94 



BEAZIL. 



BREMEN. 



measures required by the country in the pres- 

 sent extraordinary circumstances, will be highly 

 appreciated by the nation." 



The opening of the Eiver Amazon and some 

 of its tributaries, to the merchant-flags of all 

 nations, took place on the 7th of September, the 

 forty-fifth anniversary of the independence of 

 Brazil. A few weeks before the government 

 had issued a decree, according to which, five 

 custom-houses are opened besides Para on the 

 former river, and Penedo on one of the tribu- 

 taries, -while Villa Nova, in Sergipe, is to be 

 open for the exportation of national products, 

 coastwise or foreign, and for the importation of 

 foreign free goods. Fourteen other ports on the 

 Amazon are made ports of call. Great commer- 

 cial results are expected from this opening of 

 this river, not only for Brazil but also for the 

 neighboring republic of Peru. This was de- 

 monstrated by the successful navigation of 

 three important tributaries of the Amazon 

 the Ucuyali, Pachitea, and Palcazu by steam- 

 ers for a distance of 1,227 miles from the em- 

 bouchure of the first-named river. This im- 

 portant feat was accomplished by a naval expe- 

 dition consisting of the Peruvian steamers Mo- 

 rona, Napo, and Putumayo. They started on 

 their novel undertaking on November 12, 

 1866, and on January 1, 1867, anchored in the 

 port of Maio, with the exception of the Moro- 

 na, which stopped short at the island of Passes 

 on account of a fall in the waters of the Pal- 

 cazu. Many difficulties were, of course, en- 

 countered during the ascent of the respec- 

 tive rivers, in consequence of their being un- 

 settled and not on a chart. Some cannibal 

 Indians on the banks also attempted to destroy 

 the exploring party. Their attacks were, how- 

 ever, vigorously repulsed, and at a place named 

 Ohontaisla the savages sustained a loss of 

 twenty-five killed. The successful voyage of 

 this expedition showed the possibility of sup- 

 plying several departments of Peru, possessing 

 a population exceeding half a million, with 

 foreign goods, by way of the Amazon, and of 

 carrying to the ocean the valuable natural pro- 

 ducts of vast and fertile regions of the interior, 

 after a navigation from Maio, situate on the 

 eastern slope of the Andes, of no less than 

 3,500 miles. 



The Brazilian Government is making strenuous 

 efforts to promote immigration, and the num- 

 ber of arrivals, in 1867, was again considerable, 

 especially from the United States (about 300 

 a month) and from Portugal. A monthly 

 English paper, entitled the Brazil Emigration 

 Reporter, was established for the special pur- 

 pose of encouraging immigration from the late 

 American slave States. A number of the Amer- 

 ican immigrants were, however, disappointed 

 at their reception and prospects. 



The Government of Brazil has repeatedly 

 declared its wish to prepare the way for the 

 abolition of slavery. The Rio Diario, of 

 April 9th, states the following, as far as it has 

 been able to learn, as the basis of the plan of 



the Government for the solution of the problem 

 of slavery: "1. Slavery shall cease totally in 

 the year 1900, that is, in thirty-three years 

 hence. 2. The State shall indemnify those 

 citizens who may still own slaves at that period. 



3. From the date of the promulgation of this 

 decree all children born of slaves shall be free. 



4. Those children who may be educated in the 

 houses of their parents' masters shall serve 

 them till they reach their twentieth year, and 

 will then be restored to freedom. 5. There 

 will be established courts of emancipation in 

 all the towns, to enforce the law and see to its 

 proper execution. C. A fixed amount will be 

 set aside for the emancipation of the slaves of 

 the nation, and the same terms will be agreed 

 upon to effect the liberation of the slaves owned 

 by religious orders as may be made to purchase 

 the freedom of those held by the Government. 

 7. There will be appropriated a fund for the 

 annual purchase of a certain number of slaves, 

 so that but few may be in bondage when the 

 hour of general emancipation is at hand. Such 

 are the features of the plan, and after due con- 

 sideration we can promise its originators the 

 esteem of humanity and the gratitude of the 

 country." 



On September 19th the emperor distributed 

 the premiums adjudicated to the exhibitors 

 at the National Exhibition held last year, and 

 for their services in connection with it the 

 titles of Baron das Tres Barras and Baron 

 do Bom Eetiro were respectively conferred 

 on Conselheiro Jose Ildefonso de Souza Ro- 

 mas and Conselheiro Luiz Pedreira do Couto 

 Ferraz. 



The terminal station of the Dom Pedro II. 

 railway, that of Entre-Rios, was opened on the 

 13th of October. Negotiations were going on 

 between the Government and the Companhia 

 Mineira, formed for the purpose, for the contin- 

 uation of the line to Porto Novo da Ounha, 

 to be worked by the Government, and the com- 

 pany receive a tax on the traffic. 



BREMEN, a free city of the North German 

 Confederation. First Burgomaster (1863-1867, 

 December 31st), K. F. G. Mohr. Area, 112 

 square miles ; population in 1864, 104,091. 

 The public revenue in the budget for 1867 

 was estimated at 1,761,148 thalers, the expen- 

 ditures at 2,040,342 thalers; the deficit at 

 279,194 thalers. The public debt in 1866 was 

 12,244,900 thalers. The army consists of 760 

 men. On July 3, 1867, the Burgorschaf (coun- 

 cil of citizens) ratified a military convention 

 with Prussia, according to which the contin- 

 gent of Bremen to the North German army 

 was to be dissolved on October 1, 1867, and a 

 Prussian battalion was to receive the recruits 

 from the territory of the free city who are 

 called into service. The value of imports in 

 1866 was 89,223,312 thalers ; of exports, 

 80,329,314 thalers. The merchant navy was 

 composed, at the close of the year 1866, of 

 291 vessels, together of 110,596 lasts (of 4,000 

 .pounds each). 



