The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-14
News from Brasil
OrH AMAZON RIVER CONSEQUENTLY.


PARA Jan. 7, 1853.
Trade at Stand Stin-TNe Exports n Crude In
dia Rubber-Afairs Of the Steam Narigatio"
Company Want Of Boats on the Rcers-A Cal
for American Enterprise What is Wanting IN
the Para Mcrket-Health Of that City, and Ship
ping in Port. &c.
There is not much Of interest stirring here at pre-
sent. Business is exceedingly dull. Siringa, which
is the staple article Of this province, not being in de-
mand on your side Of the water, has reduced it to
almost drug, there being only two or three houses
taking It. This is severely felt here by all, but es
peciay by those houses who are heavily indebted to
the importers and expected TO pay their debts with
rubber at the former high rstesfor this article for
several years has been the 'gold diggings" of the
Amazon, but when that fails to be a profitable bust
ness, many, very many, must suffer, and indeed, are
already hard pressed, although none as yet have
fairly caved in.
The Amazon Steam Navigation Company have
commenced curtailing their expenses by taking
matters rather "crab fashion" for instead Of being
an advantage to the mercantile community and ia
citating the operations of the merchant, they have
in many cases retarded business, by promising to
carry goods and then refusing, after they had
taken them into possession for that purpose and to
go TO law with them about such thing would be
like sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind"
in this country. The company have hauled of seve
raj of their steamers, and instead of having, as we
ought to have, weekly communication with the
Bara do Rio Negro-now called Manares-we only
have one round trip per month The Barra is only
one thous ard miles above, on the finest navigable
hream ia the world, with very perceptble ebb and
a. hoIc Gan
taren, with scarcely enterprise enough by this char
tered company to make this one trip per month
Their boats are all English built but one, which is
American, formerly called the Bay City, and built in
New York for the San Francisco and Sacramento
trade but got injured in trying to double Cape Horn
and was sold in Rio Janeiro on account of the I'M
derwrters, and was purchased by this company for
the Amazon, where she was brought, some eight or
nine months ago. and only made one trip to the
Barra, when by some kind of management she col
laDsed fue, and killed two men. They have sue
ceeded in repairing the damage and she has again
taken her place in the line, for by the present
agement Of the company steamer only makes one
trip in two months. The steamer Rio Negro, one OF
those hauled off, was sent to Rio To be sold but at
or the island and city of Maranhan, some three
hundred miles south Of here, she ashore and has
been condemned, and of course sold to some insur
ance company.
There was also an English brig, the Bella Portena
lost at the Braganca shoals, at the mouth of the
Amazon, ten or twelve days ago, with her entire
cargo, which is valued at fifteen thousand pounds
sterling; but no lives were lost.
Notwithstanding Rubber h down. there is still OPP
portunities for Yankee enterprise the Amazon or
in Para. For instance we are nearly half the time,
on an average, without pound of fresh beef being
in market, and thousands of cattle on the Mariioe
Island not more than sixty miles distant, running
wild in herds of thousands; and the only excuse
given is that they have no facilities for bringing
them to market. when an ordinary horse boat, such
as was once used on our own rivers as ferry boats,
would be sufficient TO keep up supply of meat in
our markets. But small steam tug boat might be
made very useful thing here in ways than one,
and think profitable affair too; but we are slow
people here and need stirring up.
Another thing: we far behind in a supply OF
saw mills. II you want to build house you must
either set gang of Indians to work before hani 10
cut your lumber for you, pay such an enormous
price for everything in that line that gets fright
ened and gives up the job in despair. Even all the
boxes that used to pack our rubber and other pro-
duce in have to be imported from the United States
and pay duty of six vintems, or about six and a
quarter cents per pound; for by the tariff now in
use nearly half OF all the importations charged
duty by the pound, which bears very heavy upon
some articles.
The city is quite healthy at present. The weather
Ia tolerably pleasant considering the rainy season
has fairly set in, although have had two sud
den deaths recently, and one suicide. The deaths
were said to be apoplexy, disease not uncommon
in this climate.
The authorities appear to be wakingup somewhat
since we got the new President and Chief Of Police,
both men Of talent and energy and who appear 10
be wiling to do their duty without fear or favor.
thing much needed here In years past
Feasts, fire rockets and powder burning are rife
as ever. No matter how hard the times may be the
saints must be attended TO properly.
There are very few vessels in port at present-ony
this.