NOTE.S ON BRAZIL. 



469 



These proportions would have found no place here if the value of 

 Gold and other precious metals affected only Brazil, or the Continent 

 of South America. To me it appears time for the British Legislature to 

 adopt some prompt and decisive measures, which shall localize and fix 

 that kind of wealth which is more immediately connected with commerce; 

 for it will not only appear a political solecism, if it shall hereafter be 

 found that the first commercial nation in the world had little or no con- 

 troul over the BuUion Market, and was in this respect at least, depen- 

 dant upon foreigners ; but if the Public Debt of Britain, which I will 

 not call enormous, be ever paid off" by Bullion or Coin, or any thing 

 which they can represent, every advance in these articles must prove an 

 additional burden to the people. 



The Caza de Fundi^am at St. John D' El Rey, acts also as a sort 

 of Bank to the Comarca. Here Government Notes, payable on demand, 

 are issued for sums as low as a shilling, and in their appearance, paper, 

 and engraving, are so wretched as to be little better than our Turn- 

 pike-tickets. It is not extraordinary, therefore, that many forgeries of 

 them should occur, nor that a general distrust respecting them should 

 prevail. It has been said, that some of them received from the house in 

 one day, even without changing hands, have been refused and dishon- 

 oured there the next. Certainly frauds exist, and as certainly the Insti- 

 tution has its eyes fixed upon the deceptions which are practised, without 

 being able always to prevent or detect them. I saAV there some curious 

 modes by which attempts had been made to smuggle Gold Dust, and 

 others which were intended to impose upon the ignorant purchasers of 

 that metal. Accounts respecting the Notes are kept in Reis and Milreis, 

 but the sums for which they are issued are adapted to the Pataca of 320 

 Reis each ; and a Copper Vintem is used of forty Reis instead of twenty, 

 its value in other Provinces. The Vintem of Gold, which has been 

 mentioned before, is equal in value to six grains in weight of the metal 

 when pure. 



Notwithstanding the appearances, which have been already noticed, 

 of a great want of occupation in the streets of St. John, this town. 



