The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-07 00:00:00

THE RIVER PLATE AND ITS

TRIBUTARIES.

The following memorandum on the advantages which
Great Britain may expect to derive from the recent
opening of the rivers Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay
to vessels of all nations, and from the conclusion of the
recent commercial treaty with the Republic of Para-
guay, will be read with much interest by our commer-
cial readers :

"The advantage which trade can expect to derive from
the permission recently accorded to vessels of all nations to
proceed by the above-named great rivers to the centre of
South America is very obvious, but, at the same time very
likely to be much exaggerated or misrepresented. It ap-
pears to me necessary, firstly, to show how trade was car-
ried on with these interior countries before, and then to
consider what change will take place from those recent
acts of the Argentine and Paraguayan Governments.
" All goods from Great Britain destined for the Argen-
tine Confederation, the Republic of Paraguay, and even the
southern part of Brazil, were formerly sent to Montevideo
or Buenos Ayres, and appear in the English returns of the
Board of Trade under the head of ' Shipments to the River
Plate ;' thence they were reshipped into smaller vessels,
carrying the Argentine colours, but manned in general by
French or Italian seamen, and thence ascended the rivers
to where they were destined, bringing back country pro-
duce in return, which was again reshipped into larger ves-
sels destined to Europe, at the ports of either Montevideo
or Buenos Ayres. I speak of when these countries en-
joyed internal peace. A civil war, of course, interrupted
these communications.

"I have made particular inquiries of the merchants if
there were any complaints or illegitimate interruptions of
trade under this system, and the answer has been inva-
riably No.' These river craft and crews were quite good
enough for the purpose ; British merchants could owu
them, and therefore appoint their own men.
" Freights were very moderate, and the towns in the
interior fully supplied with all the manufactures they re-
quired.
".Ascension, a city 800 miles in the interiors at the
present moment glutted with British goods. The value of
the importations for 1852 (a year of over-supply) was sup-
posed to be about 80,000/. ; the average annual wants of
the people estimated at 60,0001. All the othdr cities in
the interior consumed a full proportion of British goods ;
and we know from official sources that, while in 1851
100,000 tons of shipping was sufficient to convey the whole
of the productions of Europe to Buenos Ayres, no less
than 2,000 vessels, of an average of 36 tons each, or an
aggregate of 72,000 tons, were employed from Buenos
Ayres on the river coasting trade—an amount which can
be seen at a glance to be amply sufficient to carry the pro-
portion of foreign manufactures which the interior pro-
vinces required, as well as to meet the requirements of
their om n internal trade.

" In the month of August, 1852, General Uxquiza, the
Provisional Director, opened the navigation oft the rivers
Parana and Uruguay to vessels of all nations, and, although
the country has undergone revolutions since, the decree
remains unchanged.
" A general impression seems to have taken place in
England, arising from an ignorance of the actual existing
state of the trade, that an hameeiate and rapid expan-
sion of trade would take place, and that Central South
America, long excluded from British manufactures, would
become a new and large purchaser. But this paper shows
such expectations are entirely fallacious, for the country
prior to that was glutted with British manufactures.
" The necessity which, however, politically existed (poli-
tically, because foreign flags could not ascend the rivers) of
changing cargoes from British vessels into Argentine, en-
tailed, of course, loss of time, additional charges;, of freight,
additional port dues and insurance, tending, therefore, to
make the goods dearer, and therefore in some degree to
restrict their sale. This political necessity is by General
Urquiza's decree removed ; but it remains for is to ascer-
tain whether practically, from the shallowness of the
water and from the general difficulty of makingilarg,e all ps
ascend the rivers, it will not answer better for the mer-
chant to reship his cargoes into river craft, just in the
same manner as before, rather than send his sea-built ves-
sels up a long and tedious river navigation. To' enter upon
this question it is necessary to take a map of the Parana,
and trace the river upwards ; and I will give the particu-
lars required, as to the depth of water, current; prevailing
winds, and so forth, taken from actual observation, ascend-
ing and descending the river, corrected by charts, conver-
sations with naval officers and pilots, and the general
opinion of merchants and others who understand the
subj ect.
"At the entrance of the rivers Parana and Urug an. is
the island of Martin Garcia, and here we enter what is
called the Martin Garcia Channel.

