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diff --git a/75473-0.txt b/75473-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1e792d --- /dev/null +++ b/75473-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7394 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75473 *** + + + + + +Brazil, the land of rubber + + + + + [Illustration] + + BRAZIL + THE + LAND _of_ RUBBER + + AT THE + THIRD INTERNATIONAL RUBBER AND + ALLIED TRADES EXHIBITION + NEW YORK + 1912 + + WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF + THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT + + + + +BRAZIL COURT + + +Brazil occupies no less than ten thousand square feet of space on the +Balcony Floor. The Exhibit is specially comprehensive. There is a fine +archway to each entrance to the court dominated by the arms of the +Federal Government. An Information Bureau is provided, at which all +enquiries as to Brazilian rubber will be answered. The walls are hung +with statistics and maps of the country. Close by are the offices of +the Brazilian Commissioners and a refreshment kiosk, where the Federal +Government dispenses Brazilian coffee to visitors. One of the first +things to strike the eye is the huge recumbent figure of the Rubber +Colossus, overlooking the mighty Amazon and its innumerable tributaries, +all of them highways of the rubber collecting industry. From this point +the visitor may, with the assistance of a number of pictures, 22 feet +by 12 feet, take a bird’s eye view tour up the Amazon. Alongside these +pictures is a unique collection from the different States of Brazil of +rubber and other products, the preponderance of the rubber industry being +illustrated by a fine pyramid of caoutchouc. Dotted here and there are +life-sized models of Brazilian workmen in their native costumes. Arriving +at the entrance to the Amazonas Section we find Dr. Pinto actually +engaged in the coagulation of latex by his new smokeless process, which +manufacturers have admitted turns out excellent rubber and which has the +great advantage over the native system hitherto in vogue, of saving an +enormous amount of both time and labor, whilst giving splendid results. +A second series of pictures affords a vivid idea of the salient features +of the State of Amazonas. In this section we have a mountain of rubber, +and a ball which weighs 1,600 pounds. There is a fine picture of a +native tapping a rubber tree and numerous very beautiful photographs. +That nothing may be wanting to the completeness of the representation of +Brazil’s great rubber industry a series of Moving Pictures is shown in +the Main Hall of the Exhibition, which visitors will find particularly +instructive after they have gone through the Brazilian Section on the +Balcony Floor. + +[Illustration: MARECHAL HERMES DA FONSECA, President of Brazil.] + + + + +BRAZILIAN DELEGATION _of the_ INTERNATIONAL RUBBER EXHIBITION, NEW YORK + +DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE + + +FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONERS + + _President_ + DR. CANDIDO MENDES DE ALMEIDA + + _Assistant_ + MAIRO BAPTISTA NUNES + Official representation, information and publicity + + _Vice-President_ + ADMIRAL JOSÉ CARLOS DE CARVALHO + + _Assistants_ + DR. OSCAR SAYAO DE MORAES + ADALBERTO DE SOUSA ARANHA + Disposition of Exhibits, Decoration, Etc. + + _General Secretary_ + DR. EUGENIO DAHNE + + _Assistant Secretary_ + MR. DILLWYME M. HAZLETT + + _Accountant_ + MR. IVO GRACA CAMPOS + Reception of Exhibits, Correspondence, Purchasing, + Accounts, Payments, Etc. + +STATE COMMISSIONERS + + _State of Amazonas_ + DR. MANOEL LOBATO + + _Commercial Association of Amazonas_ + MR. A. W. STEADMAN, New York Commercial Co. + MR. J. LEVY, Manáos + + _State of Pará_ + _Commercial Association of Pará_ + MR. GEORGE E. PELL, General Rubber Co., New York + + _State of Bahia_ + J. DO ARGOLLO + + _State of Minas Geraes_ + DR. I. SANTIAGO CARDWELL QUINN + + _Rubber Demonstration_ + DR. CARLOS CERQUEIRA PINTO + + OFFICE HOURS—9 to 12 A. M. and 2 to 5 P. M. + Committee Meeting of Delegation—Daily 3 to 4 P. M. + +[Illustration: DR. PEDRO DE TOLEDO, + +Minister of Agriculture of the Government of Brazil] + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Brazil, with its vast and immeasurable virgin forests in the valley +of the Amazon, undoubtedly the greatest in the world, traversed by +innumerable tributaries, many of which are larger and deeper than many of +the rivers in other countries, can be considered the largest storehouse +of native rubber of the best quality, all ready to be extracted, +coagulated and applied to all kinds of industries. No other investment of +capital can be as remunerative as that invested in the extraction of the +native rubber from full grown trees, already existing in large quantities +of many millions, and in zones full of natural richness. + +For the culture of rubber trees of the various species, the whole +northern and central portions of Brazil are well adapted, and will give +magnificent results in the near future. + +Nature has prodigally provided easy means of communication by waterways +broad and deep. The climate is equitable without great variations of +temperature, which gives perpetual summer and produces large and nearly +uninterrupted harvests of agricultural products. + +The difficulties which hinder the rapid development of the extraction +of rubber are the obstructions in rivers in certain places, at certain +seasons of the year when the water is low, and the fact that the +production of rubber is so remunerative that all the vigorous men that +are thus engaged do not care to engage in any other industry. Thus it is +that living in the rubber regions is very expensive because everything +must be brought there, even implements and foodstuffs. + +These difficulties, however, have been brought to the attention of the +Federal Government of Brazil, and of the States, and in consequence +an important Congress was called and presided over by the Minister of +Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. The Legislative power also passed +special laws providing measures urgently needed to better the existing +conditions. These laws also provide for a department under the Minister +of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, to be called “The Protection of +Rubber,” which has already been formed and is at work. + +Among the various and important provisions of the law, is the +establishment of various experimental stations for advancing the +cultivation of the four different kinds of rubber trees found in Brazil, +the Hevea braziliensis (seringa), castillôa (caucho), maniçoba, and +mangabeira. These trees are all natives of Brazil and can be cultivated +from the upper regions of the Amazon to the States of S. Paulo and +Paraná. That is, from the extreme north to nearly the extreme south, one +or other of these species can be cultivated, according to the climate and +character of the soil in each region. + +Various concessions and money premiums are offered to attract capital +and awaken activity in this industry. Certain services, such as the +establishment of hospitals, medical attention and hygienic regulations +are also provided by the Federal Government. + +In the pages of this book will be found, fully treated, the principal +points of this important subject. From the statistical tables published +and from the exhibits displayed at the International Rubber Exposition in +New York, it can readily be seen that the rubber of Brazil is judged the +best in the world, and that its production although already enormous is +destined to be largely increased. + + DR. CANDIDO MENDES DE ALMEIDA, + President Brazilian Commission. + + + + +A MONOGRAPH UPON PARÁ RUBBER + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTES ABOUT PARÁ RUBBER + + +It is in our diaries of the voyage of the Genovese Columbus, that among +the important occurrences of that notable crossing of the ocean, which +gave him immortality, appeared the first references, made by Herrera, to +the quality of a certain gum utilized by the aborigines. + +In 1536 Gonçalvo Fernandes d’Oviedo in his “Universal History of +the Indies,” published in Madrid, also mentioned the uses which the +indigenous tribes of North America made of rubber skins in their +amusements. + +The Jesuit Charlevoix also refers to it and more fully yet does John +Torquemada who in his “Indian Monarchy,” expresses himself thus: “There +is a tree in this country (Mexico) known to the natives as =ulequahuitl=, +to whom it is of the greatest value. This tree grows in the warm or +torrid zone; and presents itself of a medium height with rounded leaves +of an ashy color. It furnishes in abundance a species of glutinous white +liquid like milk, which makes it of great utility to them. + +“The milk of the =ulequahuitl= is obtained by beating the tree with a +small hatchet. The liquid is then seen to ooze out from the incision made +like blood from a wound. The natives gather it into dry hollow gourds of +various sizes. It gradually takes consistency in these receptacles, until +it turns into a gummy mass, from which it is easy to adapt it to any form +which may be required. + +“Those who have no gourds, besmear their bodies with the liquid +substance, as it flows out from the tree; which in drying forms itself +into a species of membrane, which is easily taken off and whose thickness +varies according to the coating spread over the skin. Skins very +much appreciated for their elasticity are made with this =ulli=. The +ulli solidified serves for shields, which thus are proof against the +sharpest-pointed arrows, owing without doubt to the pliability of the +material, which does not affect its tenacity. + +“Kings and nobles habitually use shoes made of ulli. The Spaniards of +Mexico, moreover, impregnate their capes with =ulli=, so as to make them +water-proof, because it is proved that such substance resists water in a +marvelous manner, but melts before the action of the sun.” + +[Illustration: COUNT CANDIDO MENDES DE ALMEIDA, + +President of the Federal Government of Brazil Commission.] + +In Mexico and Central America, the name of =Ule= still denotes even +to-day one of the rubber trees known as the elastic Castille. + +After the Spaniards, the French in 1736 occupied themselves with that +substance, whose interesting properties had not up to that date come to +deserve the attention of the Europeans. + +De la Condamine sent by the French Government to Perú, in order to +measure a degree of the terrestrial meridian, was the first to refer +to the Hevea of the Guyana. In a note that accompanied a small sample +of resinous gum of a heavy dark color, almost black, he said to the +Academy of Sciences: “There grows in the forests of the province of the +Esmeraldas a tree known to the natives by the name of Hevé; a white +resinous liquid something like milk runs out from it after making an +incision; this substance is collected in a leaf that is laid close to the +foot of the tree and afterwards is exposed to the sun, when it gets black +at first upon its surface and afterwards by continuous exposure to the +sun becomes black in all its mass. Torches, which burn admirably