it in 1848. The population had been increased (to 20,000) by an influx of Portuguese, Madeiran, and German immigrants, and for many years past the provincial government had spent their considerable surplus revenue in beautifying the city.[1] The streets, formerly unpaved or strewn with loose stones and sand, were now laid with concrete in a most complete manner; all the projecting masonry of the irregularly-built houses had been cleared away, and the buildings made more uniform. Most of the dilapidated houses were replaced by handsome new edifices, having long and elegant balconies fronting the first floors, at an elevation of several feet above the roadway. The large, swampy squares had been drained, weeded, and planted with rows of almond and casuarina trees, so that they were now a great ornament to the city, instead of an eyesore as they
- ↑ The revenue of the province of Pará, derived almost wholly from high custom-house duties, had averaged for some years past about £1000,000 sterling. The import duties vary from 18 to 80 per cent. ad valorem; export duties from 5 to 10 per cent., the most productive article being india-rubber.
The total value of exports for 1858 was £355,905 4s. 0d., employing 104 vessels of 29,493 total tonnage. More than half the foreign trade was done with Great Britain; the principal nations in order of amount of import trade ranking as follows:—
- Great Britain.
- United States.
- France.
- Portugal.
- Hanse Towns.
As most of the articles of consumption are imported and most of those produced exported, the foreign trade of Pará is larger, compared with the internal trade, than it is in most countries. The insignificance of the trade of a country of such vast extent and resources becomes very apparent from the totals here quoted.
