TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 201 



British trade derives peculiar advantages from the stipula- 

 tion then made, and which subsists in the same manner 

 between England and Naples, that English goods, the 

 value of which, as stated by the importer, appears to be 

 too small, cannot be taken by the Portuguese custom- 

 houses, unless they return the duty which has been paid, 

 and give the owner the stated value of his goods with an 

 addition of 10 per cent. 



In oi'der to give our readers a more accurate knowledge 

 of the principles followed by the Portuguese government 

 in the late regulation of the customs, we will briefly state 

 the chief points of the last decree on the subject, issued on 

 the 2d of May 1818, which was carried into execution 

 during our stay. In the custom-houses of the United 

 Kingdom of Portugal, Bi'azil, and Algarve, and in all the 

 other Portuguese possessions, the existing import and ex- 

 , port duties shall be paid upon all articles without excep- 

 tion, even if they belong to the royal family, and all 

 exemptions and privileges of the kind are declared to 

 be suspended for twenty years. Foreign wines may be 

 imported, but they pay three times as much duty as the 

 Portuguese : foi-eign brandy pays twice and a half as much. 

 Every new negro {negro novo) above three years of age, 

 who is imported into the harbours of Brazil from Africa, 

 pays, besides the already existing duty, amounting to 

 near 6000 rees, an additional 9600 rees, half of which 

 is to be deposited in the bank of Rio de Janeiro, to form 

 shares, which are intended for the foundation of colonies 

 of white settlers. Every arroba of dried salt meat ex- 

 ported from the harbours of Brazil in foreign ships, is to 

 pay 600 rees, if in Portuguese, 200 rees. Gold and silver 

 trinkets, polished diamonds, and other precious stones, pay 

 an export duty of 2 per cent. 



All Brazilian articles of commerce, which hitherto paid 

 no fixed duty, pay henceforward an export duty of 2 per 

 cent., as an equivalent for what were called the consulate 



