Barranqueras to Resistencia ·75 metres 16·76 3·40 (2 ft. 5·3 in.) —————— Total, 122·96 II. PRIVATE. Gauge. Mileage. Interest on Capital. Tyrol Harbour to Lucinda Colony ·6 metres 22·36 —— (23·6 in.) Steam Tramway from Piragnacito ·75 metres 53·40 —— to Guillermina (2 ft. 5·5 in.) Colony of Las Palmas ·6 metres 29·20 —— (23·6 in.) Valdez Peninsula ·76 metres 19·87 ·58 (2 ft. 5·9 in.) —————— Total, 124·83 SUMMARY. Mileage. I. State railways 1765 II. Private railways (concessions) 11,245 III. Railways of the second class and steam tramways—— A. Public 119 B. Private 121 —————— General total, mileage of lines in operation 13,250 General total on September 1st 14,994 These lines are of very unequal value from the shareholders’ point of view; but it must be recognised that the majority, after various vicissitudes, have of late years shown an increase of revenue that proves their vitality. We may cite, as example, one of the Southern lines, such as that running to Bahia Blanca _via_ Tornquist; a line built almost at a loss by the Southern Railway Company of Buenos Ayres, but which to-day is yielding over 4 per cent., thanks to the agricultural development which has followed its course. According to figures of reliable origin, the traffic of this line between the stations of General La Madrid and Bahia Blanca, has increased from 63,580 tons in 1888 to 458,750 tons in 1908, or an increase of 620 per cent, in twenty years, and even so these figures do not include the through-goods traffic between these points. Generally speaking, we may say that the revenues of the Argentine railways more often than otherwise exceed expectation, even in the case of new lines. On the other hand, it is difficult to reduce the expenses of working, on account of the special conditions of the traffic, which is only heavy at the time of harvest, instead of being distributed throughout the year.