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Free Navigation of La Plata-Fertility of Upper Amazon. 137

valley of the Amazon is not only a great Amazon and La Plata, be considered country, but it is a glorious wilderness rapid traveling. Here, therefore, is the and waste which, under the improve- commencement of a new era in the ment and progress of the age, would business and the commerce of those two soon be made to "blossom as the rose." river-basins; and the first merchantWe have, therefore, but to let loose upon it the engines of commerce-the steamer, the emigrant, the printing-press, the axe and the plow-and it will teem with life.

There is a line of steamers from England to Rio. The French are getting up a line, and the stock has been taken in it, from Marseilles to Rio. Brazil has a line from the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, via Rio, to the mouth of the Amazon. The mouth of the Amazon is half way between Norfolk and Rio. I petitioned Congress, at its last session, for the establishment of a line of mail

steamers from some one of our southern

ports to connect with the Brazilian line at Para, and thus put our merchants in direct steamship communication with Rio, Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, and so draw us closer to the Amazon.

The committee to whom the subject was referred reported in favor of it, and brought in a bill for its accomplishment. It was, however, not acted

upon.

But since that, events have occurred

which make this line from the south still more important and necessary. The tyrant Rosas has been expelled from the continent; the navigation of the Rio de la Plata and some of its noblest tributaries have been opened and made free to the world. This government, with a most praiseworthy zeal, is fitting out a naval expedition to explore those streams, and to make known their navigability and the commercial resources of the countries drained by them, that our merchants may know how to send, what to sell, and what to buy

there.

Brazil has contracted for two lines of steamers on the Amazon, from its mouth almost up to its sources. These Amazonian lines are to run-one monthly between Para and Barra, at the mouth of the Rio Negro, a distance of nine hundred miles; the other, connecting with this at Barra, is to ply between that city and Nauta, in Peru, a distance of near three thousand miles from the sea. Poling up the Mississippi" would, in comparison to the means at present employed for navigating the waters of the

steamer, as she plows up those majestic streams with her rich cargo of foreign merchandise, will be the signal for a revolution in the trade and traffic which has been carried on there.

Three millions of dollars' worth of produce now comes down the Amazon to Para.

Amazon" where this line of steamers is "The Peruvian portion of the Upper to go, "is," said Castelnau, who was then on his way home, after traveling through the fairest parts of South America, "the most beautiful country in the world; its fertility is proverbial." There is found the famous silk tree, which produces a staple like cotton to the eye, but silk to the touch. There the labor of one man is worth but two and a half yards of our coarse cotton stuff the month-so abundant are the fruits of the

earth, so scarce the fabrics of the shop been removed from the influences of and loom, and so far has that country commerce. It is now just about to be brought within them.

But what are the opportunities which Americans will have for getting a fair share of this new business to which the free navigation of the La Plata and the introduction of steam upon the Amazon will give rise? I reply, very small, unless this southern line of steamers to the Amazon be established; otherwise all the intelligence from Brazil and the La Plata, all the advices concerning the markets, will go direct to England and to France by their steamers; and then, after the merchants there shall have had some ten days or two weeks the start of their American competitors in taking advantage of that intelligence, it will arrive here in the United States by the Cunard or Collins line of steamers from Liverpool.

Now and then an American clipper, happening at the mouth of the river, or in the offing at Rio, at the night time, may chance to bring intelligence to the United States sooner than it can go to Europe and then come over by steamer. But that is uncertain.

The free navigation of the Rio de la Plata is an achievement, and commerce

is chiefly indebted to Brazil for it. Honor to Brazil, therefore. It is a gem in the crown of the emperor, which, if it be tarnished not, will make his reign illustrious.

Rosas held the mouth of the river La Plata; Brazil, Banda-Oriental, Paraguay, and Bolivia, (all independent sovereignties,) owned navigable water-courses which emptied into it; but Rosas would not allow any of these powers to follow those waters through his part of the river to the sea. Brazil made war with him, drove him out of the country, and the first-fruits of the victory the commercial world is about to receive, is the free navigation of those noble streams. With a quarrel more just than that wicked one about opium, Brazil, in her triumph, followed the generous example of England in opening the ports of China, without any claim to exclusive privileges.

Brazil has not opened the ports of so populous a country as China, but she has opened the water-courses of one with which commerce will in a few years be more valuable than it is with China.

These arrangements about the La Plata navigation are not completed. They are thought to be in a fair way of adjustment; and, therefore, in giving honor to whom honor is due, I give it to the Emperor of Brazil, upon the supposition that no untoward thing will occur to thwart the measure.

