[4] Collección de Obras y Documentos relativos à la Historia antigua y moderna de las Provincias del Rio de la Plata, ilustrados con Notas y Disertaciones, por Pedro de Angelis.--Buenos Aires, 1836, folio. The completion of this work has been suspended for want of paper to go on with, owing to the French blockade of Buenos Ayres, since March, 1838. [5] For the convenience of those who may desire to have it separately, the map may be had from Mr. Arrowsmith without the book. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION Page iii. CHAPTER I. DIVISIONS AND PRESENT STATE OF THE REPUBLIC. Extent, Divisions, and General Government of the Provinces of La Plata. Jurisdiction of the old Viceroyalties:--Necessity of dividing and subdividing such vast Governments:--Embarrassments arising out of this necessity. The backwardness in the Political organization of these Provinces, common to all the new Republics of South America; and attributable to the same cause; the Colonial system of the Mother Country. Mistake in comparing the condition of the Creoles with that of the British Colonists of North America. Natural ascendency of Military Power in the new States. Their progress in the last twenty-five years compared with their previous condition Page 1 CHAPTER II. RIVER PLATE. The River Plate--why so called. Its immensity. Arrival off Buenos Ayres. Passengers carted on shore. Want of a better landing-place, for goods especially. Navigation of the River not so perilous as was supposed in former times Page 12 CHAPTER III. CITY OF BUENOS AYRES. First Impressions of Buenos Ayres. Date of the Foundation, and insignificance of the Colony for a long period. Contraband Trade carried on through it a grievance to the Mother Country. Erected into a distinct Viceroyalty in 1776, and its trade opened in consequence of the modified system adopted by Spain about the same time. The advantages of this to Buenos Ayres. Page 18 CHAPTER IV. POPULATION OF BUENOS AYRES. Statistics of the Population. Its great increase in the last fifty years. Castes into which it was formerly divided now disappearing. Numbers of Foreigners established there, especially British. Their influence on the habits of the Natives. The Ladies of Buenos Ayres; the Men and their occupations. Page 22 CHAPTER V. CITY OF BUENOS AYRES.