It has already been said that the Argentines are not a seafaring nation, but no doubt, in course of time, the exigencies of national defence and the growth of her trade will turn the energies of her people to the sea. There are in Argentina four banks with their offices in London. First comes the London and River Plate Bank, which was the only one of the four doing business in the country at the time of the Celman catastrophes, and this British Bank was the only banking firm of any description that weathered the storm. It has branches in Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, Concordia, Bahia Blanca, and Barracas. The other three, though younger, are sound and prosperous. The Anglo-South American Bank (formerly Tarapaca) has branches in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Bahia Blanca. The British Bank of South America has branches in Buenos Aires and Rosario, and the same is the case with the London and Brazilian Bank. There are, of course, many foreign and Argentine banks, and of these the Spanish River Plate Bank is said to be the best. It was recently stated that the United States does not possess a single bank in the whole of South America. The financial position of the Republic may be briefly stated. It is generally believed that the fiscal management is somewhat wasteful, and the competence of Congress to produce a satisfactory budget is questioned. Men of eminent business ability are, of course, found in the pursuits that make wealth rather than in Congress. But the finances are flourishing, as the following figures[114] will show:-- ESTIMATES FOR 1909. -----------------------------+-------------- Revenue. | Dollars Gold. -----------------------------+-------------- Import duties | 51,930,000 Additional duties | 3,100,000 Port dues, &c. | 5,230,000 Consular dues, fines, &c. | 930,000 Buenos Aires Provincial Debt | 983,429 National Bank Service | 347,004 +-------------- | 62,520,433 -----------------------------+-------------- -----------------------------+-------------- Revenue. |Dollars Paper. -----------------------------+-------------- Public works (in bonds) | 5,000,000 Spirits and beer | 19,800,000 Tobacco | 17,400,000 Sanitary works | 7,100,000 Stamps | 9,450,000 Posts and telegraphs | 9,700,000 Railways | 9,000,000 Various | 12,529,319 +-------------- | 89,979,319 -----------------------------+-------------- Below are given the figures since 1903:--