The Board of Trade Returns, though they exhibit, in figures surpassing eloquence in their convincing power, the extensive character of our own trading relations with Brazil and the River Plate, of course convey only a partial idea of the commercial activity of the countries named.
Brazil and the Argentine Republic both carry on a large business with other European nations. With regard to the first it will be seen from the statistics we quote below that the Empire has large transactions with France and the Continent, as well as with the United States, to which the bulk of her coffee crop is shipped.
In the Budget of last year, submitted to the National Assembly by the then Finance Minister, Senhor Zacharias, I find the following:—
COMMERCE OF IMPORTATION, EXPORTATION, AND NAVIGATION.
The value of the import trade in 1866-67, according to the official data in the treasury, was 143,483:745$; 22,503:313$, or 18.6 per cent, more than the average of the five years 1861-2 to 1865-6, and 5,716:903$, or 4.1 per cent, more than 1865-6.
This importation took place in the various provinces in the following proportion, which is compared with that of 1865-6:—
| 1865-66. | 1866-67. | Over in '65-6. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio de Janeiro | 80,709:067$ | 80,458:064$ | |
| Bahia | 17,598:941 | 17,878:203 | 279:262$ |
| Pernambuco | 21,083:655 | 22,211:290 | 1,127:645 |
| Maranhao | 2,946:760 | 4,028:383 | 1,081:623 |
| Para | 4,613:218 | 5,396:706 | 783:488 |
| S. Pedro | 6,514:928 | 7,746:076 | 1,231:144 |
| S. Paulo | 1,295:948 | 1,546:755 | 250:807 |
| Parana | 154:083 | 237:278 | 83:195 |
| Parahyba | 26:067 | 99:446 | 73:379 |
| Ceara | 1,924:546 | 2,586:973 | 662:689 |
| Santa Catharina | 449:246 | 630:912 | 181:066 |
| Alagoas | 62:250 | 219:537 | 157:287 |
| Sergipe | 63:177 | 17:390 | |
| Espirito Santo | 1:209 | 2:116 | 907 |
| Rio Grande do Norte | 30:853 | 171:654 | 140:801 |
| Piauhy | 293:157 | 252:957 | |
| 136,766:842 | 143,483:745 | 6,053:893 |
Diminutions occurred in Rio de Janeiro 251:003$, Sergipe 45:787$, and Piauhy 40:209$; total, 336:990$.
The countries whence the importation came in 1866-67 were the following:—
| Great Britain and possessions | 58,276:905$783 |
| United States | 4,300:628 878 |
| France and possessions | 22,023:196 953 |
| La Plata | 12,325:712 734 |
| Portugal and possessions | 5,580:451 780 |
| Hanseatic Cities | 4,340:509 479 |
| Spain and possessions | 805:919 990 |
| Sweden | 222:194 583 |
| Denmark | 34:134 495 |
| Russia | 12:277 800 |
| Coast of Africa | 151:773 425 |
| Italy | 468:789 695 |
| Chili | 537:023 100 |
| Belgium | 1,333:855 778 |
| Austria | 910:268 440 |
| Holland | 3:017 850 |
| China | 23:400 000 |
| Peru | 680 000 |
| Ports of the Mediterranean | 29:744 000 |
| Ports of the Empire | 1,354:734 000 |
| Fisheries | 1:381 200 |
| Ports not mentioned | 30,747:145 332 |
| Total | 143,483:745 290 |