90 POLITICAL STATE OF BRAZIL. 
obtain those of the imports. The expenditures of the government are 
fixed by law at about the same sum. All appropriations are specific. 
The imports amounted to over twenty millions of dollars. The 
amount of exports is variously stated. Coffee is the great staple, and 
more than one hundred and twenty millions of pounds were exported 
in 1838. It is derived from the central provinces, and the exports of 
it have more than doubled within the last ten years. The exports of 
the southern provinces are mostly confined to hides and tallow, those 
of the northern to sugar, cotton, and tobacco. 
The trade with the United States has greatly increased. Within 
the last few years from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and 
seventy American vessels take and bring cargoes to and from the 
United States, and some foreign vessels are engaged in the same 
trade. The consumption of American flour in Rio and the neigh- 
bouring country, has been during the same year about one hundred 
and twenty thousand barrels. 
The state of this country and the southern republics, renders it 
highly necessary that a suitable naval force should be employed on 
this coast for the protection of our increasing trade. 
The currency of the country is in paper and copper. Gold and 
silver coins are articles of traffic, and fluctuate in value. Few or 
none are in circulation. The bank issues notes of milrees, which 
also fluctuate. The usual value of a milree is from sixty to seventy 
cents. One thousand five hundred ries are equal to a dollar. 
Books of all kinds may be printed and brought into the country. 
Those of foreign origin are not under censorship. 
The great drawback to the facility of business is the number of 
holidays on which the custom-house is closed, and all business 
suspended. These amount to about one hundred days in the year. 
This alone is a great alleviation to the work of the slave. 
Foreign merchants reside in the country, in the neighbourhood of 
the city. 
During our stay in Rio, George Smith, a seaman, while employed 
on board of one of the lighters in charge of Midshipman May, fell 
overboard and was accidentally struck with an oar ; on seeing it, Mid- 
shipman May, in a praiseworthy manner, jumped overboard to his 
relief, but did not succeed in saving him, for he sank immediately 
and was drowned. 
The delays in Rio had no effect upon the general health of the 
squadron, although I was fearful such might be the case, not only 
