The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-04 00:00:00

RIO de is PLATA AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION•

A fleneral Meeting of the Shareholders of this Association was
held yesterday, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Stra el. for the
purpose of haring submitted to them a Report front the Directote,
upon the &Gina of the Association, for their consideration.
The hour appointed for the busiresa of the Meeting to commence
was 12 o'clock precisely; but it was a considerable time after that
hour ht-fore the chair was taken, in consequence of the thin attend-
ance of the Shareholders.
51r. T. 11. BEAUMONT having, as Chairman of the Retard of
Director*, taken the chair, observed that it was a pity that the pith.
lie could not be got to agree as to the meaning of appointing a par-
ticular hour for meeting. The circulars addressed to the Share-
holders announced that this Meeting would take place exactly at
12 o'clock, it beirg thought that that particular phrase would lead
them to comet but i.e observed that three were not no many present
as were expected, nor some who had promised to attend. It was,
however, unreasonable to detain those who were there. and who had
a proper regard fur their time; they would therefore proceed to
business. They wne, as Shareholders, but a very small body,
there being only 45 altogether • and considering the time of the
year, it was hardly to be expected that there would be a numerous
attendance. Under the provisions of the deed, those only were entitled
to vote who held ten hares ; but as the present Meeting was for the
purpose of giving the fullest explanatiod of the of of the Astor.
tuition, every person who had an interest in it had been invited to
attend, it being desirshle that every person, however small their
interest in it, should be satisfied. Nay, one Individual, who only
held half a share, had been particularly requested to attend. That
individual they had all heard of before—he meant Mr. Peter Cot.
teed!, but whom he did not see in the room.. They, as the Ili.
rectors of the Association, had come before the Stareholders for the
portent: of making a clear and candid statement of what they,
to the best of their ability, had done. They had done nothing of
which ahoy ought to be ashemed ; and it they had not met with
that success which was anticirwed, It would be shown that it was
not owing to any lack of exertion or to any Imprudence on their
part, but was entirely to be attributed to political events, and to
other circumstances over which they had no control. Before.
however, he :mitred more particularly into the subject, he would
beg Mr. Perke to rend the accounts and the Report ; and then he
would make a few observations as to the history of the concern,
and some remarks thereon. But one thing he begged previously
to notize. Ile had observed in the Afar/tier; Chronic* of this day
a publication of their Report. This, he was note, was a mistake
on the p art of that respectable journal, the copy which was sent to
them not bring intended for insertion until after this Meeting hail
taken place. lie frit this explanation due to himself, and as at
apology to the Shareholders for the Report having appeared pub-
liele before it was submitted to them.
r. PLANE then read a statement of the account between the
Directors and Trustees ar.d the Shareholders ; by which it appeared
that the net amount received for shares was £29,5211 is 0
Cash advanced by the Chairman 114 5 2

