June 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



551 



THE SITUATION IN BRAZIL. 



By a Special Correspondent. 



f~\ N March 6 the one hundredth anniversary of the first 

 ^^ Brazilian republic was celebrated throughout the country. 

 In the year 1817, several prominent men of Pernambuco, tired 

 of the royal Portuguese yoke, conspired to overthrow the exist- 

 ing form of government. Twice their intentions were betrayed 

 to the colonial governor, who, the first time, treated the matter 

 as a joke. The second time, however, he gave orders to arrest 

 the conspirators. This was the sign for revolt. The prisons 

 were opened and the governor fled. A federal republic was 

 formed which lasted exactly 74 days. Then the royalists routed 

 the republicans, shot their leaders and reestablished the mon- 

 archical government. This revolution was the first step leading 

 to the final estabHshment of the present republican form of gov- 

 ernment, and the event was naturally commemorated with great 

 enthusiasm. In Belem, the celebration by the Associa^ao da Im- 

 prensa do Para took place in the Tlieatro da Paz and was pre- 

 sided over by Dr. Lauro Sodre, governor of the state of Para. 



ATTACKS ON GERMAN PROPERTY. 



Demonstrations of enthusiasm for the Allies and of hatred 

 towards Germans were not lacking once Brazil had broken re- 

 lations with Germany. Not always have the people been satis- 

 fied to give vent to their feelings in shouts. At Porte Alegre, a 

 mob, infuriated by the German proprietor of a hotel who lost 

 his head and fired at a passing car, wounding one or two of the 

 occupants, sacked and burned the hotel and many German build- 

 ings, and broke the windows of all houses suspected to harbor 

 Germans. Pelotas and Rio Grande do Sul were only saved 

 from similar proceedings by the timely arrival of soldiers. 



Naturally, Germans are beginning to feel uneasy, and quite a 

 number have gone to Santa Catherine where they no doubt feel 

 safer, as they represent the majority of the population there. 



SHIPMENTS AND THE RUBBER BLACKLIST. 



Judging from the latest reports, the blacklist on the Amazon 

 has been a great success. It came into effect here on March 29, 

 1916, from which date to March 30, 1917, crude rubber was 

 exported to the amount of 34,424 tons. Of this, 19,631 tons, or 

 57 per cent, went to allied and American firms, 12,741 tons, or 

 37 per cent, to Brazilian and Portuguese firms, and only 2,052 

 tons, or 6 per cent, to enemy and blacklisted firms. 



The distribution by shipments was as follows : 



Tons. Percentage. 



In British vessels to Europe 12,919 37.5 



To New York 12,797 37.2 



In Brazilian vessels to New York 8.708 25.3 



34.424 100.0 



Enemy shipments were shipped by the "Lloyd Brasileiro" and 

 have increased lately, 480 tons having been shipped between 

 February 6 and March 30, as against 597 tons by British and 

 American firms and 680 tons by Brazilian and Portuguese. In 

 this connection it is significant that the Lloyd apportions space 

 to shippers as follows : 39 per cent to Brazilian and Portuguese 

 firms, 34 per cent to allied and American and 27 per cent to 

 German firms. 



Nevertheless, a comparison of exports for 1913-14 and for the 

 12 months, March, 1916-April, 1917, demonstrates very satis- 

 factorily the decrease for German firms and the increase for 

 allied and neutral firms. 



Tons. 



A_ 



12 months ending April, 

 1913-14. 1917. 



German firms 18,264 2,052 



Allied and American 11,702 19,631 



Brazilian and Portuguese 7,194 12,741 



Totals 37,160 34,424 



The most striking fact indicated by the above table is the re- 

 markable growth of Portuguese and Brazilian exports since the 

 war. 



STORAGE CHARGES ON RUBBER IN TRANSIT. 



The Associa^ao Commercial is endeavoring to reduce the high 

 storage charges assessed at the port of Para for rubber in 

 transit. 



An arrangement has already been made with the port of Para 

 by which 1 per cent of the dues covered in the second month 

 and 3 per cent of those in the third month will be restored. 



This arrangement will hold while the actual difficulty of 

 transportation lasts and depends on the orders of the Minister 

 for Traffic to the Inspector of the port of Para. 



The Associacao has already informed the Minister of the 

 terms of the agreement and is now awaiting developments. 



Fl.OtlDS IX BRAZIL. 



Within the la.st fnur years the state of Ceara has suffered from 

 three grave catastrophes. The year 1913 saw the country torn 

 by political strife. Hardly had this disturbance ceased, when 

 drought set in, forcing thousands of the inhabitants to leave 



A Br.\zlian Scringuciro Collecting L.^tex 



their homes and seek relief in the neighboring states. Towards 

 the winter, many returned, only to experience the heaviest flood 

 that visited the land for years. The sufferings of the people 

 are said to be severe in the extreme and everything possible is 

 being done to help them. 



The neighboring state of Maranhao has also suffered from 

 floods, the Itapicuru and Mearini rivers having overflowed. 



INADEQUATE TELEGRAPH SERVICE. 



So many complaints are made about the radio-telegraph serv- 

 ice of the .Amazon, that those in authority seem at last to be 

 awakening to the fact that something must be done. Indeed, 

 it has been suggested to abolish this system altogether and make 

 use of the facilities offered by the .Amazon Telegraph Company 

 instead. Naturally, this is anything but pleasing to the Asso- 

 cia(ao Ccmmercial do Amasonas, which, in conjunction with the 

 Federal Government, undertook to maintain the radio-telegraph 