well, +are made from it. It is known in Quito, that that tree grows also upon +the banks of the Amazon and that the Mainas call it cautchú. They make +earthen moulds in the form of bottles and cover them with that material. +Afterwards when the resin gets hard, they break the mould and thereby +obtain unbreakable water-jars much lighter than glass bottles.” + +Later on he wrote: “many are the uses which the Omaguas make of that +resin in the central parts of South America, especially among the Indians +of Pará where the Portuguese gave to the tree that produces it, the name +of =Pauseringa=, because from it ‘seringas,’ much in vogue among the +Omaguas, are manufactured; these being little hollow balloons in the +shape of a pear, into which a tube is inserted. + +“In Pará it is moulded in still many different manners, they make +=borracha=, faces of animals, hollow or solid balls and also apply it in +the manufacture of boots which become quite water-proof and when smoked +acquire the appearance of leather.” + +Fresneau, a collaborator of de la Condamine, sought to study the +vegetable plants which produced that gum, obtaining as a result that +Aublet, a French botanist, proceeded to interest himself in the question +and completed de la Condamine’s studies, and then classifying the hevé +under the domination of =Hevea Guyanensis=. + +It was only in 1798 that the =Ficus elastica=, the first Asiatic plant +producer of rubber became known, and up till 1860 South America, English +India and Java were the only rubber-producing countries in the world. + +[Illustration: ADMIRAL JOSÉ CARLOS DE CARVALHO, + +Vice-President of the Federal Government of Brazil Commission.] + +Much later than this—in 1885, Africa commenced to export this article, an +industry which reached its apogee after the creation by Leopold II of the +Independent State of the Congo. + +In the meantime, in spite of the fact of some of the qualities of rubber +and even its applications being known in Europe ever since the Sixteenth +Century, it was only during the Nineteenth Century, that this product +conquered that position as an article very much in evidence which it now +occupies as an indispensable material in modern industry or even still +yet for the necessities which civilization created. + +Hérissant and Macquer, in 1768, discovered the first dissolving +processes; in 1770, Priestley vulgarized the property of the “borracha” +in wiping out lead-pencil tracings from which the English name =Rubber= +is derived; Berniard, Fourcroy, Berthollet, Grossart and others occupied +themselves about this commodity, with more or less success. Madier, +in 1820, found out a mechanical means of cutting the rubber-blocks in +order to obtain elastic threads and three years afterwards, MacIntosh +discovered that naphtha dissolved rubber and thus made cloth impervious +to the action of water. + +The adaption of rubber to industrial purposes such as the manufacture of +shoes, physical and surgical appliances, elastic cloths, railway-buffers, +machine-springs, etc., was fairly in full swing when the discovery of the +vulcanizing of rubber by Goodyear sprung up, an occurrence which came to +revolutionize the incipient industry and enormously enlarge the scope of +the commercial application of that product, which thence forward came to +assume exceptional importance. The vulcanizing method consists in the +mixing of a certain quantity of rubber with sulphur and in the exposure +of that mixture to an elevated temperature and to a high pressure during +a certain space of time. The rubber transforms itself considerably; the +property of indefinite hardness is lost, but presents greater resistency +to the forces of compression and lengthening-out, supports excessively +low temperature and becomes less sensible to the action of ordinary +dissolving ingredients. + +In Brazil already existed up to 1840, a rudimentary industry of shoe +manufacturing and in the water-proofing of various objects. The great +demand for rubber caused by the development of the industry in foreign +countries and consequently the very high profits that the extraction of +rubber in the Brazilian “seringaes” or native rubber-forests presented, +destroyed all that initiative and Brazil passed into the position of +a mere producer of the raw material. In order to appreciate with what +devotion the country lent itself to this occupation, sufficient is it to +contrast the 31 tons exported in 1827 with the 36,547 exported in 1911. + +[Illustration: DR. EUGENIO DAHNE, + +General Secretary of the Federal Government of Brazil Commission.] + + + + +RUBBER-PRODUCING PLANTS—BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION—PRODUCTIVENESS—REGIONS IN +WHICH THEY EXIST + + +At the present moment, more than 300 species of rubber-producing plants +are known to exist, these being distributed among the tropical regions +of the world. Trees of large size, climbing plants and flexible creepers +containing the precious latex in their branches, trunk and roots, those +vegetable growths from the double point view of quantity and quality +of rubber produce have not an equal importance. The species worthy of +mention belong to four great families: + +1.—Euphorbiacan, =Hevea=, =Micrandra=, =Manioh=. 2.—Ulmacean, =Castillôa= +and =Ficus=. 3.—Apocynacean, =Landolphia=, =Hancornia=, =Kickxia=, +=Carpodium= and =Clitandra=. 4.—Asclepiadaceas, =Callotropia=, +=Cynanchum=. + +The production of rubber in America is principally furnished by the +heveas, micandra, manioh, castillôa and hancornia; that of Asia by the +ficus; and that of Africa by the landolphia, clitandra and kickxia. + +In the Amazonian region of Brazil, there exist about 21 species of +heveas; of these the principal is the hevea braziliensis, which under +the name of “the Pará rubber-tree” deserves to be classed in the front +rank of all the other lactiferous plants in the world. The =hevea +braziliensis= furnishes the most highly esteemed quality of rubber, and +it is the value of that product which determines the prices of all the +other species of rubber brought on to the market. + +The heveas are powerful trees of from 20 to 30 metres high, the trunk +which is cylindric in form and of a light ashy color, generally attains +a diameter of from 0ᵐ80 to 1ᵐ20; the branches only commence to grow +at about 15 metres from the ground. The leaves fall in June, but are +speedily substituted by others; it is during this period that the trees +break into flower. + +They grow in the valley of the Amazon, which within Brazil embraces the +State of the Amazonas, the federal territory of Acre, almost all the +State of Pará, the North of Matto Grosso and of Goyaz and a part of the +South of Maranhão, or say about 5,000,000 of square kilometres. + +Their =habitat= as a general rule is a low and warm region whose +temperature varies between 25° and 30°; without sudden changes during +the course of the year and they favor by preference the watery soils, +just swampy, damp and even marshy; however, at the head-waters of some +rivers, they also live and develop themselves perfectly well in dry and +elevated land. In the Amazonic forests, the average proportion is of one +hevea-tree for 80 trees of other species. + +The milky latex circulates from the root to the leaves, existing, +however, in greater abundancy in the trunk, up to a height of about 2 +metres from the ground. The heveas in Brazil are generally known by +the term “seringueiras” and the forests in which they are found are +denominated “seringaes.” + +The average production of a “seringueira” during the harvest season, +which extends over the space of 6 months, is of 5 kilos of fine rubber +and 750 grs. of sernamby. + +The species most appreciated besides the =hevea braziliensis=, are the +=hevea de terra firme=, of which Dr. E. Ule treats in his recent studies, +and which are found on the frontiers of Matto Grosso, the =hevea do +Rio Negro=, called “seringa verdadeira” (the real seringa), the =hevea +benthamiana= and the =hevea dukei=, =Hub=, from the region of the Japurá, +all of them furnishing excellent products. + +In the valley of the Amazon exist the =micandras=, belonging to the same +family and producing a rubber of a superior quality, since it is sold +under the name of Fine-Pará. The production of these trees goes to the +market included in the category of hevea, owing to its similarity to +this latter. The =micandra syshenoide= which is the most known species, +is found on the Lower Amazon, in the innumerable islands at the estuary +of the great Amazon River, in the valleys of the Madeira, the Solimões, +the Japurá and the Purús; the natives give it the names of =tapurú=, +=curupita=, =murupita= and =seringarana=. They are leafy trees whose +trunk is of from 0ᵐ80 to 1ᵐ in diametre and from 20 to 25 metres high. +They grow as well in the low lying marshy soil as in the elevated lands, +whence comes their denomination of =tapurú da vargem= and =tapurú de +terra firme=. The tapurú is as lactescent or milky as the hevea and the +latex which it renders is equally rich, seeing that it gives 50 per cent +of fine rubber. + +The trees whose product, the =caucho=, occupies the second place in the +general exportation of rubber from Brazil although as a matter of fact +it only commenced to come into the Brazilian markets in the year 1896, +belong to the family of the Ulmaceas. These are the =Castillas= which up +till a short time ago have been classed as of the same species as that +which grows in Mexico and Central America—the Castilla elastica, but +studies made by professor O. Warburg show that they are distinct species +which was thence forward denominated =Castilla Ulei, Warb.