The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-02
OPENING of the River Amazon.

We referred briefly few days ago
to the decree of the Emperor of Brazil
declaring that the river Amazon was
about to be opened to the free naviga-I
ton of all countries. We have sincel
published that decree in full, by which,
1t appears that from the 7th of Septemf
Der, 1867, the navigation of the river
Amazon as far as the frontiers of Brazil,
OF the river Tocantins to Cameta, of the
river Tapajoz to Santarem, and of tie
river Madeira to Manaos, shall be OF IN
to the commerce of all nations. he
river st. Francisco shall be opened ut
the same date as far as the city of Pene-
do. The navigation of the tributaries
OF the Amazon, in places where Only
one bank belongs to Brazil, shall r nd
upon treaties yet to be made W the
States holding title to the other nix,
as to the respective limits Of each1 late
as well as to fiscal and police reghla-
tions.
This is most important concession
in view of the vast and productive ter
ritory which is thus thrown open to the
commerce and enterprise of this coun-
try. We have the authority Of PROBES
sor Agassiz, who has just returned from
tour of scientific investigation in Bra
iii, that the valley Of the Amazon is an
immense extended plain, with an ocean
front of one hundred and fifty miles
wide, through which the river and its
tributaries discharge fresh water ocean
into the Atlantic. This grand stream
is dotted with fertile islands, and for a
- l>o
navigator cannot see both shores. The
tributaries which are also to be opened
to foreign navigation next fall are as
colossal in their character as the ANA
zon itself, and are navigable for hund.
reds of miles into the heart of the finest
tropical countries on the American con.
tinent.
The actual population of this vast
valley, with its gigantic intersectine
water courses and facilities for develop
ment, is not over 4 quarter OF million
and Professor Agassiz is probably un
der the mark in his calculation that il
could sustain and enrich a population
of twenty millions. Under the thrifty
hand of American enterprise it might
be made to support from fifty to q hun
| dred millions. Cattle innumerablt
swarm over all these South American
countries, affording fine export marlle
for hides and tallow; and, if attention
were directed to that purpose, for bee
also, which is now considered of LITTLE
account in consequences of the large
supply. Horses, too, are there i'll abun
dance in their native wildness. Tropi
cal fruits of all kinds, timber in every
variety, dyewoods, medicinal gums, ant
thousand other productions valuable
in commerce only await the application
of capital in that genial region, which
thoug h on the line Of the equator, pos
sesses a healthy climate and even tenn
perature, ranging from seventy-fve to
ninety-three degrees. We hope, then
that our merchants, ship owners, SHY
builders and shippers will put them
selves in readiness before the 18th o
next September to accept the colder
opportunity offered by the liberality o
the Brazilian government to make prin
cely fortunes in the region of the Am
azon. If they do not we may be Ger
tain that our Bostonian neighbors viii
get ahead of them.-N. Y. Herald.