It is not an easy task to describe the great changes that have taken place in this city since my visit fourteen years ago. At the same time they are so remarkable as to require a special notice.
My views at that time were sanguine as to the progress of these River Plate countries, but they have been more than realised, notwithstanding political and other drawbacks. Suffice it to say that Buenos Ayres has nearly doubled in size since I was last here, and, although no public census that I am aware of has ever been taken, the population of the city and environs must almost have augmented in the same ratio. The difficulties of the roadstead remain, but a forest of masts, extending for many miles in the outer and inner roads, together with a considerable number of steamers (the latter particularly in the inner roads) meets the eye, and two piers, or moles, have been erected, one exclusively used for Custom House purposes, the other for boats and passengers, but a large portion of the traffic is still carried on by the carts which go alongside the boats with cargo or to take it away. Landing at the mole, a busy scene presents itself in the conveyance of passengers' luggage, which is taken charge of by the peons or porters, and carried for examination to the little depot at the entrance to the mole. Afterwards it is allowed to proceed in carts or carriages to its destination.
Being built in squares, the increase of the city is not very apparent until you get fairly into it; but the numerous two or three-storied houses, the large new hotels, the fine shops and warehouses, and the great movement in the street, all indicate a thriving place of business, which Buenos Ayres unquestionably is. Most of the streets running direct from the river are now three miles in length, and they cover an equal breadth, so it is easy to judge the extent of the ground covered; besides which, very many handsome quintas, or country houses, are to be seen in every direction outside the city. The streets generally are badly paved, and make very rough work for carts and carriages passing over them, but these manage to get along with considerable wear and tear of wheels and springs, as well as horses' feet, which, however, appear to be quite a secondary consideration. After the well-paved streets of Rio de Janeiro, both Monte Video and Buenos Ayres cut a very poor figure; but the worst feature is the absence of sewerage, and the refuse of the town is at times very offensive to the olfactory nerves, and destroys the appellative “good airs,” which is otherwise a characteristic of the place under ordinary circumstances, or as nature intended it to be. The inhabitants seem to have had a wretched municipal system; but for this there is no reason why the city should not be well drained, well paved, as well as properly lighted with gas, which latter is now the case.
Strangers have a choice of really very large and commodious hotels, and there are boarding and lodging houses of various kinds, but at seasons accommodation in them is very difficult to obtain, such is the constant increase of demand by visitors as well as by permanent residents; in fact, the requirements of the population are constantly overtaking the facilities of the city, and there appears to be no reasonable limit to its extension north, south, and west, the river facing eastward. The chief increase, however, has been westward, or in a straight line from the river frontage into the country. Owing to the necessities of an augmenting population, the price of building land in or near the city has been driven up to a very high figure, and rents, as a matter of course, are excessive. Increased population has been followed by enhanced luxury, which manifests itself in the style of architecture, in the splendid shops, in the number of private carriages as well as those for hire, but naturally this has been attended by an inflated expenditure. Living in Buenos Ayres is now quite as expensive as in London or Paris; perhaps more so as regards luxuries, the import duties on which are very heavy. Generally, Buenos Ayres is a dear place to live in. Amongst other new buildings is the large theatre called Colon, and a Music-hall, the latter erected by private subscription. It is lofty and light, tastefully decorated, and I believe very well filled when concerts are held there, being also occasionally used for dinners.
The busiest part of the city, commercially speaking, is down by the Custom House and on to the Boca, the latter the rendezvous of lighters conveying produce to the ships in the outer roads, as well as of small steamers bound up river, and I understand that 300 lighters are now engaged in this work, many of them of good size and decked over. It is in contemplation to deepen and enlarge the Riachuelo, as the stream alluded to is called, and a most useful work it will be, as it is almost the mainstay of the port. At the other extremity of the city, which borders on the Northern Railway, washing of clothes is carried on among the willow trees which border the river; it is quite a sight on a fine sunny day. On the high ground about and beyond the Retiro, numerous handsome villas have been erected and the Retiro itself has been planted with trees, forming a pleasant promenade. In addition to other improvements and conveniences, omnibuses now ply from the city in various directions, so that locomotion is greatly facilitated, and people can live out of the city without the trouble of keeping conveyances, if they object to this, or have not the means to maintain them. Commerce is extending rapidly, and the Custom House revenue has doubled itself within a very few years.