= + +The “castillôa” is a tree of large proportions, reaching to a height of +from 12 to 18 metres; its trunk with a diametre of from 0ᵐ60 to 0ᵐ90, +is of an ashy gray color, smooth and sparingly branched. The leaves are +large, greater, indeed, on the new plants than on the full grown trees +and its fruit is of an oily nature. + +These trees grow in considerable quantities at the sources or head-waters +of the affluents of the Amazon on the latter’s right bank, such as the +Juruá, the Purús, the Madeira, the Tapajóz and the Xingú, and on its +left bank in the valleys of the Japurá, the Iça, the Rio Negro and the +Trombetas Rivers. Abundant “cauchaes” or forests of cautchou trees exist +also in the region of the River Tocantins and of the Araguaya. + +The “castillôa” is found therefore in the same regions as those in which +the “seringueiras” flourish; it exacts a warm climate, a clayey or +clayey-silicious soil, but does not thrive in swampy ground or such as is +easily inundated during the rainy season. + +The latex is found as much in the bark as in the alburno and each tree +felled produces on an average about 50 litres of latex or say from 18 to +20 kilos of rubber. + +“Ceará” is the mundial denomination of another quality of Brazilian +rubber, the rubber of the =Maniçoba= tree. The maniçoba =manihot +glaziovii= is a handsome tree 10 to 15 metres high, and a native of the +Northeastern region of Brazil. Its trunk presents a diametre of from 20 +to 50 centimetres and it possesses few branches; its wood-fibres are weak +and light. The cortex, which possesses lactiferous vessels in abundance, +is protected by a silicose layer, easily removable. It is a plant of +rapid growth. + +According to a classification made by Dr. Ule, there are four species +of manioh, the =m. glaziovii=, the =m. piauhyensis=, the =m. dichotoma= +and the =m. heptaphylla=, the which exist almost throughout all Central +Brazil, being specially abundant in Ceará, Piauhy and Bahia. + +Little exigent, it thrives in regions where the temperature oscillates +between 22° and 36°, on low-lying ground and it develops itself well in +lands of great altitude, in which the thermometric average temperature is +about 15°, resisting even the hoar-frost. + +It is indifferent to this tree whether the climate be damp or dry, as +long as the soil is dry. + +The species most appreciated are those from Piauhy and the Jequié +(“sertão” or back-woods of Bahia). Those of Piauhy present two varieties: +the white and the black species, the white being the most renowned. They +are of small size, with abundant foliage and thick bark and darkish stem +and give plenty of the milky latex, the average being 1,200 grammes per +tree. Those of the Jequié, which grow between the rivers Paraguassú to +the north and of the Contas to the south, are a shrub-tree whose trunk +does not exceed 30 centimetres in diametre. The bark is fine and of light +clear color; it produces about 500 grammes of rubber. + +The mangabeira (Hancornia speciosa) is a slender and crooked shrub-tree, +3 to 4 metres high, and abounds on the high-lying table-lands or plateaux +in the interior of Brazil. The trunk has a diameter of from 0ᵐ30 to 0ᵐ35; +is scantily leaved; the fruit is eatable and has a very agreeable taste. + +A plant of an extraordinary resisting power, it defies the inclemency +of the climate, the absence of rains, the scarcity of humidity and of +nourishment from the soil. It predominates in the =catingas= of the +Northern States, in the =carrascaes= of Goyaz and in the =cerrados= +of S. Paulo, which means to say, that it is found from Maranhão to S. +Paulo, now in the Interior, as in the mountain-range of the Mangabeiras +between Maranhão and Goyaz, in the central Chapada of Minas, in the +Parecis of Matto Grosso and in S. Paulo in the zone comprised between the +Paranápanema River and the Rio Grande, tributaries of the Paraná River, +and again on the littoral, which is the case from Bahia northwards as far +as Ceará. + +There are several different varieties of this plant, there being no +indications, however, tending to point out any one of these preferable +to another with regard to the question of its yield. The latex is of a +bluish tint, its richness in rubber varying greatly. Each mangabeira +supplies on an average one kilogram of rubber. + +Besides the plants mentioned, there are still many others in Brazil which +furnish rubber, but which continue to grow without being taken advantage +of, on account of the little profit they give. + +To speak only of those which exploited on a small scale have yet supplied +the Brazilian markets with an appreciable product, we may yet mention +the =Massaranduba=, =Mimosups elata=, and =Frei-Allem=, gigantic trees +found from the Amazon and Pará to Rio de Janeiro and Minas, abundant in +the milky latex, which being coagulated produces a rubber very similar to +gutta-percha, to which it serves as a substitute in all the latter’s most +important applications; and the =Sorva=, =Couma utilis=, =Muell. Arg.=, +which grow in Pará and in the Amazon valley, the latex of which, the +=leite de sorva=, enters, with a small coefficient into the production of +rubber in these two States. + + + + +EXTRACTION OF RUBBER, METHODS AND PROCESSES + + +The great organic and biologic differences which exist between +rubber-trees, exact divers processes of preparation in order to obtain a +complete utilization of the productive capacity of each. + +It is, however, interesting before entering into a description of the +different processes adopted in Brazil, to here state what the chemists +think as to what rubber really is. + +Rubber is a carburate of hydrogen which in the shape of white globules +more or less elongated, are found suspended in the milky latex. The +composition of those globules, although even yet, badly defined, is +represented by the formula (C¹⁰ H¹⁶)ⁿ. Rubber is generally considered +as a derivative of the Isoprina, into which it transforms itself when +submitted to the action of dry heat, as Bouchardat demonstrated by his +experiments in 1879. Treating the isoprina in a strong solution of +chloridic acid, an interesting body is obtained, which reminds one of +rubber on account of its elastic properties. Wallach, Tilden, Weber, +Harries and others gave themselves up to accurate studies upon the +composition of rubber; nevertheless, up till to-day, however, no definite +result has as yet been arrived at. + +The latex, a thick liquid which has the appearance of animal milk, +circulates in special vessels, distributed diversely in the organism of +certain plants. + +The following are the results of the analysis obtained from the latex of +the =hevea braziliensis= by Seelingmann, Scott and Bamber: + + Seelingmann Scott Bamber + Water 55 a 56% 22 - 32% 55¹⁵ - 55⁵⁶% + Rubber 32% 37 - 13% 41²⁹ - 32 % + Proteine 2% to 3% 2⁷¹% 2¹⁸ - 2⁰³% + Resin traces 3⁴⁴% - 2⁰³% + Ash 0²³% - 0⁴¹% + Sugar 4¹⁷% - 0³⁶% + Oily substances 9⁷% traces - + +Specific weight: Seelingmann, 1.019. Bamber: 1.018. + +It is advisable to note, that the proportion of water may vary a great +deal, influenced sometimes by the season being either wet or dry, and at +other times by the weakness or vigor of the tree at the occasion of its +being tapped. + +The quantities of proteine, resin and ash are dependent on the chemical +composition of the soil, those quantities affect the quality of the +rubber, which is the more elastic, resistent and durable the smaller the +proportion of those elements. + +In the coagulation of the latex, the resin incorporates itself in +the rubber, it becoming difficult to separate it, which, however, +is necessary; the proteine or albuminous matter is the cause of the +developing of the bacteria which occasion the putrefaction of the +manufactured article. + +The method employed in Brazil in the extraction of the latex and in the +preparation of rubber from the heveas trees, is the same as that which +was taught by the natives and it is a remarkable thing, that due to the +excellency of the product resulting therefrom, it is considered even +to-day as the best system. + +The great production of rubber in Brazil, is due to the exploitation +of the natural seringaes. A “seringal” or, better said “seringaes” in +the plural sense, are the forests where the hevea trees flourish among +other numerous specimens of luxuriant vegetation, and in those regions +everybody, i.e., all the able-bodied men, occupy themselves with the +extraction of rubber and are known as “seringueiros.” + +In order to exploit the “seringal,” operations are commenced by the +construction on the bank of the river, at a place easy of access for +navigation, of a large rustic edifice with out-buildings and various +sheds. The general edifice serves as a dwelling-place for the owner or +his representative and includes a general store or shop with a tavern +which does business in selling all the necessary articles required in +or connected with the life of exploiting the “seringal,” a store-house +for depositing the rubber and an office or counting-house. The sheds are +the rudimentary habitation-huts of the “seringueiros” and are sometimes +constructed in the interior of the forests, so as to facilitate to a +greater degree the work which they have in hand. + +As soon as the forest is explored and the seringueiras discovered, +=estrades= are opened, these being winding roads cut in the undergrowth +and brush-wood with the “facão” (a species of large pruning-knife) and +these roads connect a 100 or 150 rubber trees and they lead back to +their original starting point. At sunrise, that is to say, at 6 o’clock +in the morning, the seringueiro armed with a “terçado” a sort of spear, +a fowling-piece or sporting-gun, a small axe or hatchet, a pail and a +large number of “tigelinhas,” commences his work. The hatchet is the +instrument employed for tapping the trees; it takes the form of a common +pole-axe, being, however, generally of cast iron and with the edge of +the blade blunt rather than sharp, and from 3 to 4 centimetres broad. +The tigelinhas are small vessels or cups of tin-plate with a capacity of +about one hundred grammes and of a conical shape cut off at the top. + +The seringueiro commences by striking the trees with the hatchet, whose +handle is about a metre long, which permits of his making incisions at +about from 3 to 3½ metres from the ground. That operation has for its +object to make the latex ascend from the roots; the milk that oozes out +is utilized as “sernamby.” Two days afterwards, the regular extraction +commences, a hatchet with a shorter handle being then used. + +To bring this extraction about, “seringueiro” makes the first incision +at two metres from the ground, but those incisions must not pierce the +cambium and the wood and are as a general rule made at an inclination +of 25°. At the lower part of the incisions made by the blows, the +“tigelinhas” are fixed, whose sharp and cutting corner penetrates easily +into the bark of the tree. The seringueiro operates thus upon all the +trees of his road, and this work which occupies him about from 2 to 3 +hours being completed, he takes the pail capable of holding 10 litres and +recommences his round, gathering into that receptacle the milk contained +in the tapping cups, which now empty are boxed one into the other and +deposited close to the trunk of each tree. + +After that second round and in order that the milk shall not become +deteriorated, commences the most delicate operation, that of the smoking +process. + +For that operation, the seringueiro is supplied with a “boião,” a kind of +earthen funnel-shaped chimney, a form made like a spatula or putty-knife +and a kind of basin “cuia,” like a dry gourd, made from the half of the +fruit of the cabaceiro (crescencia cuyeté). + +The fire made with blocks of urucury (Ataléa speciosa Martius) or with +fire-wood of massaranduba, rich in oily substances, being kindled, the +seringueiro places the “boião” upon it, the function of this latter being +to canalize the smoke so that it escapes at the top, which is open. + +Through the loop of a cord hanging near to the “boião” the form is passed +and sustained by the “seringueiro” who gives it a gyratory movement; +with the “cuya” or gourd, he pours the latex into the part scooped out +of the spatula, which he carries off immediately to the smoke. The latex +thickens and forming a thin skin upon the which another coating of latex +is poured out, which is also passed to the smoke. Those successive and +alternate operations form the skins, large balls of rubber, weighing from +20 to 60 kilos, which are the type exported from Brazil. The smoke acting +as a solidifyer and at the same time a disinfectant by the presence +of creosote, acetic