But the commercial world has been sparing of its commendations of Brazil for her seeming liberality with regard to the free navigation of the La Plata. They say and have, alas! but too much reason for saying-that there was no genérosity, no liberality, no sign of any fairness whatever, in the course of Brazil with regard to the navigation of the La Plata. Bolivia, Paraguay, and Banda-Oriental, they say, had each as much right as Brazil to claim the free use of the La Plata for getting to sea with their merchandise; and if, upon the fall of Rosas, Brazil had then attempted to extort from Buenos Ayres any exclusive privilege in the use of those waters, she knew that not only would these republics-her next-door neighbors all have turned against her, but that the three great commercial nations of the north would have stepped in to prevent any such exclusive and selfish appropriation of Nature's highway.

As a proof that Brazil was not actuated by any of those really enlarged and liberal views which it is the policy of commerce to carry out, I point to the Amazon. There Don Pedro is the Rosas. He holds the mouth of the . Amazon; he shuts it up. Five sovereign and independent nations own its headwaters, and all of them have provinces and people upon the banks of its navigable tributaries; but not one of them is allowed to follow the course of these navigable streams through Brazilian waters to the sea.

Justice, the policy of commerce, the sentiment of the age, all the principles of national law and the rights of people, are in favor of the free use of that river by those five Spanish republics: and it cannot be said that Brazil acted from principle in the case of the La Plata until she makes, of her own accord, the navigation of the Amazon free.

Formerly there was a Rosas who threatened to stand at the mouth of our Mississippi, and we, who then owned the headwaters only, claimed, and were ready to assert with the sword, our right to follow them, and to use them for commerce and navigation, until they mingled with and were lost in the sea.

It has now not been quite four years ago since this subject of the free navigation of the La Plata and the Amazon was brought to the attention of this gov

ernment.

The proposition was, that we should offer to Brazil our friendly mediation with Rosas, and use our kind offices to induce him to make free the navigation of the La Plata, and so end the war.

It was proposed, also, that we should treat with Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, New Grenada, and Venezuela, for ports of entry to foreign vessels and commerce up their navigable tributaries of the Amazon, and thus turn upon Brazil with the same arguments for the free navigation of the Amazon that Brazil stood ready to urge in favor of her right to navigate the La Plata.

Brazil got wind of this. She found out that such a thing as the free navigation of the Amazon began to form the subject of conversation in commercial and political circles here, and she immediately took the most active steps to render of no avail any attempt on our part having for its object the free navigation of the Amazon.

Navigation of the Amazon-Treaty between Peru and Brazil. 139

She redoubled her energies in the to Venezuela, New Grenada, and Ecuawar against Rosas, and she dispatched dor, are clearly set forth. in hot haste Ministers Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Peru, to Bolivia, to Ecuador, and New Grenada, and Venezuela, to treat with each of those five Spanish-American Republics for the exclusive right to navigate their Amazonian tributaries.

For the Portuguese, who had owned the Amazon for ages, who had not had the power to make an impression upon its forests, nor to launch a steamer upon its bosom, to go and talk to the Bolivians and others about sending steamers away up the main trunk of the Amazon, to paddle up and down the republican spring-branches of the Spanish Americans, was truly a diplomatic phenomenon! "You have an Athens, embellish that," should have been their reply to Brazil.

I quote from the Rio correspondent of the "Observator"-a Brazilian newspaper-of May last. This correspondent appears to be in the secrets of the government, and no doubt spoke the sentiments of that jealous cabinet:

"The navigation of the Amazon goes on swimmingly the government of Peru, by the convention of the 23d of last October, made with our new minister, Duarte da Ponte Ribeiro, obliges itself to assist the first enterprise established upon the Amazon with a sum

never less than $20,000.

"The government has named in quality of resident minister, and for an extraordinary mission near the governments of the republics of Venezuela, Ecuador, and New Grenada, our minister to Bolivia, Miguel Maria Lisboa. The object of this mission is a treaty with those republics for the navigation of the Amazon, because, as I think, it is feared that the United States will hasten

to arrange one for the navigation of some of the tributaries of the Amazon, and thus judge themselves authorized to enter the Amazon from without, as the journals of New-York and New-Orleans already propose. We have been careless in this matter, and must now hurry

about it.

"This nation of pirates, like those of their race, wish to displace all the people of America who are not AngloSaxons."

