All the towns and villages of Uruguay littoral communicate with the capital by the regular service of beautiful steamers between Montevideo and Salto, stopping in all the ports of the Uruguay and Argentine Republic littoral.
Other steamers start from Montevideo for Paraguay and Matto-Grosso (Brazil.)
The lines of transatlantic steamers establish constant communications between the Republic and European and American ports.
By land, a great many places in the Republic are put in communication by the railways and by the telegraph, established also between Montevideo and Europe, Brazil, the Pacific and Argentine Republic.
Where the railways are not yet established, there is a good and regular service of stage-coaches.
There are already seven railway lines in the Republic, the service of which is quite regular and comprehends an extension of 1,567 kilometres.
Some other lines are in way of formation, and for some others the necessary preliminary studies have begun, comprising a new extension of 1,231 kilometres.
1st. _The Central Uruguay Railway._ It starts from Montevideo, runs through the whole territory of the Republic, till it reaches the capital of the Department of Rivera, on the very frontier of Brazil, in front of "Santa Ana do Livramento," that is to say, with an extension of 575 kilometres. Besides this, it has also another line of 32 kilometres from "25 de Agosto" to "San Jose."
2d. _The Northeast Uruguay Railway_, between Montevideo and Minas, with an extension of 122 kilometres.
3d. _The "East Extension" Railway_, between Toledo Station, which belongs to the Northeast Uruguay Railway and Nico Perez, with an extension of 206 kilometres.
4th. _The North Railway_, between Montevideo and Santa Lucia, where are established the municipal slaughter houses. This railway furnishes with meat all the Montevideo markets and has an extension of 23 kilometres.
5th. _The Northwest Uruguay Railway_, from Salto to the River Cuareim, through the Department of Artigas, with an extension of 178 kilometres. In "Paso del Correo," where this line stops, begins the Brazilian Uruguayana Line.
6th. _The Midland Uruguay Railway_ joins with the Central Railway in "Paso de los Toros" and with the Northwest Railway in the town of Salto and has its principal station in Paysandu, with an extension of 317 kilometres.