acid, etc., kills all the bacteria that produce +putrefaction and hastens by its heat the evaporation of the water. + +The rubber thus formed is of a superior quality, but when, however, the +curds still deposited in the basin, are incorporated with it, the quality +becomes damaged, being then quoted as medium fine. The portion of milk +which remains adhering to the receptacle or which surrounds the boião and +which thickens freely, is reunited into one single skin, and constitutes +the “sernamby.” + +On the following day the work recommences, the seringueiro making new +incisions about 7 centimetres below the first, and continuing thus until +he reaches the ground. + +To that series of blows in the vertical sense, 35 on the average, is +given the name arreação. In each seringueira 2 of these arreações can be +made per year. + +That process which with small variations is employed in all Amazonia, +produces, as is known, the best rubber in the world. A seringal +may contain in accordance with its size from 40 to 800 roads. Each +seringueiro exploits 2 roads; in which he works alternatively. The +daily gathering varies between 2 and 8 litres of milk, but an average +of 5 litres can be taken for a road which contains 120 seringueiras +of 35 centimetres diametre. As each arreação has 35 incisions and the +seringueiras supporting 2 “arreações,” we have thus for each road 70 days +or 140 days for the 2 roads; 700 litres of milk produce 400 kilos or in +other words 1.666 grammes per tree. + +There are “seringaes,” however, in which that average is considerably +greater, a medium of 3 kilos per tree not being an exaggeration in some +rivers. + +Contrary to the almost sedentary life of the seringueiros, the extractors +of the caucho (known as caucheiros) are of nomadic habits, and this is so +by reason of the barbarous process employed in the exploitation of those +trees which is a ruinous one. + +The extraction of the latex of the “castillôa” can be done in the same +way as that of the latex of the heveas; the caucheiros allege, however, +that the cupim introducing itself into the wounds made by the incisions +soon causes the death of the plant. Thus they argue that if the tree is +condemned, the best way is to cut it down so as to obtain the greatest +benefit possible out of it, by the complete utilization of the latex +which each tree contains. That reasoning, however, has no foundation in +fact. + + * * * * * + +The exploitation of the castillôa is done in the following manner: the +“caucheiro” penetrates into the forest and marks each castillôa tree that +he finds, with a cut from his knife, which incisions correspond to a sign +of possession for extraction later on. Once he has discovered a certain +number of these trees, he constructs a temporary wooden hut for himself +and then begins his work. In the first place he clears the brush-wood +around each tree and cleans away the undergrowth from the ground, he then +opens small cavities in the lower part of the trunk into which he fixes +the “porringers,” small vessels made of tin, which are to receive the +latex. This done he strikes the tree with oblique “entalhas” of from 1 +to 1½ metres in length, canalizing the latex which commences to run from +the extensive wounds, by means of mud gutters. At the end of 24 hours the +little tin vessels are full and their contents are then all poured into a +pail, the “caucheiro” commencing thereafter to cut down the tree, so as +to get the full benefit of the latex, existing in the superior part of +its trunk. The tree as a general rule is cut at a point above that where +the incisions were made, the tree thus remaining suspended above the +ground at one end by the lower part of the trunk, where it remains fixed +and at the other by its own branches. Along the whole length of the trunk +at about a distance of an arm’s length from each other, new circular +incisions are made and in corresponding cavities on the ground are placed +the receiving cups. The latex thus gathered is collected into a pail. + +The thickening is done with a solution of common soap about 125 grammes +to a pail of water, two pailfuls of that solution being necessary to +thicken 30 litres of latex. They also employ the juice of a liane +called =vetilla= which by the description given seems to belong to the +convolvulas family—the =Ipomea patatas=. + +The thickening process takes place in rectangular holes of 1 metre long +and half a metre broad, whose clayey sides are well paved and into them +the latex is poured, care being taken that it is then covered up with +palm leaves to prevent the entry of rain water. They thus obtain the +caucho planks (rubber in cakes), which arrive in the market full of +impurities, that depreciate its value very much and it is not at all a +rare thing that water exists in cavities in the interior of it, thereby +increasing the weight and making the transport dearer. + +The portions of the latex which flow out along the length of the trunk or +fall into the cavities after that the cups have been taken away, thicken +itself freely and form the “sernamby” of caucho, to-day much appreciated +in the rubber markets, because of its being purer and not offering errors +in weight. + +Each adult tree furnishes on the average from 50 to 56 litres of latex +or in other words nearly 30 kilos of rubber. Each cake of the size above +mentioned weighs nearly 60 kilos; it is thus necessary to cut down three +trees so as to obtain one cake. + +The trees cut down sprout and commence to grow again, but eight years +are necessary to elapse before they can be exploited anew. + +No accord has so far been established as to the best methods of +extraction to be employed for the different species of maniçoba, nor as +to the period most appropriate, the duration of the tapping or the yield +of the wild trees or planted trees of different ages. + +The system adopted for the natural maniçoba, consisting in the tapping +of the subterranean organs, has been applied to cultivated maniçoba; the +incisions are made in a transversal sense and have the form of a V with +the angle more or less rounded. + +The latex is gathered in the ground, at the bottom of a small cavity, +opened up on the occasion of the discovery of the parts destined to be +tapped; as a rule the worker covers the bottom of the cavity with a coat +of clay in powder, in order to prevent the penetration of the latex and +its mixing with the sandy soil; the employment of tigelinhas is desirable +or of pots of glazed clay, refractory to rust. + +The latex thickens during the day, forming a sort of flat ball or +biscuit of rubber, which goes on augmenting as the tapping process is +multiplied. At the end of a week the rubber which has been obtained, is +gathered together and washed in cold water, with a view of eliminating +the remains of the serum and other impurities. This method, although +primitive, permits of the production of pure rubber. The trunks and +branches of the maniçoba are also cut; however, such system occasions +great inconvenience. The extensive flaws heal up with difficulty, as the +bark of the tree is relatively thin the lactiferous vessels are located +in the deep layers; it is not a rare thing that the death of the tree +is caused thereby or that the attack of rodent insects or mushrooms is +thereby facilitated. It may be of importance to note, that the incisions +made simultaneously on the trunk, the branches and the underground parts, +speedily exhaust the maniçobeiras; and so the system of an alternate +cutting is preferable. + +The tappings are practiced during the first six months of the year and +extend themselves over a period of from 50 to 60 days. Owing to the lack +of data, the average yield of production, which varies according to the +age of the trees, cannot be determined, however, the average production +of the planted maniçobas may under reserve, be calculated to reach during +the space of 60 days 120, 180, 240, and 300 grammes per tree of 2, 3, 4 +and 5 years respectively, in accordance with a calculation made by Dr. L. +Zehnter. + +The actual cost price in the plantations does not exceed 1$500 per kilo, +and might be reduced through an improvement in the systems employed; +the cost price of rubber from the native maniçoba is higher, due to the +dearness of labor and of freights. + + * * * * * + +There is so far no process which may be called the best for extracting +rubber from the mangabeira; the process in use varies with the region, +all of them, however, leading to the complete extinction of the plant. + +Under the pretext of the cupim destroying the plant, attacking the +incisions that have been made, the latex is usually extracted at a small +height from the ground. In the “sertões” or wild woodlands of Bahia, +Pernambuco and Parahyba, the extraction is done by making a spiral +cutting from the thickest branches to the ground, where the cavity is +made for receiving the latex. + +Nevertheless, the incisions with the cup attached is now being employed, +in the same manner as is customary with the seringueira; for that +purpose, the exploiters make horizontal incisions or in shape of a V, +with a small instrument called an =alegre=, penetrating the entire +coating of the bark, in the full length of the trunk, from the thickest +branches down to the base, about 45 centimetres distance one from another. + +The latex is thickened, sometimes simply with water in the proportion +of 3 to 1, and at other times with chlorate of sodium alone, or with +a mixture of alum, as is customary in Bahia and in S. Paulo, or now +again by the action of alum-stone, double sulphate of aluminium and of +potassium as is done in Pernambuco, Parahyba, and Rio Grande do Norte. +All those processes present serious inconveniences, such as the entry of +water augmenting the weight, the baneful effects and dampness arising +from the use of a large proportion of salt, or the loss of elasticity +due to the last mentioned process, which turns the rubber cracky and +resinous. The smoking process seems in every way to be advisable whenever +the richness of the milky-latex in rubber is perfectly comparable to that +of the hevea. + +Whilst it is affirmed that the production per tree is from 3 to 5 +kilogrammes it is more prudent to calculate the average capacity of each +tree as at 1 kilogramme. + + + + +THE ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION OF RUBBER EXPLOITATION + + +The economic organization of the exploitation of rubber in the Amazonic +valley still remains in its rudimentary condition, continuing almost +exactly on the same lines as those adopted when the production of this +article—one of the principal sources of the wealth of Brazil—first began +to open up. + +This unaltered condition of affairs in the modifying of the economical +processes, is the consequence of the continuance of certain conditions +such as the existence of vast regions still entirely unexplored, the +progressive penetration of the seringueiros guided by the course of the +rivers into far away regions where rapid means of communication are +completely lacking, the scarcity of labor, and the necessity of capital +being embarked in the extraction of rubber. + +The régime of private property