"A long and wide expanse of shoal water, not unlike
the Nore, is here. The channel you have to fild has from
14 feet to 16 feet of water, and is difficyll to light upon
from want of buoying, but if buoyed would be easy enough ;
but vessels drawing more than 14 feet water are in generrl
excluded from entering the Parana or the Uruguay.
"This difficult passage passed, there is no itnpediment
whatever to the naNigation of the Parana for 150 miles.
The Channel is very deep, and easy to find. Ships can
sail up in clear nights, and if they get ashore it is their
own fault : 150 miles brings them to the city of Rosr.io,
the most important spot on the Parana.
" It is the most important, because it is the most
western, and therefore nearest the markets of Western
South America ; the anchorage is excellent, ships can lie
close to the shore, and discharge and load with ease, n
as I mentioned before that ships dram ing 14 feet water can
get there at all seasons of the year, there can be no doubt
that a direct trade with Europe can be established for a
large class of brigs or corvettes, and with advantage, from
Rosario.

"Ascending the river higher, we find the Parana, like
all rivers flowing from the tropics, has a high and low
season. Six months in the year (from December to Jtine)
the river may be considered high, and six months low ;
where the river is wide, 3 feet may be the rise; where
narrow, 8 ; taking the whole, perhaps an average of 4 w:".
be near the mark. Of course, larger ships cvu ascend in
the high season than in the low; but one point is clear to
me, that, taking into consideration the uncei ;,ainty of sea
voyages from countries so distant as Europe, andwhert the
vessel has arrived up these rivers the uncet.;ainty of getting
immediate return freight, no direct trade can be established
between these countries and Europe unless carried on in
vessels which can ascend and descend the rivers at all times
in the year, because, if any accident occurs to a ship which
cannot descend in the low season, it involves a detention of
six months up the country, which is a risk which no mer-
chant will run when he can avoid it by getting F s goods
up in small vessels certain of being able to ascend and de-
scend at all seasons.
" Therefore, my narrative will consider the river at the
low season only.
"Leaving Rosario, 90 miles brings us to the towns of
Santa Fe and Bajada, but there are three or four shallows
in the way, which 'prevent vessels (Iran ing more than 10
foot of water arriving here at all seasons of the year.
" Leaving Bajada, 160 miles fui clor up, we airivo at a
very bad shallow, called The Pass of San Juan.' Hero
vessels of more than 7i feet water are stopped in the dry
season.

- Igo miles further up we come to Corrientes, the most
rising place after Rosario, on the Parana.
" The trade of three great rivers, the Parana, Paraguay,
and Vermejo, meets here. 200 miles fulther up, or 150
as the crow flies (for here the river winds very much),
brings us to the city of Ascension in Paraguay.
" Further than that I have not been, and the rivers at
present aro not opened beyond to other than Paraguayan
vessels ; but the river is said to be um:gable 800 miles
above Ascension, but to what class of vessels, and, if at all
seasons of the year, I have no personal knowledge, and it
is very difficult to arrive at the truth through other per-
sons' reports.
"The distance of Ascension from the Martin Garcia
Channel is 800 miles as the river winds, or 700 following
the general course of the stream, bit not the particular
bends.
" The Pass of San Juan is the pass which stops the whole
of the upper rivers. Vessels drawing more than 73 feet
water cannot pass that in the dry season ; but over that
barrier they can get to Ascension, and certainly a great
distance beyond at all seasons of the year.
" The depth of water which I have given must, I think,
satisfy you that Rosario is the only town which can hope
for a direct trade to England, and that all the remainder
of the interior of South America must still bo content to
remain purchasers at Buenos Ayres or Montevideo; and
although vessels drawing 113 feet of water in particular
seasons of the.year can even get as high as Ascension, yet
I will mention one fact which I saw, which practically
shows that even then these large vessels cannot compete iu
these rivers against the existing river craft.
" Our steamer drew 10 feet water. We )14d, gout up Ix,

