"There are no bounties or debentures of any kind allowed here.
"The usual commission for the purchase and shipment of goods is two and a half per centum, and is the same on all descriptions of produce.
"The American trade, with few exceptions, is conducted either by partners or agents of houses at home; consequently brokers are never employed to buy produce, and no brokerage is paid. When foreign goods are sold at auction, the commission paid is one per cent. on dry goods, and one and a half on groceries.
"Merchandise is brought to market altogether by water, and is usually delivered into the storehouses of the purchaser or on board the shipping.
"Export duties are as follows:
| "Meio dezimo, (for the church) | 5 per cent. |
| "Exportacão, (for the government) | 7 per cent. |
| "Vero pezo, (weighing) | ½ per cent. |
"Capitazia (paid for labor) quarter of a cent the arroba, on all kinds of merchandise.
"These duties are levied on the custom-house valuation, which is made at the beginning of each week, and not on the cost of the produce; as in that cost is included a duty of five per cent. which is paid on some articles when they are landed at the port of exportation. This last is a provincial tax, which is levied on India-rubber, tapioca, and farinha.
"Produce coming from an interior province—such as dry hides—does not pay the meio dezimo of five per cent., as it is paid at the time of embarking at the place of production; and this duty, together with freight, labor, &c., enters into the cost price of the merchandise at this port, which is the only shipping port for the provinces of Pará and Amazonas.
"There are no dock, trade, nor city dues to be paid at this port.