The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-08 00:00:00

The Opening of the Amazon.

Under the above heading we have a clever little
pamphlet commenting upon the Imperial Brazilian
Decree of December 7, 1866, opening the river
Amazon; its tributaries, and some other streams
to the flags of all nations. The writer is
evidently impressed with no favourable views
regarding the benefits derivable from the action
of the Brazilian Government, and ho writes
with such an air of authority and tons
*fides
on his subject, which, combined with our own
special knowledge, induces us to agree with him.
There are few people in England, except those who
are directly connected with or interested in
the trado with South America, who know
anything about the geography or ejudition of
the Great Southern American Continent. To
the many ignorant of the Brazilian decree,
it may appear to be a large and generous measure
of Reform. To the few who know better, the con-
cession is absolutely worth nothing. The relative
capabilities of the Brazilian rivers for trade, as com-
pared with the Rio de la Plata and its vast tribu-
taries, are well known to every one who has ever
studied the question. But the Rio de la Plata
is now blockaded by
the Brazilian fleets, and
its trade.is at a stand still, and this might justly be
made a cause of complaint at the present hour by
the commercial nations of the world, more espe-
cially those who have treaties and commerce with
Paraguay; as England, France, Italy,and the United
States. The war with Paraguay was undertaken
solely with a view of getting command of the river
highways to the more Southern Brazilian provinces.
At the same time Brazil obstinately kept the
Amazoa and her ether rivers closed. But after
her defeat at Curufaity, fearing some intervention
on the part of the European nations or of the '
United States, she magnanimously having de-
stroyed the River Plato trade, opened the Ama-
zon to all friendly nations, after having for
years obstinately refused the supposed favour
'to all friendly representations on the point.
Let us examine wherein lies the great benefit of the
Imperial decree. In doing so, we will only quote
the answer of the Brazilian Minister of Foreign
Affairs on a former occasion. He said, in effect,
that the trade was no use to foreigners, even if the
rivers were opened ; as the population of the
interior was sparse, hardly 30,000 inhabitants, and
mostly composed of Indians, who did not care
for foreign products. The Amazon is opened to
the Peruvian boundary, but, according to the foreign
Minister's showing, where is the henefikto be derived
in trading in such an unhealthy
valley as that of
the Amazon. Its main confluent, the Madeira, leading
in to the heart of Bolivia, is opened to the townof Borba,
a few miles from its junction with the Amazon,
so that all trade with Bolivia is practically interdicted.
The Rio Negro, another confluent flowing from the
Republics of Now Grenada and Venezuela is only
opened to Maims, which a reference to a map will
show, is but a very short distance from the main
artery of the Amazon. The Tapajos is opened
to Santarem, which Is much in the same
the river leads
to positionthe as
most
valltiutabillae°ds:amtohnottligrhegion of Brazil. The
Iscauliu is opened to Camela, which is but a short
distance from its mouth at the Atlantic. This river
also leads to the diamond mines. The San Fran-
cisco is free to the town of Peuedo, which, as the
writer of the pamphlet observes, is like opening a
house to the lodge of the concierge. To any one
interested in this question we must say, a perusal
of the pamphlet and a study of the map will amply
repay the time expended.

The Government of Hesse has just accorded an
indemnity of seven florins per day to the deputies who
shall represent in the German Parliament that part of
Grand-Ducal Hesse which is incorporated in the northern
union.
CRYSTAL PALACE.--ONE SHILLING DAY, THURS-
DAY.—Admission on payment, 1,399 ; ditto by season
tickets, 1,379. Total visitors, 2,778.
Of the 458 candidates for matriculation in the
Bombay University only 92 have passed, and great is the
lamentation of young Bombay. Of 59 who went up for
the " little-go," 21 passed ;of eight candidates, three ob-
tained B.A. ; and of three candidate; two passed the first
examination in civil engineering. The only two candi-
dates for the LL.B. degree passed:.

-
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF LACE BY FIRE.—On
Wednesday night, a little before twelve o'clock, a very
destructive fire broke out at the lace warehouse of Mr. T.
Riste, Halifax-place, Nottingham. Smoke was issuing
from a fanlight of the top story of the warehouse, and an
alarm was at once raised. The smoke became so dense
that it was found necessary to bend a man equipped in a
smoke jacket, and by this means reach the seat of the fire.
The flames wore subdued in about an hour, but not before
a very large quantity of lace goods had been destroyed,
and the damage is estimated at £lO,OOO.
The course of exchange at New York on London for bills a.
60 days' sight is about 109 per cent. At this rate there is
no profit on the importation of gold from the United States