The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-08-17
Naval Strength Of Argentina
1t is Absurdly Overrated. The National
Navy Yard. Interesting Items Concern
ing our Distant "Sister Republic"

udllOudl InNy yoAu VI 1AA6SAoAiAes, AZ |
about twenty miles from Buenos Ayres
at the confluence of two rivers-the
Parana and Lujan. Several torpedo
boats and other small craft that make
up the navy of the republic are always |
to be seen off shore 1t is difficult to
imagine how these boats could be of |
any use in case of emergency, because |
the water is so shallow-in many places |
barely two feet deep, though fairly !
rough and with very rapid current
that no vessel with much draft could |
possibly be gotten out without very |
slow and tedious trip up this branch OF
the Parana river to distant San Pedro, |
and then down again by one OF the
main branches We are given to under
stand, however, that the torpedo boats
are maintained chiefly for the over-aw
ing of the neighboring republics and
are expected to furnish more employ
ment to painters than to gunners.
They are rarely ever in practice, but
are continually being painted, coat
upon coat, to keep them from being
destroyed by the prevailing dampness.
III naval matters the Argentians ap-
pear to be about on level with the
Brazilians, whose sailors are decidedly
more at home on dry land than at sea.
Tigre got its name from the capture
here few years ago of South Ameri-
can leopard, which the natives insist
upon calling tiger. The poor animal
showed no fight, but was evidently
scared nearly TO death in its strange
situation. The leopard belongs to the
terra caliente, or hot lands, and nobody
knows how one came down to this
place; but the supposition is that it
floated down the river from the vast
wilderness hundreds of miles nearer
the equator, on one of the many float
ing islands.
The principal use of Tlgre appears to
be as a picnic resort. On every day OF
the year, and especially on Sundays, its
one big hotel is crowded with youth and
beauty, come over from town on riding,
driving or rowing parties. The great
dancing room, the half-mile or more OF
veranda, the halls and dining room, are
packed with visitors who utilize the
time between their meals and excur-
sions on the river to shake the ever
ready Eight fantastic toe" The hotel
is famous for its excellent lunches and
dinners. land for its high prices too,
and there is always the best of music
at hand. AS mentioned in previous
letter, it is at Tigre that the English
rowing clubs of Montevideo and Buenos
Ayres hold their annual regattas, which
are the most famous events Of the sea
son at this end of the hemisphere. At
the last regatta, among other swell club
turn-outs was an eight-oared boat
manned by young ladies, who were
all becomingly dressed iii sailor cos
tunes of blue and white the colors of
Argentina and who did some splendid
rowing under the guidance of lady
coXsWaIn.
Though the citizens of Buenos Ayres
rave about the beauties and charms of
Tlgre, it certainly has its drawbacks
when considered in the light of per-
manent residence One of them is the
eternal dampness, which rusts even the
keys in your pockets and mlldews, the
shoes on your feet and garments hang
ing in the wardrobes; and another
drawback is the hordes of biting, buzz
Zing, singing insects that make life
burden both day and night To say
nothing of a perfect plague of mosqui-
toes, there are flies, ieas, "bicho-
colorados," and a thousand unnamed
insects, besides monStrous spiders and
no end of other vermin. 1t is dread
fully lonesome, too, when the holiday
season is over and nothing is to be
heard all day but the melancholy chirp-
ing of the chicharras. The oppressive
humidity engenders rank vegetation
which imparts to the neighborhood
a deceitful appearance of luxurious
vegetation. Many OF the houses are
erected on wooden piles, five or six
feet above the ground, because the
whole district is subject to sudden
foundations. A pampero (prairie
wind, drives the water up so swift
ly and impetuously that in a few hours
the trees and houses appear to be float
ing in a vast lake. An English lady
who resides here told me that she re-
Gently spent few days with some ma
tive friends at Tigre, who reside in
perhaps the handsomest house in the
place. AS usual, the kitchens and ser
wants quarters are detached from the
main residence, and one night the gar
den became SO inundated that break
fast had to be brought across in boat |
AS breakfast in Argentina is very
ceremonious affair and consists of |
many courses it must have been tedi- |
GUS process. 4 well-knoWn newspaper
man from Boston, who was making
tour of Argentina for his paper came
down to Tigre one fine dry day last
September and was delighted with the