For the year 1818.
| Number of vessels. | Destination. | Cotton. | Rice. | Hides. | Tanned Leather. | Gum. | Farhina, or Flour of Mandioca. | Indian Corn. | Total freight to each Port. | Total value at each Port. | ||||
| Bags. | Arrobas. | Bags. | Arrobas. | No. | Pieces. | lbs. | Sacks. | Sacks. | Milreas. | Reas. | ||||
| 25 | Lisbon | 16,294 | 88,488 | 43,212 | 224,263 | 5131 | 32,503 | 1501 | 250 | —— | 137,692 | 250 | 1,092,498 | 151 |
| 16 | Oporto | 3,251 | 18,595 | 25,037 | 132,167 | 1027 | 6,116 | 202 | — | 1389 | 65,281 | 854 | 319,697 | 590 |
| 1 | Cape de Verds | 14 | 73 | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | — | —— | —— | 500 | 400 | |
| 1 | Antwerp | 500 | 3,040 | 305 | 1,666 | 418 | —— | —— | — | —— | 4,062 | 800 | 28,653 | 200 |
| 1 | Surinam | 25 | 157 | —— | —— | 712 | —— | —— | — | —— | 441 | 800 | 1,936 | 600 |
| 1 | Boston | 8 | 48 | —— | —— | 1659 | —— | —— | — | —— | 435 | 800 | 2,013 | 400 |
| 1 | Gibraltar | 156 | 780 | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | — | —— | 780 | 000 | 6,084 | 000 |
| 2 | St. Maloes | 511 | 2,976 | —— | —— | 420 | —— | —— | — | —— | 2,823 | 200 | 24,236 | 200 |
| 5 | Havre de Grace | 3,888 | 21,472 | 372 | 1,997 | 30 | —— | —— | — | —— | 21,438 | 200 | 167,402 | 100 |
| 2 | London | 1,687 | 8,835 | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | — | —— | 5,985 | 200 | 70,046 | 300 |
| 49 | Liverpool | 47,396 | 258,329 | —— | —— | —— | —— | —— | — | —— | 220,576 | 200 | 2,069,903 | 000 |
| 104 | 73,730 | 402,793 | 68,926 | 360,095 | 9433 | 38,619 | 1703 | 250 | 1389 | 459,517 | 304 | 3,783,020 | 941 | |
Total value, 3,783,020 941, at 5s. the Milrea, is £945,755 4s. 2d. sterling; one-third deducted will be about the present value.
For the year 1819.
| Ports. | Cotton. | Cost. | Rice. | Cost. | ||||
| Bags. | Arrobas. | Milreas. | Reas. | Bags. | Arrobas. | Milreas. | Reas. | |
| Lisbon | 16,625 | 91,074 | 517,821 | 500 | 41,993 | 220,562 | 201,039 | 450 |
| Oporto | 2,629 | 14,212 | 81,745 | 500 | 22,934 | 116,184 | 104,074 | 950 |
| Cape Verde | 8 | 45 | 238 | 833 | ||||
| Havre | 5,900 | 31,326 | 203,052 | 350 | ||||
| Liverpool | 40,291 | 222,623 | 1,333,142 | 354 | ||||
| Total | 65,453 | 359,280 | 2,136,000 | 537 | 64,927 | 336,746 | 305,114 | 400 |
It appears to be uncertain whether this city or Pernambuco will in future take the lead in the exportation of cotton. Two-thirds of this article from Maranham is sent principally to the port of Liverpool, from whence the greatest portion of manufactured goods for the consumption of the province are shipped, and our merchants labour under the same disadvantage here as at Bahia and Pernambuco, in having no alternative but taking produce for the whole of their importations, which necessarily keeps up the price much above the proportionable par of the British market. There is a singular coincidence in the commercial intercourse of the two countries, relative to cotton. Nearly the amount of the annual Brazilian exports to England of this article is returned to that country in a manufactured state in the course of the following year; and, notwithstanding all the ingenuity of machinery, talent, and superior intelligence brought into the scale on the part of the British manufacturer and merchant, the Brazilians have decidedly the advantage over them in the progression of continued gain and enrichment. The illiterate and uncultivated planter derives his wealth from the refined state of British manufactures and commerce, while their votaries have for sometime, and are yet sustaining serious injury by this portion at least of their transatlantic intercourse.
It is probable that the exports from this city, as well as Pernambuco, may be lessened so far as regards the Fora cottons, or those coming from the adjoining provinces, which are acquiring by degrees a direct intercourse with Europe, and not as hitherto through the medium of those ports. In the provinces where establishments are forming, the governors are desirous of concentrating the whole of its productions through the medium of the head town, in order to increase the revenues of their jurisdictions. It may be observed again, that it is English establishments branching from this city and Pernambuco principally that afford these advantages to the rising provinces of Para, Parahiba, Rio Grande de Norte, and Siara.
This city is well supplied with fish, water, meat, and fine fruits. Three fortifications defend its port, which is diminishing in depth of water. The tide rises here twenty-eight palms, but there is considerable intricacy, attended with danger, in vessels approaching the anchorage place. Amongst the English merchants established here, the Consul ranks as one. There is an English hospital amply provided with means from the contribution fund. The governors of the provinces are usually changed every three years. General Silveira is here the present governor.
A provisional constitutional government was formed here in April, 1821, to continue in force till the basis of the Portuguese constitution should be fixed. The popular feeling was in favour of a government to consist of five or six members; but, after some contention, the first was adopted, General Silveira declining to remain at the head of the council upon any other condition.