(-/

7
>
/ /

(fore us three small craft laden wish coal to supply us. NX.
far from the Pass of San JuOfrne evening near sun-down we overtook one sailing. o sun set ;we anchored, be-
cause, drawing 10 feet water, we were afraid of getting
ashore. Our collier ran by us, and ran on all night, be-
cause, drawing six feet water, she was quite secure. Next
morning we weighed, and, steaming on, overtook her in a
few hours ; but we found that, drawing 10 feet water, we
were compelled to keep in the deepest channel, exposed to
the full force of the current, and following all its bends
from bank to bank, while our collier, drawing six feet,
kept out of the current and kept a straight course along
the shore. Now, if we had both been sailing-vessels, in
24 hours she would have run full double the distance.
Again, supposing two merchant vessels, one of 400 tons,
the other of 40 tons, got aground, which is very common
on the rivers—whatoccurs? Why the 400-ton vessel takes
a fortnight to unload and lighten. The 40-ton vessel takes
24 hours, and is off again.
"Therefore, in my opinion, even if large ships could
always ascend, they would not find it answer, because they
would always be beaten in competition by the river craft.
The average of these vessels is from 35 tons to 50 tons.
" I come, therefore, generally, to the conclusion that, as
far as sailing vessels are concerned, the opening of the
- Parana will benefit us very little, but that the trade, with
the exception, perhaps, of Rosario, will continue to be
transhipped at Buenos Ayres or Monte Video, and sent up
in river craft as before ; and, in proof of the correctness of
this opinion, I may mention that eight months have
elapsed since the Parana was opened, and that I have not
heard of one of our vessels ascending it, nor seen our flag
on the river.
"I have never ascended the river Uruguay, and cannot,
therefore, speak from personal observation ; but from what
I have hoard I think I can give a general good idea of the
capabilities of this river.
The entrance is through the Martin Garcia Channel,
therefore the river, as a general rule, is closed to all vessels
drawing more than 14 feet water.
"In the navigation the same difficulties of shoal water
are encountered. The navigation extends to 31 deg. 23
min. south latitude, where a ridge of rocks across the river
impedes it.
"The whole navigable distance is about 250 miles. I
cannot say where vessels of 12 feet, 10 feet, and 8 feet
draught are successively stopped, but the river in general
has the same characteristics as the Parana, and gives ves-
sels of small draught a very considerable advantage over
vessels built for sea voyages
"I now turn to the remaining consideration, whether
river steamers under our our flag or the flag of any other
nation can compete successfully, and in any degree super-
sede the river craft at present employed. And hero again
we have to consider the character of those rivers.
"The former part of this memorandum referred chiefly
to the depth of water, but I now enter upon the principal
impediments to sailing vessels—namely, the strength of the
stream and prevailing winds.
" The current down these rivers varies, according to the
season of the year, from about 2 to 4 miles an hour. Hence
sailing-vessels cannot ascend, unless they have not only
favourable winds, but winds of such strength as to impel
them above 2 or 4 miles an hour.
" The Parana appears to form a natural channel for the
winds—for they almost always blow either directly up or
directly down. Meteorological observation at Buenos Ayres
in the year 1822 gives about two days northerly wind to
one day south the whole year round, or, to ships ascending
the river, two days' foul wind to ono fair.
" The passage from Buenos Ayres to Ascension, a dis-
tance of upwards of 800 miles, is therefore very tedious
The average time is 70 days, or about 12 miles a-day. It
takes longer to get to Ascension from Buenos Ayres than
to England.
" Now, see what has been done by steam. An American
merchant steamer, a slow boat, drawing 8 feet water,
reached Ascension in eight days, and returned to Buenos
Ayres in eight days. But vessels built on the plan of the
Mississippi boats, drawing 5 feet water, could, in my
opinion, reach Ascension in eight days, and return in five.
" Wood for fuel in the upper part of the river is abun-
dant, and of excellent quality. It could be floated down
in rafts to form depots where required, and saw-mills
erected, worked by the force of the current, to cut it to
convenient lengths.
" Reports say that two more American steamers are
coming out for this trade.
"To conclude, the markets in the interior are over-
stocked already with British goods. No further increase
of any importance can be expected. The rivers of such a
character that, as a general rule, it will not answer for sea-
going ships to ascend them, but they are eminently adapted
to steam. But this business will, in all probability, get
into the hands of the Americans, partly because they have
much more experience in steam river navigation than wo
have, and party because they have always as supply of
boats unequal to the competition on their own rivers, which
they will be glad to employ out here
" It is immaterial to us what nation gets the transit
trade as long as they will carry our merchandise cheaply
and safely into the interior. A sating of time to us is a
saving of money. _ _

" Jut sea-going ships from Europe will still have to un•
load and transfer their cargoes to steamers or river craft,
and the port where this important change should take
place is Montevideo.