is still limited, and does not extend +beyond a few kilometres into the Interior, starting from the banks of +the rivers, since the greater part of the lands still continue to be +the property of the States either of Amazonas or of Pará, and—in the +territory of the Acre—of the Federal Government. + +With the object of peopling the rubber-producing regions endeavors are +being made to facilitate the acquiring of properties by furnishing their +owners with adequate guarantees of protection, special Public Departments +having already been created in the State of Amazonas and Pará devoted to +the fiscalization of the régime of lands; and the régime of lands in the +Acre Territory is about to be regulated at once by the Federal Government +in accordance with the determinations set forth in the new economic +measure known as the Rubber Defense Act. + +The proprietory question originated itself in the concession of +lands granted under certain conditions such as that of its effective +exploitation and cultivation, colonization, etc., and by the legitimation +of the possession. These last were established in the following manner: + +The explorer who penetrated into the forest in search of seringaes, +examined the banks of the river by which he went up and when he verified +the existence of a favorable zone, he landed and after a careful +exploration under the direction of specialist-workmen called “matteiros” +(foresters) he settled down and gave himself up to the exploitation of +the “seringal” he selected. + +That occupation of virgin ground and its being made use of constituted +the act of possession, the first step towards acquiring the property. In +order to definitely assure the dominion of the lands selected, it became +necessary to obtain a title of ownership from the Government of the +State in which these lands were located, this being drawn up only after +that the respective marking out and survey by an authorized engineer or +surveyor, the depositing of the respective plans, the verification that +no anterior rights or claims existed on the part of third parties, as +also the payment of the respective taxes being satisfied, which last +averaged about 5$000 per hectare. + +Only after that all these formalities had been complied with, was the +concession granted definitely, and the possession considered as complete. +The title deeds of the property with the respective specifications is +registered in special blocks, which will serve as proof in case of +future dispute and will furnish authentic documents in place of the +property-titles that may have been mislaid or lost. Once the concession +is legalized and the possession marked out, the property rights are +considered irrefutable. + +The dominion of the lands being assured, their usefulness will depend +upon the co-existence of two essential factors—labor and capital. + +In the regions of the Amazonian valley, sparingly peopled by the want of +direct immigration, the work is done by the natives and principally by +Cearenses, people from Ceará. + +Under the general designation of =Cearenses= are comprised the +populations of the northeast of the country from Bahia to Piauhy, a +strong race endowed with rare energy. Having immigrated from their native +state fleeing from privations to which the periodical dry seasons reduce +them, they arrive completely without the means of subsistence, it being +necessary for the owners of the “seringas” who contract their services +to take measures for their transport, alimentation and maintenance in +the seringaes until with the delivery of the rubber collected, they find +themselves in a position to liquidate the debts that they have contracted +and the expenses that have been occasioned. + +On the other hand in their turn the owners of seringaes not disposing of +capital are placed under the necessity of raising loans with which to +defray the exploitation of their lands. These resources are furnished +them by the traders, part in money and part in merchandise, these traders +being known as =aviadores= whilst the proprietors are called patrons or +aviados. + +The extensive credits opened by the traders constitute acts of +confidence, being guaranteed more by the activity and initiative of the +proprietors of the seringaes, than by their respective properties; the +heavy burdens with which these loanings or advances of money are weighed +down, have their origin in the risk which is run by advancing such +capital, due to the difficulties of collecting the debts contracted and +the far distant nature of the lands given in guarantee. It frequently +happens that the traders do not dispose of sufficient means for carrying +out all these lending operations in which case they fall back upon +the exporting houses, who advance them the necessary money, against +a contract to hand over the rubber at a certain date and at prices +previously fixed. + +Thus is established a successive dependency of the seringueiro on the +owner of the property, this latter in his turn on the merchant-trader and +finally of the merchant-trader upon the exporting house. + +Thereafter it is seen how grievously the system of want of capital acts +on the whole system on the exportation of rubber and the long series of +intermediaries. + +Let us see now what is the capital which the owner of the seringal +requires to possess for an exploitation of say 200 roads. + +A seringal with 200 roads exacts altogether the work of 100 men, whose +engagements in the region where they reside and their transport as far +as the “seringal” costs on an average 40:000$000 and to each one of them +is supplied a sum of 350$000 destined to defray the costs of purchase +of the indispensable material for making a commencement with the work +of exploitation; out of an initial sum estimated at from 75:000$000 to +80:000$000 including casual expenses. + +Arrived at their destination, the seringueiros, as they find themselves +completely without means, continue to be a burden on the budget of their +contractors during the period of the clearing the forests of brush-wood +and undergrowth, and the cutting of roads, which are the preliminaries to +the gathering in of the rubber. Up till the date of the final delivery, +which takes place from 6 to 7 months afterwards, the proprietor expends +nearly 100:000$000 with the feeding and maintenance of the seringueiros, +which is but the preface to a total sum of 180:000$000 inscribed on the +books of the aviador or merchant-trader as being the indebtedness of the +owner of the seringal. + +This latter in order to meet the charges of the up-keep of the +seringueiros, establishes “vendas” or selling-stores, by means of which +he supplies not only the goods of first necessity for consumption, but +also the tools, utensils and, indeed, everything that is required for the +proper exploitation of the “seringal.” + +These “vendas” or supply-stores are stocked by the merchant-trader +of Belém and Manáos, who send them periodically in steamers or steam +launches, the necessary merchandise. According to the season of the +year, the rainy or the dry season, the greater or less the distance to +be navigated, in short, in accordance with the condition of navigability +of the rivers, the trips are made fortnightly, quarterly or perhaps only +twice a year. + +The merchandise dispatched is debited to the owner of the “seringal” at +the invoice price, augmented by the high expenses for insurance, freight +and a commission which varies from 20 to 30 per cent according to the +time-term stipulated for the payment in cash or the delivery of the +rubber. + +The owner of the “seringal” in his turn re-sells in retail the +merchandise received, putting on a high profit to its original price; the +seringueiros who already pay interest at the rate of 20 per cent upon the +advance of the 350$000 which is made to them at the time of their being +contracted, are obliged to supply their needs exclusively in the store of +the proprietor of the “seringal” and to hand him the rubber which they +may have gathered in payment thereof. + +The initial supplying of the utensils amounting to 200$000 added to +the cost of the journey which runs for account of the seringueiro +himself, absorb the 350$000 of the advance; and his expenses, whilst +the extraction of the rubber is proceeding—which lasts for 6 or 7 +months—totals up to about 1:000$000, so that when he comes to hand over +the rubber, he is already responsible to the proprietor of the “seringal” +for an amount of about 350$000 including the payment for the renting of +the road explored. + +His production being on an average of about 400 kilos (in certain regions +it is much greater), the worker finishes his enterprise with a very small +profit and it is not a rare case that he is not able to satisfy all his +indebtedness, a circumstance, this latter, which keeps him continually +dependent upon the owner of the “seringal.” + +On handing over the rubber, the conditions of payment are adjusted and +these are generally made in one of the two following ways: either the +seringueiro sells the rubber directly to the proprietor of the “seringal” +at a reduction of one-third upon the prices ruling in the markets of +Belém or Manáos; or he encharges him to sell it in the referred-to market +with a discount of 35 kilos of rubber or with a discount of from 10 to 15 +per cent of the net price of such sale, given in payment of the renting +of the road exploited. + +This defective economic organization of the exploitation of rubber has, +as its consequence, the high costs of production which to-day oscillate +between 3$000 to 3$500 per kilo. This disadvantageous situation, +however, is not a permanent one and may be remedied. + +We shall leave for a special chapter the explanation of the means +recently adopted for bettering the condition of the seringueiros, +augmenting their productive capacity and recompensing them more justly +for their work. + + + + +TRANSPORTS AND FREIGHTS + + +The problem of transports and freight continues to be one of the most +palpitating questions in Brazil, notwithstanding the great progress in +this particular made during the last 10 years. + +The considerable increase in the mercantile marine and the incessant +construction of the numerous railroads of penetration, have not been able +to keep pace with the extraordinary development of the country and its +notable economic expansion, the national commerce continuing to feel the +want of further means of transport and to suffer from the very high rates +of freights. + +In Amazonia, the difficulty of communication has become still more felt +because of the vast region and territories embraced in this great State, +sparingly peopled and whose centres of production are located so far +distant from the exporting markets of Manáos and Belém de Pará. + +Watered in every direction by innumerable great rivers, tributaries +of the great river—the Amazon—the greatest in the world, the Amazonic +region still remains to a very great part unexplored, inestimable riches +susceptible of being extracted, lying unutilized, in virtue of the +deficiency in navigation; in fact, if the principal rivers are navigated +regularly to some extent, even though sparingly, others