BRAZIL. 



67 



companies, with the following chief condi- 

 tions : After the Government is satisfied that 

 the capital of a new company applying is suffi- 

 cient, an annual interest of 7 per cent, is guar- 

 anteed, the latter payable half-yearly during 

 thirty-two years. While the construction of 

 the line proceeds, the Government pays inter- 

 est on the sums of money it considers neces- 

 sary; the latter are deposited in a bank, and 

 can only be drawn as wanted. The state grants 

 gratuitously to such companies all Government 

 lands that may be requisite for the lines, depots, 

 entrepots, shops, etc., designated in the con- 

 tract. The companies are allowed to import 

 duty-free all material and, for twe"nty years, 

 coal and all other fuel. 



In return for these privileges the companies 

 engage to forward at reduced rates all Gov- 

 ernment officials, luggage, and material, and, 

 if called upon to do so, furnish the Govern- 

 ment whatever information it may wish to ob- 

 tain respecting the business of the line. 



From the moment the dividends exceed 8 per 

 cent, per annum, the excess is equally divided 

 between the Government and the company; 

 but this participation of the Government in 

 the excess of profits ceases as soon as the sums 

 of money advanced for interest are paid back. 

 Should the dividend at any time exceed 12 per 

 cent, during two consecutive years, the com- 

 panies, if called upon by the Government to 

 do so, bind themselves to reduce their freight 

 rates. If the construction capital be procured 

 abroad, the exchange is fixed at 27^. per mil- 

 reis. The following are the leading com- 

 panies that have gone into existence on this 

 basis : 



LINES BUILT UNDER GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE. 



All these lines have been built with English 

 capital, with the exception of two, the Recife-Li- 

 moeiro, which is Brazilian, and the Paranagua- 

 Coritiba, which is French. 



Telegraphs. The first telegraph lines were 

 laid in 1852, but not till 1866 did Petropolis 

 and Rio de Janeiro receive telegraphic commu- 

 nication. Now, Rio has two telephone lines, 



and the empire counts land telegraphs of a to- 

 tal length of 7,419 kilometres of line and 13,- 

 250 of wire, communication being established 

 by means of 136 stations. The number of tele- 

 graphic messages sent in 1881-'82 was 739,906 ; 

 the gross receipts were 1,241,770, and the ex- 

 penses 1,632,549 milreis. 



Trade-Marks* Brazil protects the trade-marks 

 of persons domiciled in the country and -for- 

 eigners having in Brazil an establishment of 

 commerce or industry. Foreigners who do not 

 possess branch houses or manufactories in 

 Brazil receive no benefit from the law, except 

 in cases where treaties of reciprocity exist be- 

 tween Brazil and iheir own country. 



Foreign trade-marks are registered at the 

 office of the secretary of the Tribunal of Com- 

 merce at Rio de Janeiro. 



The legal effect of the registry continues for 

 fifteen years, and may be renewed for another 

 term of the same duration. 



A Floating Cathedral. A floating cathedral on 

 the Amazon river is the most novel idea con- 

 ceived and to be carried out by enterprising 

 missionaries in Brazil. The matter has been 

 taken in hand by the Catholic Bishop of Par& 

 and Amazonas. The best architects and ship- 

 builders of Europe are to construct it complete 

 and in magnificent style, and it is to be bap- 

 tized " Christopher," because it is to carry 

 Christ over the waters. It is to. attend to the 

 spiritual wants of the whites and Indians in- 

 habiting the banks of the great river. 



Emancipation. A new issue is steadily forc- 

 ing its way into Brazilian politics, and will, at 

 no distant day, form a disturbing factor of 

 vital importance to the country. Thus far there 

 has been no abolition party and no division be- 

 tween the old parties on that question. Since 

 the beginning of the present year a new move- 

 ment has set in which promises to change all 

 this. In the northern provinces, especially in 

 Ceara, the popular sentiment in favor of aboli- 

 tion has been worked up to such a pitch that 

 the people are voluntarily emancipating their 

 slaves. Ceara has already liberated about 

 6,000 slaves, and may free all before the close 

 of the year. As this movement is principally 

 confined to the northern provinces, it is not 

 improbable that the abolition of slavery in 

 Brazil will be transformed into a sectional 

 issue at no distant day, and that it will lead to 

 troubles which will have an important influ- 

 ence upon the future of the country. 



Slavery. In July, 1883, there were in Brazil 

 1,346,648 slaves. When the gradual abolition 

 decree of Sept. 28, 1871, was passed, there 

 were officially registered 1,547,660 slaves; since 

 then about 130,207 slaves have died, the Gov- 

 ernment has liberated 12,898, private individ- 

 uals and savings-banks 56, 056, and 1,851 slaves 

 have bought their freedom themselves. The 

 average value of slaves is at present about 

 $375, so that the amount of slave property still 

 existing in Brazil represents a value of some- 

 thing like $505,000,000. The provinces in 