- i29,C1 3 2

Making in the whole
On the Credit side—
For the purchase of three ships • X 6,602 g
Various other items of expenditure '4,005 7 0
Leaving a balance in hind of 126 14 0
The Secretary then proceeded to read the following Report :
" LONDON, Ocr. 2. 1826.
" Although it was not the intention of the Directors to have
made a Report to the Proprietors generally, until their labours had
produced a marked result, yet, in consequence of the great change
which has taken place in the affairs to' the Rio de la Plata Pro-
vinces, it has been deemed proper to report to you such facts as are
imrotant, and to call • General Meeting fur the consideration
thereof.
It will be remembered that this Association was formed under
circumstances of unusual encouragement. In the year 11122, the
Chairman received from Don B. Rival:oda, then the principal
Minister, and now the President of the Republic, a written re-
qaest and authority to promote an emigration of Englishmen, at-
o pan ied with great offers of aid to the emigrant. The i
mnt*
soya—. 'file Government have agreed to sestet the colonists
settling in this country from Europe, accotding to the following
scale :
" "Po each married couple 200 dollar' on their arrival ;
" • To each grown man 100 dollar' at the same period ;
to be repaid to the State in both Cases, by one-sixth part each year.'
The letter proceed.:—• Moreover, the Minister has to acquaint
Mr. Barber Beaumont. that the Govermr-ant will be very glad if
be will take upon himself the care of the emigration to this country,
and that this will be a service which they will consider as the great
lest tha; can be done them, and one that will entitle him to their
gratitude. For this purpose, the said Government have agreed to
pay at sight the cost of the passage of the emigrants, who will re-
, pay it by the produce of their labour and industry, by a sixth pan
every year.' Subsequently a Commissioner came over (l)on S.
Lesko, who concluded a treaty with him for the above purpose.l
This Commissioner and another, Don Felix de Castro, both men of
considerable influence, afterwards became Directors of the Assoc*.
tion ; having subset ibed for four hundred shares, and undertaken to
distribute a much larger quantity among their ftirntla at Buenos
Ayres; and the President, Don B. Itivadavia, was in frequent
communication with the Directors in London. A large extent of
the finest land in the country was contracted for by the Amok's.
don ; and a decree was procured, giving the settlers on it the im-
portant privilege of exemption front taxer, duties, and military ser-
vice, for ten years. At this time the country was in the uninter-
rupted enjoyment of peace and plenty. Its great caoahtlities
were rapidly developing themselves ; land had augmented in
value six-fold during the preceding ten years, with the tea.
sortable prospect of a progressive increase; and, as the corn
and flour consumed in the country were chiefly imported from
North America, and oilier distant parts, subject to a heavy
duty, the culture of grain within the Provinces, free from
tithes, taxes, poor rate., duties, and nearly
.so from rent, pro-
mised certain success to any working farmers who might be enabled
to settle in the country. %With these prospects, the Directors gave
assistance to persons who offered to become the first settlers, to
such an extent as wax deemed necessary, in order to comprise all
the rural trades, and form a community capable of attaining and
protecting Cacti other. Three vessels were chartered to convey
them, on reasonable terms the hest agricultural implements,
building twoeriala, machinery, and mile, were sent out for their
use ; police regulations, and arms and organisation, were pro-
vided fur their security ; school, and moral, and religious instruc-
tion, medical assistance, and a library of SOO redomea, were sup.
plied ; and nothing which the Directors could think of to promote
their welfare wasneglected.
" Persons above the condition of mechanics, who offered to go
out, were dissuaded form doing so until proper accommodations
were provided ; which being done, and the first settlers proving
successful, it was anticipated that numerous persons would follow,
and join them with mans of their own, when the land might be
parcelled out and sold with a good profit, and the Company be
then dissolved.
" The project was interesting in every way. To the United
Provinces it was highly important to acquire a population of skil-
ful English agriculturists and mechanics, and a specimen of an
English town or village. To England good was done, by trans-
ferring part of its surplus population, and extending the race,
habit., and wants of Englishmen to a tine rising country. To the
poor families etnigrating a giest benefit was given, by removing
them from want anti paupettsm to plenty and independence. 1.0
the capitalists there was the prospect of a fair profit.
" But events, which the Directors could neither foresee nor pre-
vent, have suspended, and in part ruined, these prospects. The
war with Brazil, at first considered a trifling dispute which the
British Minister would atieedily adjust, has acquired an inveteracy
which has greatly impoverished the Republic. The provinces on
the north side of La Plata having become the seat of war, and the
rivers being blockaded, the lands of the Association are at present
rendered unfit for successful agricultural and commercial opera-
tions; and the aid and protection at Buenos Ayres, which were so
hugely promised, appear to have failed in performance. None of
the shales sent out to Buenos Ayres have been appropriated. Partly
owing to the development of these facts, and partly to the state of
the money market here, and the mischiefs produced by companies
formed upon no solid bases, a large proportion of the Subscribers
preferred saerificing their first itiatalments to proceeding further
with the requisite advances ; and the whole responsibility of the
Company, and the supplying of the funds, have been thrown upon
comparatively a few individuals.
trader these circumstances, the Director' took immediate mea-
sures to draw their engagements within a narrow compass, and to
accelerate their close. They entered into a new contract, limiting
their purchase of land to the Callers district—a beautiful and
fruitful tract, about twenty-five miler' in length and five in width.
From this estate, the lime used in Buenos Ayres and the neghbour-
lag country is procured. Actual possession, it appears, was taken
by the Agents of the Association in December last; all the official
sets were soon after completed and formally certified, and the
Directors have long since received the title deeds. The Agents
declare that the title is unquestionable, and • the most legal
and clear of any in the Entre Rios.' The Surveyors, Messrs.
Thompson and Ashbee, in a letter from the settlement, dated Ja-
nuary 6, reported, that when they took possession, the buildings on
the estate consisted of a stone-built warehouse (the wails of which
are a yard thick), siete-seven feet by twenty-four, inside measure ;
another smatter warehouse, with a public-house ; several dwellings,
and other buildings ; two lime kilns, :.nd a mole for landing goods;
and that rows of cottages were then erecting, and in part roofed in,
for the expected settlers. They add, ' the scenery he beautifully
pleasing—a great diversity of hill and dale, covered with groups of
palm-trees, intersected by,amall rivers, plentifully stored with fish,
and on the hanks of which grow the accede, passiflora, rhododen-
dre, and kalmia, with various other beautiful shrubs, in the greatest
luxuriance. The accent, being sufficiently large, we are now cutting
it for the erection of ranchos for the settlers. The banks of the
'rogue, are papentlienlar limestone rock, and at the l'lallera are
about fitly feet 'ugh above the resent level
the
and contains a
s 11i
cient depth of water for vessels of heat y hurthen to approach very
rear the shore.' fhe Agent (Mr. Jones) has also written, under
date May s—' Sheitet and accommodation have long since been
made for the reception of the whole of the settlers; and all sorts of
tools and agricultural implements have been forwarded to the
settlement.' In • letter, tinted June 21st, lie writes, that ' there
arc now about fifty families at the (Callent) settlement, who are
doing well, and are contented anti happy.'
" At all times, those who paid for their passage were free to settle
where they liked and if those whoac passage was litund by the As-
sociation could not succeed at the Contra, and preferred ending
at Buenos Ayres, they have been allowed to On en, upon undertak-
ing to pay fur their passage by instalmenot. Acting on this princi-
ple, it appears that the gnat.r part have entered into bloke-es on
th,it own account at Buenos Ayres, tend that there it nut one who is