" I annex a statement of the vast interior navigation of
these countries :

"RIO DE LA PLATA. Miles.
" From Monte Video to Martin Garcia Channel, 100
miles ; open to vessels drawing 1G to 18 feet ... 100
" Rao PARANA.
" From Martin Garcia Channel to Corrientes' 540
miles ; open to vessels drawing from 14 to 7ifeet ;
becoming generally shallower as you ascend ... 540
" From Corrientes to Candelaria, 150 miles ; open to
vessels drawing from 7i feet to feet, uncertain ;
rapids at Candelaria
..• .•. ... 15
" RIO PARAQUAY.
" Fioni Corrientes to Ascension, 200 miles ; open to
vessels thawing 711, feet water ... ••• 201
" From Ascencion to Cuyaba and Matto Grosso, in
Brazil, 800 miles; no personal knowledge; believed
to be opened to vessels drawing from 74, feet to 2
feet water, according to the season of the year, kc. SGO
" Rio VERAIEJO.
" From junction with Paraguay to latitude 23 S., 500
miles ; no personal knowledge ' • from 7a feet of
water to 2.A feet, according to the season of the
I year, &c.
... 500

" RIO URUGUAY.
" From Martin Garcia Channel to 31° 23 S. lat., 250
miles ; from vessels drawing 14 feot to probably
vessels drawing 5 or 6 feet

" General total

... ... 2,510
" A. T. ROTHAM,
" Captain 75th Regt."

" Buenos Ayres, April 2G.

ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY.

At the meeting of this society on Saturday, the 2d
instant—Lord Ashburton, president, in the chair—
The SECRETARY read a paper, by E. C. Ravenshaw,
Esq., on the winged bulls, lions, and other symbolical
figures from Nineveh. The mysterious figures from
Nineveh, which have been lately arranged in the new
hall of the British Museum, have excited much curiosity
as to their meaning. A cursory examination is sufficient
to satisfy the observer that they are not mere architectu-
ral ornaments, but symbols of certain mysteries and cere-
monies of the primeval religion of A ssyria. The era of these
sculptures is so remote, and the traditions respecting them
so obscure, that the inquiry into their signification must
be difficult, and the conclusions arrived at unsatisfactory;
still it is desirable that some attempt should be made to
penetrate the mystery which surrounds them, and to in-
vite the attention of the learned to the investigation.
The chief mythological figures are the winged bull with a
man's face, the winged lion with a man's face, the winged
man with a fir cone in one hand and a square basket or
vessel in the other, and a man with the head and wings
of an eagle or hawk. The hypothesis which the writer
maintains with respect to them is, that they are, as
already surmised by Mr. Layard, the originals of the
cherubim of Ezekiel ; that they were likewise the origi-
nals of the apocalyptic beasts of St. John ; and that,
slightly modified, they were afterwards adopted, and are
now used, as the symbols of the Four Evangelists.
Further, that they were originally invented by the Magi
and Chaldeans as astronomical symbols of the equinoc-
tial and solstitial points; that they represent in fact the
four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter ;
and perhaps also the four winds and the four elements.
In support and illustration of these views, the writer
enters into an examination of the passages in the Old
Testament and in other writings, regarding the cherubim,
showing that there is no authority in Scripture fpr sup-
posing them to be bodiless infants, and comes to the con-
clusion that the face of a cherub was in reality the face of a
bull. At an early period of the Christian Church these
winged animals were adopted as the symbols of the Four
Evangelists. The winged lion was assigned to St.
Mark, as the symbol of strength ; the winged ox to St.
Luke, as the symbol of sacrifice ; the eagle and chalice
to St. John, as the symbol of contemplation ; and the
winged man with a cup and hatchet to St. Matthew, as
the symbol of power. The employment of these figures
as astronomical symbols formed the next branch of in-
quiry, and the conclusions were that the colossal bulls
are symbols of the sun in Taurus, or the vernal equinox;
that the winged man is Mitra or Serosh, the guardian
of the autumnal equinox ; and the winged man-lion and
the eagle-headed man the symbols of the solstices, being
the four cherubim who watched the gates of Heaven, and
upheld the zodiac. As rega.rdsthe other mythological figures
it is probable that the man with a goat in his arms repre-
sents the constellation Capricorn, an d the newly-discovered
fish-god, that of Pisces. All the names of the gods found
in the Nineveh inscriptions will probably, on further in-
quiry, prove to be the names of constellations, stars, or
planets, chosen as the guardian angels of nations, kings,
or individuals. The mystic tree, which forms so con-
spicuous an object in the sculptures, has evidently some
astronomical signification. The number of its rosettes
or leaves vary considerably, but never exceed 30; and the
winged circle, or the new moon and some stars, are gene-
rally seen above it. Hence it seems probable that these
trees were orreries showing the month, ,day, or season,
which is being celebrated by thevinged figures or priests
who are represented in connection with them. The
winged circles or eyes, which are frequently placed above
the sacred tree, and seem to form the 'principal object
of adoration, so closely resemble the winged globes on
the portals of the Egyptian temples, that it is difficult
to disbelieve the identity of their origin. At first they
were probably typical of time, but came afterwards to
be looked upon as the symbols of Orniazd, the active
creator and source of all good. These speculations may
appear more curious than profitable ; still it cannot be
uninteresting to inquire what were the ideas of men
3,000 years, when the earth was comparatively young ;
to learn what were the traditions of Asia as to the origin
a
and whit; notions were
theman r'a
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This was the last meeting of the session.