leading to +immensely rich regions are very rarely navigated by either ship or boats, +which might assure the transport of the products gathered. + +Many and divers are the circumstances which concur towards bringing +about this state of affairs, but the most important in resumé is that of +the want of capital for the construction of ships and the establishment +of regular lines of fluvial navigation as also the obstacles offered +either by the irregular courses of some rivers obstructed by waterfalls, +shoots and rapids, or simply obstructed by the trunks of trees and other +materials or by the diminutive volume of water during the dry seasons +which makes impossible navigation of even ordinary draught. + +One of the most interesting phases of the Amazonian problem is, however, +in the regulating and increasing of the navigation of the rivers, with +the object of assuring ample transport facilities and the approximation +to the centres of production with the consuming markets. The opening up +of the ways of fluvial communication is an essential condition to the +progress of the Amazonic region, by the lesser expenditure required by +transport upon water in comparison with land transportation which in +those regions would be particularly difficult and costly. + +The steamers and boats which set out from Manáos or Belém for the +Interior, make the passage generally, over-charged with merchandise +which by reason of accumulation and its defective packing suffers not +rarely serious damages which has the result of bringing about a notable +increment in prices. As a general rule the cargo being greater than the +space requisite to its accommodation, makes the navigation extremely +difficult, the steamers thus not being able to make head-way against +the current, which flows at the rate of from 3 to 5 miles an hour, or +desiring to diminish the expense in the consumption of coal, seek out the +waters the less agitated and approach as much as possible the banks of +the river. + +The want of minute hydrographic charts and the imprudence of the +captains, as also of the masters of steam launches and other floating +material, have, as a consequence, the bringing about of frequent +strandings, which even though they may not cause damage to the cargo +involve interruptions in the trip sufficiently prejudicial. + +The unloadings are made frequently on the banks of the rivers under +little favorable conditions, by reason of the want of wharves; are +very slow and occasion besides lamentable delays, very heavy expenses +principally for the packages of great weight. + +One of the causes which most determine the dearness of transport in +Amazonia, is the supply of combustibles to the steamers, these latter +taking in coal only at the port of departure in Belém or Manáos, and this +being consumed, purchase wood fuel along the route just as they require +it, and for a high price, subjecting themselves thus to the delays +incident to loading, at times very great. Coal mines in the basin of the +Caquetá have been discovered, but so far it has not been possible to +derive any benefit from them, owing to the want of the necessary studies +and analysis, which only now the Federal Government is beginning to have +made. + +For the betterment of this state of things the Federal Government also +pretends to contract with a large public company for the establishment of +coal depots and combustible oil, at the most appropriate points of the +rivers on which the greatest movement takes place in the valley of the +Amazon, so that the steamers may be supplied for prices according to a +tabular statement previously approved for each year. + +The descent of the floating material by the rivers is much less onerous, +as the consumption of combustibles is thereby considerably diminished, +thanks to the current which gives an easy impulsion to the floating +material; the trips are notwithstanding slow, much time being lost in +picking up cargo, almost exclusively rubber, on the banks of the rivers. + +The irregularity in the navigation either due to the deficiency of the +floating material or by the natural obstacles that the flooding of the +rivers bring about, cause extensive prejudice, as it obliges the large +cargoes of merchandise upon whose price high interest is collected and +occasions them considerable loss of goods deteriorated by their remaining +for a long time in sheds and by the damaging effect of heat and dampness. + +From thence arises the lamentable dearness of life and the bad +alimentation, with their evil results on the health of the inhabitants of +those far-away-regions. + +The retention in the seringaes of large stocks of rubber deprived +of the means of transport must also not be forgotten and its coming +simultaneously on to the market at certain times, being taken advantage +of by speculators is an important cause of the fall in prices which +affects the interests of producers to an appreciable degree. + +Regularity and frequency in navigation, permitting successive and regular +supplies of rubber would diminish in notable proportions the cost of +production, since it would cheapen the cost of labor and avoid the great +oscillations usual in the prices. + +In order to obtain that desideratum it is not sufficient to create new +lines of navigation nor to augment the number of floating material +or better their conditions, but it is necessary to adopt certain +complementary measures. Thus in the impossibility of preparing from the +outset minute hydrographic charts, a measure which would require great +expenditure; it were advisable in order to make navigation more secure +to indicate by means of small light houses and illuminated buoys of +acetyline, the dangerous points which it is desirable to avoid. + +In order to obviate the difficulties created by the formation of sand +banks, by the accumulation of trunks of trees, and of obstacles of all +kinds, it is necessary that attention be paid constantly to the cleansing +of the rivers and dragging them, in cases where the obstructions cannot +be removed by other means and the construction of railways and wagon +roads connecting the navigable points. + +It would be of the greatest utility to bring about the extension and +opening up of telegraphic lines joining the producing centres with the +central markets, such measures would have the most beneficient results +as much for the owners of seringaes as for the shipowners, these latter +being once aware of such facilities would cause their ships to be +directed to the points where they were required to discharge merchandise +or take in rubber or vice-versa and thus avoid all uncertainty upon +the advantages to be reaped from those trips, because of the want of +knowledge of the cargoes that are being reserved for them, and those who +are in contact with them in the markets where the product is sold may be +advised as to the quotations and the market prices of the merchandise so +that they may take advantage of the most favorable times for effecting +their transactions. + +The message presented by His Excellency Marchal Hermes da Fonseca, +President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil on the third of +May of this current year, made special reference to the services of the +radio-telegraph in the territory of the Acre, expressing himself in the +following terms: + +“The three radio-telegraphic stations that have been contracted for in +December of 1910, are now in full working order, those of the Rio Branco +and Senna Madueira having been inaugurated in September of 1911 and in +February of this year that of Cruzeiro de Sul, which besides speaking +with those two and therefore with Manáos, communicates also with Iquitos +in the Republic of Perú.” + +In order to complete this very useful improvement ordered to be done in +such a happy hour, there were also contracted for two other stations, one +of these being in Xapury and the other in Tarauacá, places having a great +future before them and already containing an appreciable population as +well as a notable material development. + +With the installation of those two stations, the territory will be +perfectly well equipped in regard to the question of telegraphic +communications. + +As a consequence of the dearness and the difficulties in the means of +transport we get the excessive rises in freight, which at times are equal +to and are often greater than the value of the merchandise transported; +the truth is that the crisis in rubber made them suffer a certain fall +and we no longer see such a thing happen as that the shipowner pays for +the price of his steamers in two round trips. + +The dominating principle is that of liberty of commerce. In order to +assure regular services on the principal rivers, the Federal Government +as well as the Governments of the States of Amazonas and Pará subsidize +certain companies whose tables of freight charges are approved by the +Public Powers. That these are still very high is shown by the fact of +competition which in certain lines takes place between the subsidized +companies and private shipowners; the latter, however, not being able +to go beyond the tariff tables of the former, they nevertheless obtain +freights and passengers which proportion them high profits, demonstrating +thus that the tables of freight tariffs of the subsidized companies are +still a long way from the maximum of reduction. + +The Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural Congress which took place +in Manáos from the 22nd to 27th of February of 1910, considering this +position, resolved to recommend to the Public Powers the remodelling of +the actual freight tariffs principally in that part of them which relate +to alimentary goods, necessary to the sustaining of the extractors of +rubber and in the sense of their being substantially cheapened. + +Even to-day one of the best businesses in the Amazonic regions consists +in chartering steamers for trafficking on the rivers. + +If the freight rates on the sections served by the subsidized lines +are high, greater still are these on the less favored sections where +the rapids of the rivers flowing among the seringaes, make navigation +difficult, because in these latter there being no freight tables, they +make the price according to their judgment, such prices of transport +being contracted directly according to the circumstances of the occasion +with the shipper, who has to pay the price as the masters of the steamers +are pleased or resolved to charge. + +The owners of seringaes subject themselves to the heavy burdens which +they are bound to put up with, in the hope of escaping the damage that +the retention of their produce for want of transport would cause them. + +It is not only the fluvial navigation freights that are much too +burdensome, for the freights for ocean navigation are also burdened with +this grave defect and thus it is that despite the fact of the distance +which separate Brazil from New York and from London, is only half that +between the consuming markets and the east, the freights for the latter +are incomparably less. It behooves the Governments of countries producing +rubber in South America to come to an arrangement so as to confer +adequate