The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-08
FALLING OFF IN THE EXPORT OF COFFEE FROM
gRAZII, no GREAT BRITAIN

BRAZIL TO GREAT BRITAIN,
The official returns of the foreign commerce OF
Great Britain during the first three quarters OF 1897
present some features well worthy the serious at
tenton of the Brazilian government, and not without
some interest to citizens engaged IN the
Brazilian trade. 1t is welLknown fact that, al
though the tariff regulations OF Brazil recognise no
distinctions in respect either to the nationality OF the
flag the origin of the merchandise which that hag
covers there is practically, discrimination against
American imports in the ports of Brazil which ma
teraly affects our commercial intercourse with that
Empire, and must continue, long at least as Its
present tariff system remains unchanged, to exert
depressing influence upon the imports and exports
of the twoNcountres The article of Hour, tor IN
stance which is one Of our staple exports to Brazil
and which in Brazil is cassed among the staple ne
cesstes of the people is subjected to higher tax
duty than any article of British produce or manu-
facture not excepting even those which come within
the category Of articles of luxury and yet our I'M
ports of the leading-indeed, we might say, OF the
chief-saple of Brazil coffee, yearly increasing
while if the ratio of decrease which has marked the
importation of Brazilian coffee into Great Britain the
past lew years CONTINUES pul low ychn hoASt -"
zil will find the ports of the United Kingdom soon
closed altogether against the introduction OF this ar
tcle 80 intimately connected with the prosperity and
progress of the Empire
We have, on several former occasions, shown by
tabular statements how largely imports OF coffee
from Brazil increasing every year while the heavy
duty on our flour restricts within limits vastly dis
proportonate to our capabilities well as to the
wants of Brazil our exports of that article me-
dunn of exchange. How is it with Great Britain as
respects her annual purchase and consumption OF
Brazilian coffee Official returns show that during
the first three quarters of 1855 the importation of
coffee from Brazil amounted to 10, 944,2S0 pounds,
while during the corresponding period of 1856 it
reached only S,074508 pounds, showing a falling off
in twelve months of 2,869,772 pounds. This is
heavy decline in article important in the indus
trial progress of Brazil, and in a country much
favored in the Brazilian tariff as Great Britain But
during the first three quarters of 1857 the trade we
find is almost annihilated, for of the 3s,4l4,09l
pounds of coffee imported into Great Britain, from
all countries, during that period it appears that Bra
I'll has supplied but 324s 72O pounds, falling off
of upwards of 100000 pounds in three consecu-
tive years.
The slight increase which we find in the quantities
of raw cotton imported into great Britain from Brazil
during tho past three years is not by any means an
adequate compensation for this immense falling off in
the coffee imports, because Brazil is not, and never
can be, cotton-growing country, in the commercial
meaning of that term. She may produce enough for
local consumption limited export, but that is all
she has ever done, or can do, while her capa-
bilities for producing coffee have scarcely yet
been fairly tested The quantity Of Brazilian cotton
imported into Great Britain the first three quarters
of 1857 was 1929 cwt., against l3l,757 cwt. in
1856, and 1913, 493 cwt in 1855. This shows in
creasc, but the cause is too familiar to every to
need explanation. Coffee is the permanent staple of
Brazil and the United States is the best purchaser,
as well the largest consumer, of that article. The
Brazilian government should, therefore, recognise
the policy as well the justice of enabling to
pay for more of it in -four and less of it in specie