per 1,000.
" Berlin " 8.5 "
" New York " 5.7 "
" St. Petersburg " 4.6 "

The birth-rate of Buenos Aires for 1908 was 34.3 per 1,000.
" " London " 25.7
" " Berlin " 23.3
" " New York " 28.5
" " St. Petersburg " 27.5

Both these tables are, however, probably affected by the great number of
immigrants finding their way to Argentina, many of whom remain in Buenos
Aires.

The health of the City may be well gauged by the death-rate for the year
1907.

Buenos Aires stands well with 15.2 per 1,000 inhabitants.
London has a death-rate of 15.1 " "
Berlin " " 14.8 " "
New York " " 18.6 " "
St. Petersburg " 25.7 " "

(Undoubtedly the high rate shown by the last-named city is greatly due
to the foul condition of the Neva.)

To appreciate thoroughly the position which Buenos Aires now holds, and
the strides which have been made in regard to the sanitation of the
City, we have but to look at the past. Between the years 1889 and 1898
the death-rate per thousand was as high as 22.9 per 1,000; from 1899 to
1908 it was only 16.6, and now the record stands at 15.2 per 1,000.

The authorities are justly proud of what has been done, and will not
diminish their efforts so long as there is work to do and problems to
solve.

I should like to state once more the fact that the United Kingdom
depends upon Argentina for nearly one-fourth of her food supply
purchased abroad. I want to impress upon your mind the seriousness of
the position, for this proportion of one-fourth will be largely
increased in the near future, for reasons already stated.

The question has often been asked, "Is it safe to buy land in
Argentina?" But the drift of this query too often is merely
self-interest; in other words, it really means "Can I successfully
speculate in land?" Clearly the matter is solely a personal one, no
other consideration is thought of, so one is tempted to give an evasive
answer. Should the questioner, however, be a young fellow, with God's
gift of health and plenty of truth and grit in him, who wants not only
to acquire the land, but to work it, then, indeed, there is but one
answer, and that is in the affirmative--let him go, and let him ev