,
AUSTRALIAN NABOBS.—Among the pa.ssengers who
came home in the Indus, which landed the Indian mail
at Southampton on Tuesday, were 19 Australian n.
turned emigrants, most of whom were from Melbourne.
They wore white calico hats, and their hale, hearty, and
John Bull appearance formed a striking contrast to that
of the Indian passengers. The salubrity of the climate
from which they had come was manifested tbrouglplit
the voyage in the range•and power of their, orgqini of di-
gestion. They had all made rapid and:laragifortunes.

I) IMMO DINNER of the MEMBERS and I
FRIENDS of the CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.—
This Festival will take place TO-MORROW (Friday), in Freemasons'
Mall, at six o'clock ; Viscount Ranelagh in the chair, and Colonel
Brcwninw Knox, M.P., vice-chairman.—The EIGHTH PUBLIC
DRAWING for RIGHTS of CHOICE on the Society's Estates will
be on SATURDAY, the 9th inst., at 12 o'clock, at the Offices, 33,
Norfolk-street, Strand; and all shares taken en or before that day
will,participate in the advantages of this drawing.
CHARLES LEWIS GRUNEISEN, Secretary.

THEATRE ROYAL. EILYMARKET.

Under the management of Mr. Bnckstone.
THIS EVENING, Jura 7,

Will be performed MONEY. Characters by Messrs. B. Sullivan,
Buckstone, Compton, Howe, Farren, H. Coat; Mrs. Fitzwilliam, Mrs.
L. S. Buckingham, and Miss Reynolds.
To be followed by MR. BUCKSTONE'S ASCENT OF MOUNT
lAA N ASSUS.
To be followed by RAPPINGS AND TABLE MOVTNGS.

I.IOYAL PIaNCESS'S MEATH/4 OXYUK.I)-r3T101.1.a.
Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean.

THIS EVENING, JULY 7,
Will be performed THE DAY AFTER THE WEDDING. Sup-
ported by Mr. and Mrs. W. Lacy.
Atter which, will be presented Lord Byron's Tragedy of SIR-
DANAPALUS. Principal characters by Mr. and Mrs. C. Kean.
To conclude with TURNING THE- TABLES. Characters by
Messrs. Harley, J. Vining, Chester, aid Everett ; Mrs. W. Lacy',
Misses Daly and C. Leclercq.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.

Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celesta.

THIS EVENING, JULY 7,
Will be performed GENEVIEVE. Characters by Messrs. Ben,
Webster, A. Wigan, Leigh Murray, Keeley, Feriae, Paul Bedford,
0. Smith, and C. J. Smith; Madame Celeste and Mrs. Keeley.
To be followed by THE CAMP AT CHOBHAM.
After which, NORMA.
To conclude with THE DANCING SCOTCHMAN.