British invaded Buenos-Ayres; and though the natives applied for assistance to the home authorities, they were told that they must defend themselves as they best might, as Spain could send them no help. They accordingly rose in arms, and twice expelled the invaders. In the following year they were threatened with invasion by the prince regent of Portugal. The resolution which they displayed on the occasion prevented that prince from insisting upon his claims. In 1810 the circumstances of the country involved the establishment of a provisional junta; a policy which was construed by the Spanish cortes into an act of rebellion. A civil war ensued; and Ferdinand, on his restoration after the expulsion of the French from Spain, instead of trying to conciliate the malcontents by timely concessions, obstinately refused to accede to their lawful demands. The result of this was that, on the 9th of July 1816, deputies from the provinces of the Rio de la Plata assembled in congress at Tucuman, solemnly declared their separation from Spain, and their determination to constitute a free and independent state. Buenos-Ayres continued to be the capital of the new republic, which was governed by authorities constituted in that city. The exclusive policy of the capital soon bred discontent in the provinces, the governors of which began to cry out for a federation in opposition to the central government of Buenos-Ayres. By their influence the new constitution, which conferred on a chief magistrate residing in the capital very extensive civil and military powers over the whole republic, was repudiated, and a civil war was the consequence. Various assemblies were held, and attempts were made to establish the constitution on a sufficiently wide basis to reconcile the interests of all parties—but always without success; and from 1827 till the expulsion of Rosas in 1852, no meetings of the constituent assembly took place. After 1827, the Confederation was obliged to delegate to the executive government of Buenos-Ayres the undivided charge of the national business, such as the management of the public debt, the maintenance of relations with foreign powers, the defence of the country in the event of war, &c. While these internal dissensions were going on, war was declared between the young confederation and the empire of Brazil, and Buenos-Ayres was blockaded for a year and a half by a Brazilian fleet. In 1828, however, the siege was raised by the intervention of the English. This foreign war thus ended, the civil war broke out once more, and was only temporarily checked by the accession of General Rosas to power in 1835. Aiming at territorial aggrandizement, Rosas soon became involved in war with the neighbouring states of Paraguay and Uruguay. England, France, and Brazil interfered, with the intention of effecting an amicable arrangement between the belligerents. Rosas rejected their mediation; and the united fleets of England and France took possession of the Buenos-Ayres fleet which was engaged in the siege of Monte Video, and opened the navigation of the Paraná to the merchantmen of all nations. In the subsequent operations Rosas sustained severe losses, yet obstinately refused to yield. In 1848 the English fleet returned home, and was followed by the French in the following year. Brazil was now left to carry on the war alone, but she found ready allies in some of the provinces of the Argentine Confederation, which had long regarded with hatred and aversion the supremacy arrogated by Buenos-Ayres. With the assistance of these and the adjoining states of Uruguay and Paraguay, a large army was raised, which, under the command of General Urquiza, defeated Rosas at the battle of Monte Caseros, February 2, 1851. Rosas after his downfall fled to England. Urquiza was appointed provisional director of the confederation; but the Buenos-Ayresans protested against his policy, which threatened to undermine the prerogatives they had been long struggling to secure. Civil war again broke out; and
in 1853 Buenos-Ayres was besieged by the forces of the other states of the confederation. On the 20th of June the siege was raised, and a temporary accommodation effected.