CHAP. IV.

THE trade of Portugal is carried on upon the same exclusive plan, on which the several nations of Europe trade with their colonies of America; and it more particularly resembles the Spanish method, by sending out not single ships, as the convenien|cy of the several places, and the ideas of the European merchants may direct; but by an|nual fleets which sail at stated times from Portugal, and compose three flotas bound to as many ports in Brazil; to Fernambucca, in the Northern part; Rio Janeiro, at the Southern extremity; and the bay of All Saints in the middle. In this last is the capital, which is called St. Salvador, where all the fleets rendezvous on their return to Portugal. This city commands a noble, spa|cious, and commodious harbour. It is built upon an high and steep rock, having the sea upon one side, and a lake forming a crescent, investing it almost wholly, so as nearly to join the sea on the other. This situation makes it in a manner impregnable by nature; but they have besides added to it very strong fortifications. All these make it the strongest place in America. It is divided into an up|per and lower town. The lower consists only of a street or two, immediately upon the har|bour, Page  305 for the convenience of lading and un|lading goods, which are drawn up to the higher town by machines. The streets in the upper town are laid out as regularly as the ground will admit, and are handsomely built. They had forty years ago in this city above two thousand houses, and inhabitants proportionable; a sumptuous cathedral; seve|ral magnificent churches; and many convents, well built and endowed. The Portuguese fleet sets out from Lisbon in it's voyage hither in the month of February.

I can get no accounts, precise enough to be depended upon, of the towns of Fernambucca, or Parayba, and the capital of the Rio de Janeiro, to enable me to be particular about them. Let it suffice that the fleet for the former of these sets outs in March; and for the latter in the month of January; but they all rendezvous in the bay of All Saints, to the number of an hundred sail of large ships, about the month of May or June, and carry to Europe a cargo little inferior in value to the treasures of the flota and galleons. The gold alone amounts to near four millions sterling. This is not all extracted from the mines of Brazil; but as they carry on a large direct trade with Africa, they bring, especially from their settlement at Mozambique, on the Eastern side of that con|tinent besides their slaves, vast quantities of gold, ebony and ivory, which goes into the amount Page  306 of the cargo of the Brazil fleets for Europe. Those parts of Brazil which yield gold, are the middle and Northern parts on the Rio Janeiro and Bay of All Saints. They coin a great deal of the gold in America; that which is coined at Rio Janeiro bears an R, that which is struck at the Bay is marked with a B.

To judge the better of the riches of this Brazil fleet, the diamonds it contains must not be forgot. For if the mines rented to the crown in the year 1740, at twenty-six thousand pounds a year, it will be a very small allowance to say, that at least five times more is made out of them; and that there is returned to Europe in diamonds to at least the value of one hundred and thirty thousand pounds. This, with the sugar, which is principally the cargo of the Fernambucca fleet, the tobacco, the hides, the valuable drugs for medicine and manufactures, may give some idea of the importance of this trade, not only to Portugal, but to all the trading powers of Europe. The returns are not the fiftieth part of the produce of Portugal. They consist of the woollen goods of all kinds of England, France, and Holland, the linens and laces of Holland, France, and Germany; the silks of France and Italy; lead, tin, iron, copper, and all sorts of uten|sils wrought in these metals from England; as Page  307 well as salt-fish, beef, flour, and cheese. Oil they have from Spain. Wine, with some fruits, is nearly all with which they are sup|plied from Portugal.

Though the profits in this trade are great, very few Portuguese merchants trade upon their own stocks; they are generally credited by the foreign merchants, whose commodi|ties they vend, especially the English. In short, though in Portugal, as in Spain, all trade with their plantations is strictly inter|dicted to strangers; yet, like all regulations that contradict the very nature of the object they regard, they are here as little attended to as in Spain. The Portuguese is only the trustee and factor; but his fidelity is equal to that of the Spanish merchant; and that has scarce ever been shaken by any public or private cause whatsoever. A thing surprising in the Portuguese; and a striking instance amongst a people so far from remarkable for their integrity, of what a custom ori|ginally built upon a few examples, and a consequent reputation built upon that, will be able to effect in succession of men of very different natural characters and morals. And so different is the spirit of commercial honesty from that of justice, as it is an in|dependent virtue, and influences the heart.

The English at present are the most inte|rested, both in the trade of Portugal for home Page  308 consumption, and of what they want for the use of the Brazils. And they deserve to be most favoured, as well from the services they have always done that crown, and from the stipulations of treaties, as from the considera|tion that no other people consumes so much of the products of Portugal. However, partly from our own supineness, partly from the policy and activity of France, and partly from the fault of the Portuguese themselves, the French have become very dangerous ri|vals to us in this, as in most other branches of our trade. It is true, that though the French have advanced so prodigiously, and that there is a spirit of industry and commerce raised in most countries in Europe, our exports of manufactures, or natural products, have by no means lessened within these last forty years; which can only be explained by the extending our own, and the Spanish and Portuguese co|lonies, which increases the general demand. But though it be true, that we have rather ad|vanced than declined in our commerce upon the whole, yet we ought to take great care not to be deceived by this appearance. For if we have not likewise advanced in as great a pro|portion to what we were before that period, and to our means since then, as our neighbours have done in proportion to theirs, as I appre|hend we have not, then, I say, we have comparatively declined; and shall never be Page  309 able to preserve that great superiority in com|merce, and that distinguished rank of the first commercial and maritime power in Eu|rope, time must be essential to preserve us in any degree, either of commerce or power. For if any other power of a more extensive and populous territory than ours, should come to rival us in trade and wealth, he must come of necessity to give law to us in whatever relates either to trade or policy. Not|withstanding that, the want of capacity in the ministers of such a power, or the indolence of the sovereign, may protract the evil for a time, it will certainly be felt in the end, and will shew us demonstratively, though too late, that we must have a great superiority in trade, not only to ourselves formerly, but to our neighbours at present, to have any at all which is likely to continue with us for a long time.