The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-22

tributary the Ivanhema, from whose head
Of navigation road Of no great extent
tributary OF the Paraguay. rhe terrene for ina
line OF communication Is over very practicable
ground. t would open up large district Of excel
facilitate the defence OF southwestern Brazil INT
would enable an offensive war to be carried ON
against eastern Paraguay without crossing over
The navigation OF the upper San Francisco is also
TO % tried In Bahia they have been trying for
than year to DRAG or transport the sections OF
great rapids. SAID to be as grand as the he
halfway for more than six 's months anoen aa
enort is making for the pay OF $4,000 to get them
70 Their destination. AS the original cost OF the
steamer, $1,000, VIII be increased to $4,000 or
more before the vessel Will be at work, 1t appears
that It would have been better policy TO have hired
q Western steamboat builder to have run up half
dozen river boats Tor the same money and 80 have
also more useful ones. For the navigation OF the
kio velnas, which hows through Minas-Geraes into
the upper san Francisco. two small iron steam YES
sells have been brought from France, which, It is
said, will draw only ten inches when laden, and
should give Brazil two great lines OF internal navi
gation-that OF the Araguaya and that Of the san
FI1nciscO-in practical operation
The complement which the navigation or the San
FRANCISCO requires IL q road OF some kind joining the
river above the tails with the navigabe part below,
or with Bahia or Pernambuco as was intended
when the railroads terminating in those cities were
projected From the falls back to Boa Vista there Ii
stretch OF $50 miles in which rapids, but
the ia OF the water In that length La only feet
with velocity OF current Of six miles an hour and
the rocks are easy OF removal that the unnaviga-
the descent OF which ,64o feeu gives an average
g gaiireaa which, ~ IN 1000 for the road Or
Aasoas side the 90 or tsa r on the
gress, and In anticipation OF its construction the
port OF penedo, situated In Alagoas on the north
bank OF the river, was last year made port OF entry
and loading for vessels engaged In foreign com
merce. The character, however, OF the country
through which the san Francisco passes Is NOT OF
a nrA Of hasto
adapted TO grazing than cultivation, but the great
length OF the stream and Its capacity for serving as
OF the popuous province OF MinasG eraes give great
Importance 70 the efo t. now making TO utilize 1t.
The itinerary OF the river Is az follows
Rio das Velhas from Sahara In Minas Geraes to
the San Francisco 500 miles, nAvigabe for steamers
OF one foot draft at all seasons From the iaIl OF
Pirapora above the mouth Of the yehas to Joazelra
1000 miles Interrupted by only the small rapid OF
SObradlnh0, caused by dixie of easy removal. From
soazera 70 Boa Vista there Is further stretch OF
vargem RedOnda there are $50 miles available by aid
of removing some rocks. Between vargem Redonda
which, with various rapids occupies the eighty miles
between those places; and. finally, from Piranhas
there Is stretch OF 100 miles to its mouth In the
ocean, the greater part OF which Is navigable even
BY vessels Of great draught, giving total length
from Sahara To the ocean Of over 1000 miles, and
passing through or by the five provinces OF Minas-
Geraes, Bahia, Pernambuco, Alagoss and Sergipe
A steamboat company in Pernambuco Is getting up
an excursion to view the great falls Of Paulo Alfonso,
winch are spoken OF by some travellers a. being In
no way Inferior to grand Niagara ITSELF presenting
also In many parts OF the eighty miles OF broken
water scenes OF the lovest tropical picturesque.
For 100 milreis the company proposes to frank the
land and water travel necessary for the enjoyment
Of the scenery, ana to furnish food &C., until the re-
turn to Pernambuc0. The Princes OF SAKE ought to
be about now engaged upon that part OF the san
Francisco; and II their Jenkins happen to possess
talent for describing aught besides the fesa boards
and the bowling and scraping OF Brazilian manda-
rims We may hope for some idea or the locality,
inasmuCh "a the princes have great advantages In
the way OF c0nyeniences and guides over unprncely
SQCdnS.