REVENUE, ARMY, AND POPULATION.
481
At the first meeting of the national congress of the Argentine Confederation, in May 18G2, it was decided that the seat of the central Government should be at the city of Buenos Ayres.
Revenue, Army, and Population.
The larger part of the public revenue is derived from customs duties, which average twenty-five per cent, upon imports, and ten per cent, on exports. All other sources furnish comparatively little to cover the national expenditure. The latter is made up chiefly of the cost of army and navy, and the service of the public debt.
The revenue and expenditure of the Argentine Confederation for each of the five years, ending March 31, from 1865 to 18G9, were as follows : —
Years
ending March 31
Revenue
Expenditure
£
£
1864-5
1,401.066
1,235,878
1865-6
1,659,014
1,375,235
1866-7
1,952,766
1,653,150
1867-8
2,497,981
2,841,155
1868-9
2,592,735
2,927,358
The greatly increased expenditure of the last two financial periods here given was due to the war carried on, in conjunction with Brazil and Uruguay, against the republic of Paraguay, brought to an end in 1870.
The official estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 1869-70, presented to the National Congress, were as follows :
Sources of Revenue
1S69-70
Import duties ....
Additional 5 per cent, ditto (war) .
Export duties ....
Additional 2 per cent, ditto (war) .
Storage ......
Stamp duty .....
Post Office
Interest at 7 per cent, on 17,000 shares of Central Argentine Kail- way
Sundries .....
Total estimated revenue .
Dollars
8,400,000
2,100,000
1,500,000
500,000
260,000
155,000
105,000
116,920 50,000
£
1,680,000
420,000
30(1.000
100,000
52,000
31,000
21,000
23,384 10,000
13,186,620
2,637,324
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