Revenues of the king of Portugal from Rio Janeiro.
Besides the old duty of ten per cent which is paid at the royal custom-house, there is another duty of two and a half per cent, laid on the goods as a free gift, on account of the unfortunate event which happened at Lisbon in 1755. This duty must be paid down at the custom-house immediately, whereas for the tenth, you may have a respite of six months, on giving good security.
The mines of S. Paolo and Parnagua pay the king four arrobas as his fifth, in common years. The most distant mines, which are those of Pracaton and Quiaba, depend upon the government[[51]] of Maragrosso. The fifth of these mines is not received at Rio Janeiro, but that of the mines of Goyas is. This government has likewise mines of diamonds, but it is forbidden to search in them.
All the expences of the king of Portugal at Rio Janeiro, for the payment of the troops and civil officers, the carrying on of the mines, keeping the public buildings in repair, and refitting of ships, amount to about six hundred thousand piastres. I do not speak of the expence he may be at in constructing ships of the line and frigates, which he has lately begun to do here.
A summary account, and the amount of the separate articles of the king’s revenue, taken at a medium in Spanish dollars.
| Dollars. | |
| One hundred and fifty arrobas of gold, of which in common years all the fifths amount to | 1,125,000 |
| The duty on diamonds | 240,000 |
| The duty on the coinage | 400,000 |
| Ten per cent. of the custom-house | 350,000 |
| Two and a half per cent. free gift | 87,000 |
| Poll tax, sale of employs, offices, and other products of the mines | 225,000 |
| The duty on negroes | 110,000 |
| The duty on train-oil, salt, soap, and the tenth on the victuals of the country | 130,000 |
| Total in dollars or piasters | 2,667,000 |
From whence, if you deduct the expences above mention ed, it will appear that the king of Portugal’s revenues from Rio Janeiro, amount to upwards of ten millions of our money (livres[[52]]).
CHAP. VI.
Departure from Rio Janeiro: second voyage to Montevideo:
damage which the Etoile receives there.