Thus the objects of Da Ponte's mission to Peru and Bolivia, and of Lisboa's

at treaty the commercial nations might They were to frustrate any attempts be disposed to make with these republics touching river navigation, and to seal up tighter than ever the great arteries of those countries, and thus perhave for three hundred years reigned in petuate the stagnation and death that the great Amazonian water-shed.

Brazil seemed already to have forgotten that what was right on the south side of the Tropic of Capricorn must be right also under the Equator; for the same arguments that apply to the free navigation of the La Plata apply also to the free navigation of the Amazon.

Peru fell into the trap, and made the required treaty; but the more sagacious statesmen of Bolivia got wind of the deBrazil upon the subject, but the enlightsign, and not only refused to treat with ened President of that republic proposes to establish upon the Amazonian tributaries of Bolivia free ports to all the world.

man of Bolivia, writing as to this pre"Como los Brazileros," says a gentletension of Brazil to steamboat navigation

upon the rivers of Bolivia, "pretenden el privilejio, y el Presidente Belzu, conviene a Bolivia, el se ha negado a dar es bastante capas para conocer lo que le dicha concesion, y espera qui los Estados Unidos sevan los primeros en descubrier aquellos rejiones."

zonia and free navigation would have it,
Moreover, as the good genius of Ama-
neither the Brazilian nor the Peruvian
Plenipotentiary appeared to have a suffi-
the two were treating. They evidently
cient knowledge of the subject of which
knew very little of the navigability of
those waters, the monopoly of which
they aimed to secure.

in Lima, last October twelve months,
This treaty was secretly negotiated
and was ratified in Rio two or three
months ago only. I have a manuscript
of it before me.
copy
Its title is, "A
tion and of boundary between the re-
treaty of fluvial commerce and naviga-
publics of Peru and the Empire of Bra-

zil."

"As the Brazilians claim the privilege, and as President Belzu understands the interests of Bo

livia, in the matter, he has refused to make any
be the first to explore those regions."
such concessions, and hopes the United States will

The question of boundary was settled in two words: "Uti possidetis."

I quote with regard to the river steamboat navigation:

"ARTICLE FIRST.-The republic of Peru and his Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, desiring to encourage, respectively, the navigation of the river Amazon and its confluents by steamboats, which, by ensuring the exportation of the immense products of those vast regions, may contribute to increase the number of the inhabitants and civilize the savage tribes, agree that the merchandise, produce, and craft passing from Peru to Brazil, or from Brazil to Peru, across the frontier of both states, shall be exempt from all duty, imposts, or sale duty (alcabala) whatsoever, to which the same products are not subject in the territory where produced; to which they shall be wholly assimilated. "ARTICLE SECOND.-The high contracting parties being aware of the great expense attending the establishment of steam navigation, and that it will not yield a profit during the first years to the shareholders of the company destined to navigate the Amazon from its source to the banks (litoral) in Peru -which should belong exclusively to the respective states-agree to give to the first company which shall be formed a sum of money during five years in aid of its operations; which sum shall not be less than twenty thousand dollars annually for each of the high contracting parties, either of whom may increase the said amount, if it suits its particular interests, without the other party being thereby obliged to contribute in the same ratio.

"The conditions to which the shareholders are to be subject, in consideration of the advantages conceded to them, shall be declared in separate articles.

"The

other conterminous states, which, adopting the same principles, may desire to take part in the enter prise upon the same conditions, shall likewise contribute a certain pecuniary quota to it."

SEPARATE ARTICLES.

"For the better understanding of Article second of the convention signed this day, the high contracting parties have further agreed to the following artieles:

"ARTICLE FIRST.-The shareholders of the steam navigation mentioned in the second article of the convention concluded on this date, shall be bound to the following conditions:

"1st. That steamboats shall make

three voyages the first year, four in the second, and at least six voyages in the third, fourth and fifth.

"When, owing to circumstances arising from the great distance, obstruction of the river, making experiments connected with its navigation, want of combustibles, or other weighty reasons, it may be impossible to make that number of voyages, the shareholders shall receive only five thousand dollars for every voyage that the boats make during the two first years, and three thousand dollars for every one made during the third, fourth and fifth.

"2d. They shall convey, free of charge, the mail-bags of the government and of the post-office, and deliver them at the places on the banks as they pass along, until the end of the voyage.

"3d. They shall also convey every voyage, passage free, four civil, military, or ecclesiastical officers in the service of each government; the luggage of these persons in quantity equal to that of other passengers, and the packages that each government may in particular wish to send, provided they do not exceed two tons.

