I could further extned this list, but I believe it embraces nearly everything which is at present imported into the Argentine Republic from the United States.

E. L. BAKER,

Consul.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Buenos Ayres, February 28, 1881.

TARIFF AND FINANCES OF THE ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

REPORT BY CONSUL BAKER, OF BUENOS AYRES.

ARGENTINE TARIFF FOR 1883.

The National Congress at its last session made a number of changes in the Argentine tariff. I translate from the present law as follows:

IMPORT DUTIES.

ARTICLE I. All foreign merchandise imported for consumption shall pay a duty of 25 per cent. on its valuation, except as follows:

1. Fire-arms for war purposes, powder and munitions for mining purposes, alcohols in general, liquors, cards, perfumery, tobacco, cigars, snuffs, guns, lucifer wax matches, which shall pay a duty of 50 per cent.

2. Ready-made clothing and confections, hats and caps, boots and shoes, dress ormaments, harness, carriages, furniture, matches other than wax, fire-works and objects of art, which shall pay a duty of 40 per cent.

3. Iron not galvanized in plates, ingots, bars, &c., iron hoops, steamengines, white pine, spruce, common salt, printing and writing paper, which shall pay a duty of 10 per cent.

4. Canvas and sack cloth, stove coal, jewelry, gold and silver worked, sewing silk, all instruments and utensils with handles or ornaments of silver or gold, when these increase the value one-third, plows, wire for fencing and telegraph, staves, and wooden or iron casks, printed books with pasteboard covers and without gilt ornaments, printing presses and all materials except types, lithographic presses, harvesters and thrashing machines, thread and wire on spools for the miners or for agricultural machinery, which shall pay a duty of 5 per cent.

5. Precious stones, unset, which shall pay a duty of 2 per cent. 6. A specific duty of $1.65 on every 100 kilograms of wheat; of 5 cents on every kilogram of starch; of 5 cents on every kilogram of coffee; of 7 cents on every kilogram of macaroni; of 9 cents on every kilogram of crackers or cakes made of flour; of 4 cents on every kilogram of flour or corn-meal; of 4 cents on every kilogram of hominy; of 25 cents on every kilogram of tea; of 5 cents on every kilogram of yerba mate; of 5 cents on every kilogram of sugar; of 5 cents on every liter of vinegar, common, in casks; of 20 cents on every liter of fine vinegar; of 20 cents on every bottle of wine, not exceeding one liter; of 10 cents on every bottle or liter of beer or cider.

ART. II. The following articles may be imported free of duty, to wit: Machinery for works and steamers; blood stock and live cattle; fresh fish; fresh fruit; furniture and implements belonging to immigrants, and of small value; stamped gold and silver, in the grain, in bars, and in dust; live plants; rails, wedges, iron transoms and screws; shunting apparatus; locomotives and wheels with or without axles, for railways or tramways; iron tubes not galvanized for gas or water works, of a diameter of at least 75 millimeters; mercury; fan-guards; cask-frames of more than two kilograms; center bits and special mining powder; such seeds as the Executive shall consider not to be intended for other than agricultural purposes; specifics for sheep diseases; articles for

purposes of religious worship at the request of prelates, and manures and earthy molds.

EXPORT DUTIES.

ART. III. All kinds of produce and manufactures are free of export duty, with the exception of the following, to wit: Animal oils, horns, preserved meats, bone-ash, horse-hair, bones, wool, skins in general, sheep-skins, ostrich feathers, and tallow, all of which shall pay a duty of 6 per cent. on their value.

ART. IV. All exoneration of duties on imports and exports is prohibited unless expressly allowed by law, except in the case of conces sions by special law or contracts arising out of laws dictated by Congress.

ART. V. The duties must be paid according to a tariff of valuations drawn upon the basis of the true price of the articles in deposit, as regards imports; and on that of the current prices, ready for embarkation, as regards exports. The import duties of articles not included in the tariff will be paid on the value they represent in deposit, as declared by the importers or clearers.

By another law there is levied a duty of 1 per cent. additional upon all imports and exports of the Argentine Republic.

FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE NATION.

With the development of the interior and the increase of the foreign commerce, the national resources of the Argentine Republic also continue to expand. The revenues for the year 1882 amounted to the sum of $26,655,105, against $22,739,098 in 1881; $19,594,304 in 1880, and $20,961,893 in 1879. The following table, which I find in the report of the minister of the national treasury, will show the sources from which this revenue is derived:

No statement of the actual expenses of the Government for the last year has yet been published, but the following are the amounts which