MADEIRA. 17 



PROGRESS OF POPULATION IN 1835. 



Legitimate births, male 1807 



Illegitimate " " 222 



2029 



Legitimate births, female 1868 



Illegitimate " " 205 



2073 



4102 



Deaths, male 1383 



" female 1368 



2751 



Excess of births ... 1351 



Marriages .... 1065 



The revenue of the island is stated to be about $210,000 per annum. 

 That portion which is derived from the customs, is about one half, or 

 $110,000. The remainder is from taxes and tithes. The latter are now 

 collected by the government, and from it the priesthood receive salaries. 

 The inhabitants are liable to pay tax for the maintenance of the small 

 naval force kept on the station. The expenses of the government of Ma- 

 deira, including the support of the military garrison, is about $150,000, 

 leaving a surplus to the government of about $50,000 or $60,000. 



There are about five thousand proprietors of the soil, of whom no 

 more than six hundred and fifty live on their rents ; and there are 

 about four hundred who receive government salaries. 



Mendicants are numerous, and one is much tormented with them 

 from the very moment of landing. It is surprising to find them so 

 importunate in so fine an island, and where the necessaries of life 

 ought to abound. 



Wine is the staple commodity: the produce during the year 1837 

 was 14,150 pipes. The export the year previous to our visit amounted 

 to 8,435 pipes, of which about 3,800 pipes, valued at $793,000, went to 

 the United States. The imports only amounted to $105,000, in staves, 

 rice, and oil. The 5,700 pipes that remain, includes that shipped 

 to Europe, the home consumption, and what is stored for refining. 

 The inhabitants of Madeira are much alive and justly jealous of the 

 reputation of their Wines, which are generally the engrossing topic of 

 conversation. An amusing excitement existed during our visit. A 

 London paper (the Times) had asserted that foreign wine had frequently 

 been introduced into Madeira, and afterwards exported as the genuine 

 article, to the United States in particular ; and what gave more force 

 to the story, it was stated as a fact, that seventy pipes had lately been 



VOL. I. B2 3 