premiums on the navigation companies to Europe and to the United +States, who cheapen their freights and cut down in a satisfactory manner +the duration of the voyage. + + + + +INTERNAL MARKETS FOR RUBBER—ORGANIZATION AND WORKING—TYPES AND QUOTATIONS + + +Located in the centre of the most important rubber producing region of +the world, Belém and Manáos, the capitals of the two great states of the +north, are, in Brazil, the principal markets of that product. Nearly 90 +per cent of the Brazilian exportation proceeds from there, the 16,000 +tons of rubber which each of these markets export annually gives place to +a considerable mass of business. + +If it be true that the commercial transactions gyrate around equal +quantities of rubber, Belém has the advantage over Manáos, because it is +the seat of a great part of the large exporting houses that operate in +the two capitals. Its geographical situation which permits of more rapid +communication with the markets of the south, and with foreign ports, +contributes also towards its greater commercial importance. + +The uses and customs are identical in the two markets. Commerce obeys +a rule above all unfavorable to the sellers who cannot put a value on +their merchandise but are forced before all things to accept the price +imposed by the buyers. That disadvantageous condition of dependency +is the natural outcome of the deficient economic organization in the +exploitation of the rubber industry in the valley of the Amazon. +Reference has already been made in another place to the burdensome +commercial relations between the seringueiros and the patrons or +proprietors of seringaes and between the same patrons and the commercial +traders. The same vices and defects are to be found in the relations +between the commercial traders and the great exporting houses. Those +latter, possessors of large capital and united together in the common +interests, dominate the market, which, weakened by successive crises and +always in a precarious state cannot oppose them an efficacious resistance. + +That situation can only be modified in the case of the actual economic +and commercial methods, which place in the hands of the merchant-trader +all the responsibility of the conduction of business in the place, +without at the same time arming them with the means of defence against +unrestricted speculations. + +The merchant-trader’s houses are the intermediaries between the +seringueiros and the exporting houses. But, their principal function +is that of furnishing the seringueiro during the year all the goods +necessary to sustain him and his employes as well as supplying him with +tools, utensils, wearing apparel and in fact, everything that may be +necessary to his life in the seringaes. + +This supplying is done on credit, that is to say, against the remittance +of rubber produced by the borrower and which is sold on its arrival by +the merchant-trader to the exporting houses. + +The merchant-trader thus requires large capital so as to meet the +engagements that he assumes in the market with the great and numerous +supplies, which he is obliged to make. + +It is incumbent on him also to transport the same for which he nearly +always employs steamers of his own, in order to bring the merchandise to +its destination in far-away regions, bringing back on the return trip the +rubber collected by his aviados, i.e., his borrowers of the seringaes. + +The responsibilities assumed become due on the occasion of the arrival +of the cargoes of rubber. In fact, it is exactly at this moment that the +merchant-trader is most in need of money, because besides the imperious +duty of paying the amount of his debts and the immediate necessity which +he has of furnishing new supplies to his clients the aviados, he has +still yet expenses to disburse with the repair and fitting out of the +steamers, which owing to the bad conditions in the navigation of the +rivers return nearly always in a damaged condition; balances to pay to +the seringueiros whose debts were relatively small or advances to make to +those whose production was inferior in value to the supply sent, but who +required a new resource under the danger of otherwise not being able ever +to liquidate their debt. + +Thus it is that the aviador or merchant-trader has no other remedy, but +to sell without delay the rubber which has been consigned to him and that +is the psychological moment for the decided action of the buyers. + +Reduced as to number, well informed about the business and in the +possession of daily and direct notices from the consuming markets, +perfectly bound up to them by a question of mutual interest, they decide +to make the price for the merchandise that is offered to them. It is not +always that that price corresponds in reality to those of the foreign +market, but the apprehension that seizes the merchant-trader that moved +by their interests the buyers may resolve to retire the offer, does not +permit him either to hesitate or resist. He hands over the merchandise +with a small profit and not uncommonly with a loss. + +Treating of an article which up till to-day has been produced in a +quantity inferior to the necessity of the industry, whose price was kept +up high, much above that which might be called a remunerative price, that +inversion of the law of economics is a very curious one, because, in this +case, it is not the producer who imposes the price, but the buyer who +does so. + +The difficulties which the merchant-trader had to fight against, have +been increased lately with the advent of the “regatões,” a species of +barter-commission travelers on the rivers. This trade is exercised by +individuals acting for their own account or as agents of the merchants +and who go up the rivers with merchandise, doing business at sight in +exchange for money or rubber, diverting in this way a large part of +the transactions until now exercised through the inter-medium of the +merchant-traders. + +The principal causes of the precarious position of the “aviadores” or +merchant-traders are the lack of adequate capital and the want of banking +facilities and other establishments of credit which might come to their +aid. + +The export houses, however, operate with the greatest firmness. They +discount the drafts for the rubber bought, in the agencies of the English +banks, and with the product of this operation pay the merchant-traders, +and as these drafts are at 90 days sight, it is only after the rubber is +sold in New York or in Liverpool that they satisfy their indebtedness, +thus trafficking almost covered from any risk whatsoever. + + * * * * * + +The aviador or merchant-trader receives the rubber by the weight which +it shows at the moment of being unloaded; if the trip is a long one the +shortage in weight of the rubber may be as much as 15 per cent; if, +on the other hand, there has been no time, owing to the shortness of +the trip, for such a thing to happen, it is certain that on its being +magazined or stored-up, it will continue to =quebrar=, i.e., diminish in +weight. Thus, therefore, it is to the interest of all parties concerned +to sell it and export it as soon after its arrival as possible, which, +however, does not mean to say that the question of shortage is not an +element which comes into play in making the estimate of its value. + +The classifying of the rubber is done upon the occasion of its sale, this +being an operation which necessitates a long experience and practice in +the knowledge of the article. + +Two workmen with iron instruments which they call “gatos,” take hold of +the skin (smoke-cured roll or ball) by the orifice which is left in its +shape on its being made, at the same time that a third workman cuts it +down the middle with a sharp instrument called a “traçado.” By this means +it is easy to ascertain if the manufacture of the internal coatings or +layers has been done with the necessary care, and if the weight has been +affected by water, or by any other extraneous body. + +If the rubber presents itself with an uniform aspect, perfectly smoked +and sufficiently elastic, it is classed “fina.” If, however, any points +present spongy parts proceeding from coagulation of the latex anterior to +the smoking process, it is styled “entre-fina.” To the agglomeration of +residue which congeals freely, the name of “sernamby” is given. + +There is still the “borracha fraca” little elastic, whose mercantile +value is put in the same category as “sernamby” and which does not come +from the latex of the hevea. + +This work being finished, the rubber is bought in accordance with the +quotations of the day, based upon prices coming from England and from the +United States, but as has already been explained, this quotation is not +always respected. + +There is another anomaly to which it is advisable to refer: whilst the +“entre-fina” and the sernamby are quoted abroad at least at 200 réis and +1$800 réis less than the “fina” the markets of Belém and Manáos show a +difference of 800 réis and 2$000. + +There are other abuses which also take place in the classifying of the +rubber, which gives as a result that the buyers prefer to do business +upon inferior qualities, because these offer a larger margin for profits. + +The rubber is exported in American pineboxes which can hold nearly 150 +Kilos. The dearness of manual labor in the Amazon territory makes it +difficult to take advantage of the innumerable species of timber-woods in +which the valley of the great river is so abundantly rich. + + * * * * * + +In the remaining markets of the country where the rubber is negotiated, +the price is regulated by the quotations in Pará. These local markets are +of little importance and in nothing do they distinguish themselves as to +the relative transactions in rubber, from the general mass of business. +The class of =aviadores= or merchant-trader does not exist. Each producer +sends his stock to his agent or representative or sells it to the first +buyer. The rubber is collected from either maniçoba or mangabeira. + +In the commerce of those products, the markets of Bahia and Fortaleza +stand out the most prominently, to which places a certain appreciable +portion of cultivated plantation rubber converges every year besides a +great quantity of native rubber. + + + + +ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL IMPORTANCE—FEDERAL AND STATE REVENUE—EXPORTATION +TAX + + +The most superficial examination of the actual economic position of +Brazil demonstrates at once and in an incisive manner how important the +rubber industry is to the national life of the country. + +Possessor of the innumerable riches distributed by the three Kingdoms of +Nature, it is almost exclusively due to the cultivation of coffee and to +the extraction of rubber that Brazil owes its extraordinary commercial +development in these last twenty years. + +The great fortunes which the plantations of the famous red-bean of the +coffee-tree created in the South and the considerable profits which +the exploitation of the precious gum have produced in the North, were +certainly the causes which most influenced the development of the +production to such an extraordinary degree, relegating to a much lower +schedule