"4th. They shall be obliged to take on board or in tow the troops, ammunition and effects, that the two governments may wish to send, receiving therefor an equitable remuneration-the amount of which shall be fixed as soon as it shall be ascertained what is the necessary cost of performing said service.

"5th. The company shall arrange with both governments touching the respective points on the river Amazon or Maranon to which the steamboats shall navigate, and concerning the ports at which they are to touch; and it shall be subject to the fiscal and police regulations, notwithstanding their being li berated from imposts of every kind.

"ARTICLE SECOND.-Each government shall grant to the company the propriety of one-fourth part of a league square, at the places in which it may be necessary to establish a depot for combustibles, at any point not belonging to private persons; but the title to the same

Steamboat Monopoly on the Amazon-Brazilian Intrigue.

141

shall be forfeited, unless the conditions When Peru was invited to treat upon above mentioned be complied with this subject, and was told that Brazil during the five years. It shall be lawful to cut wood for fuel on unoccupied lands, and to open and work coal mines." Under this treaty, Brazil has entered into an agreement with Irineo Evangelista de Souza to introduce the river steamer upon the Amazon.

It

wanted to introduce the river steamer upon Peruvian waters, there was, right at the mouth of the Amazon, the Tocantins, a most magnificent stream. crosses more parallels of latitude than our Mississippi or Missouri; it lies wholly within Brazilian territory; the banks of This contract was entered into on the its upper tributaries are enlivened with 30th day of August last, and is one of the towns and villages, and peopled with most odious monopolies that ever were 125,000 subjects of Brazil; it takes its inflicted upon free trade, or that now re- rise in the very heart of the empire; and tards the progress of any country. A from the emperor's palace at Rio to the stringent monopoly of steamboat trade headwaters of this noble river the disand travel on the Amazon for thirty tance is not five hundred miles; and years! The preamble to this contract yet, with all the enterprise of Brazil, she states, that, in order to enable this Souza had not been able to put, or to muster to form a company for the establishment energy enough to make the attempt to of steam navigation upon the Amazon, put, a single steamer upon this river. It the exclusive right for thirty years to the 'was a little surprising, then, that the steamboat trade, travel, and navigation up and down that river, has been granted to him upon certain conditions, the principal of which are these:

1st. The capital of the company shall never be less than $600,000, (1,200,000, $000.)

2d. There shall be two lines; one from Para, at the mouth of the Amazon, touching at the intermediate places, to Barra, at the mouth of the Rio Negro; the second, from Barra, touching as aforesaid, to Nauta, at the mouth of the Ucayali, in Peru.

3d. To the first line an annual subsidy of $80,000 (160,000 $000) is to be paid for the first fifteen years; and to the second line is to be paid the $20,000 which, by the "treaty of fluvial navigation and commerce," of which I have spoken, Peru obligated herself to pay.

4th. At the commencement, the first line is to make one round trip a month; the second, three a year.

The company, on the other hand, obligates itself to do certain things, and among these is to establish on the Amazon and its tributaries sixty colonies, which shall consist of Indians or emigrants from such nations as the crown may designate.

The first thing in this treaty of "fluvial commerce and navigation" between Peru and Brazil that strikes one, is the want of sagacity on the part of its negotiators, and the marvelous degree of infatuation by which Peru fell into the flimsy net that was so unskilfully spread before her.

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suspicions of Peru were not excited; for there was something strange to see this Brazilian envoy passing by the mouth of the noble Tocantins at home, which his own countrymen, with their dug-outs and rude crafts, can ascend only at the rate of seven miles a day. It was strange, I say, to see this envoy leaving the ri vers in his own country in such a condition, and traveling thousands of miles up the Amazon to propose to Peru to send Brazilian steamers to navigate among the Andes, her tributaries of the Amazon.

Besides this, there are the Chingu and the Tapajos, with a dozen other noble streams lying wholly within Brazilian territory. Some of them come from "mountains of diamonds," and gold is in the beds of all of them. They are all strangers to the steamboat. Their sources are so completely lost in the unknown regions of the vast interior of Brazil, that we are far better acquainted with the geography of the moon than we are with that of these rivers; and yet, seeing that, and how that government had neglected them all, Peru could still be induced to listen to its shallow propositions.

Nay, there is the beautiful river of San Francisco, which empties directly into the sea, and the headwaters of which are just behind the first range of hills in the rear of the capital of the empire. Without having had the energy to introduce the steamboat even upon the waters of this river, the Chevalier Da Ponte is sent off upon this shallow mis

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