in the general tabular statement of Brazilian exportation, all +the products, whose commerce although certainly remunerative, does not +show such certain and speedy results. + +The general exportation of Brazilian merchandise was £63,724,440 in 1909, +£63,091,547 in 1910 and £66,838,982 in 1911. To these totals, coffee +and rubber contributed during each of the same three years £52,401,276, +£51,342,278 and £55,458,221 respectively—totals these, sufficient by +themselves, to guarantee with advantage the Brazilian international +commercial equilibrium, when it is seen that in those said same years, +the general importation of merchandise amounted to £37,139,354, +£47,871,974 and £52,798,016. + +Rubber contributed to the general total of exportation with 29.70 per +cent in 1909, 39.06 per cent in 1910 and 22.53 per cent in 1911, or in +other words an average of 30.43 per cent per annum. It is worthy of +note, that the great difference which took place in the above-mentioned +percentages is explained in the fluctuations in the prices of rubber, +since the production not only did not decrease, but, as a matter of fact, +increased from year to year. Therefore it is seen that nearly one-third +of Brazil’s export trade is supplied by rubber, and it is nearly twenty +millions of pounds sterling that Brazil receives every year, and which +goes far to provide for the sustentation, not only of the population of +the Brazilian Northwest, comprised in the great States of Pará, Amazons +and Matto-Grosso and the Federal Territory of the Acre, but for the +prosperity of the North-east States, which get the benefit of a good +part of that sum through the intermedium of their sons, who live by the +exploitation of the rubber; the Southern States benefit in their turn +by the abundance of money in the North, that most secure guarantee of +their prosperity, since that being producers of cereals, xarque, coffee, +sugar, textile goods, hats and shoes, for a long time already they have +constituted themselves the principal furnishers of food-stuffs and +wearing apparel to that region. Finally there is still to be considered +the benefit to be brought indirectly to the whole country because that +sum goes to increase the commerce of importation, thus powerfully +augmenting the Federal Customs Revenue. + +The sum obtained by the States of the Amazons and Pará and by the Federal +Territory of the Acre, is also considerable every year by the tribute +paid on the rubber going out. + +This last Territory of the Acre, since its incorporation with Brazil by +the Treaty of Petropolis concluded with Bolivia in 1903, cost the Union +(including the expenses incident to the acquisition of the Territory and +other resulting compromises of the said treaty, such as the arbitral +Tribunal, loans to Bolivia, marking out of the frontier, construction of +the Madeira-Mamoré Railroad and expenses for the mobilization of troops, +etc.), up till 1909 the sum of Rs. 62,595:562$038; the revenue brought in +during the same period attained the sum of Rs. 58,052:757$012, in 1910 +moreover the tax upon the rubber produced was Rs. 19,867:529$159 and in +1911 Rs. 9,671:711$068, or in other words Rs. 29,539:240$227 more, which +should be carried to the credit of that very rich region. The rubber of +the Acre is exported through the intermedium of the markets of Belém and +Manáos, the impost-tax of 20 per cent ad valorem being collected on the +occasion of its shipment. + +The States of Amazonas and Pará cannot dispense quickly without very +serious economic disturbance with the revenue receivable from the +tribute paid on the exportation of rubber. As a matter of fact, the +State of Amazonas collected the sum of Rs. 16,845:585$063 in 1909, Rs. +18,069:162$372 in 1910 and Rs. 12,901:477$379 in 1911; the impost-tax +upon rubber brought in those same years respectively Rs. 13,316:487$569, +Rs. 14,836:235$238 and Rs. 9,999:031$526, which can also be reckoned by +79.04 per cent, 82.11 per cent and 77.50 per cent. + +The State of Amazonas taxes rubber produced in the State itself, in 18 +per cent ad valorem, and that coming from the Javary, the boundary river +with Perú, in 7 per cent. + +In its turn Pará has had in the form of revenue collected in those +years, the amounts of Rs. 19,039:709$531, Rs. 20,255:070$604 and Rs. +14,480:716$176, the import-tax on rubber rendering Rs. 14,602:759$269, +Rs. 14,701:894$955 and Rs. 9,518:716$267, or 76.69 per cent, 72.58 per +cent and 65.73 per cent. + +The taxes charged by Pará are 22 per cent ad valorem for Rubber “fina,” +“entre-fina” and “sernamby,” and 15 per cent for whatever other kind. +Besides those there is an additional tax of 2.5 per cent in benefit of +the Santa Casa de Misericordia charged on the exportation taxes. + +These figures seem to show the importance for those States of questions +concerning the production and consumption of the world’s rubber, and with +greater reason still for Brazil as a whole. The ruin of one of the most +promising regions on the face of the globe, the profound depreciation +of Brazilian finances and the dreaded commercial crisis with which the +country would have to fight, would be the disastrous effect of the +indifference of the Federal and States Governments on such a matter. +But that, however, is not the attitude of those Governments; they are +decreeing various measures now in course of being carried out and which +after minute studies were judged necessary, so that Brazil might continue +to maintain her proud position of importance for the precious “black +gold” (rubber) in the world’s market. + + + + +RUBBER-CONSUMING MARKETS—COMPETITION OF OTHER RUBBER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES + + +New York, Liverpool, London, Hamburg, Antwerp and Havre are at the +present time, by their order of importance, the principal world’s markets +for rubber. + +New York, by virtue of the extraordinary development of North American +industries, which in a steadily increasing scale, are consuming +constantly greater quantities of raw material, receives almost half of +the rubber produced in all the world. Nearly 60 per cent of the rubber +negotiated in New York is Brazilian. After this follow Central America +and Mexico; but as rubber proceeding from all parts appears in the New +York market it is evident that there is no specialty in this business. + +Liverpool, perhaps due to the fact of its being the port to which the +lines of navigation that run to and from the Amazon are directed, has +become the European emporium for Brazilian rubber. In fact, 40 per cent +of the Brazilian production is directed towards that city. Liverpool +also receives rubber of various qualities proceeding from the English and +other European possessions in equatorial Africa. + +The increasing production of the Oriental plantations finds in London one +of its principal markets for the precious gum. Although rubber proceeding +from different parts appears in the market, it may be affirmed without +hesitation, that London is the special centre for cultivated refined +rubber (plantation) which is easily explained by the fact that the owners +of the extensive plantations in the Malay States are nearly all of them +London companies. + +Occidental and Oriental Africa, principally German Colonies, send to +Hamburg the greater part of the rubber which is negotiated on that +market. Brazil enters with about 20 per cent of the total amount of the +business. + +Antwerp owes its rubber trade to the creation of the Congo Free State, +whose production, now in decline, is practically all directed to this +city. It also receives rubber from Brazil, and seeing that Belgian +capital is employed in the Oriental plantations its future is promising. + +Havre, on the other hand, is of greater importance to Brazil; where 75 +per cent of the transactions are in Brazilian rubber. It also imports the +Congo species, as also those of some of the French Colonies in Africa. +However, the great bulk of the production of these latter colonies is +directed to Bordeaux. + + * * * * * + +The methods of sale adopted in these markets, vary very much. From the +slow old-fashioned process of sale by private treaty, to sales on time +terms, passing through auctions and underwritings, in short all the +commonly known modes of negotiating are in use. + +The most important market, that of New York, adheres to the old-fashioned +method of personal contracts for immediate delivery, which certainly +serves better the interests of buyers, than those of sellers; the +agitation that was created round this question with a view to reform the +market, gave no result whatsoever. + +Liverpool presents us the polymorphic type. Private sales, and sales on a +fixed day for delivery, or sales by auctions, all take place, consulting +thereby the preferences of both sellers and buyers, and establishing the +free course of the values. The same happens in London, where, however, +the Plantation companies have initiated more advanced transactions, such +as sales of crops in anticipation. + +Hamburg and Antwerp also practice sales by auction and on delivery. +However, in this latter the method of underwriting is that most in vogue +and which among all the processes is the one that consults most the +interest of the seller. This is carried out in the following manner: A +broker advertises a certain quantity of rubber for sale, the particulars +of which he supplies (name of seller, weight, quality, estimated price, +etc.), about twenty days beforehand. On the day appointed, he receives +the offers of purchase closed and sealed; these are then opened in a +public place and the prices are inscribed on a schedule divided into +columns, each one headed with the name of the house offering. Once this +operation has finished, the rubber falls to the highest bidder. The +seller has, however, the right to withdraw the goods in case the price +that results does not satisfy him. + +The Antwerp market adopted this system with the view to competing against +cognate markets. As the reducing of the expenses on the product, which +corresponded to frs. 2.60 per 100 Kilos, the same being frs. 4.93 and +frs. 7.30 in Hamburg and Liverpool respectively, did not suffice, it +endeavored to attract the seller by offering the most advantageous +prices, and it seems that it has succeeded in its desideratum. + +Havre followed its example and it is greatly to be desired that all the +rubber markets adopt the same system, not only for the reasons set forth, +but also because it is a safe precaution against the manipulations of +speculators. + +Brazil has always maintained its predominating position in the world’s +market for rubber, not only as the greatest producer, but also as the +producer of the best quality. + +In 1827, the first year about which statistical data exist, Brazil +exported 31 tons of rubber; in 1837, 289 tons, or say an increase of 932 +per cent; in 1847, 624 tons, or 216 per cent more; in 1857, 1,800 tons, +which corresponds to an increase of 290 per cent; in 1867, 5,826 tons, +or 322 per cent more; 1877, 9,215 tons, thus augmenting by 158 per cent; +in 1887, 13,290 tons, or 144 per cent increase; in 1897, 21,256 tons, +representing about 160 per cent more; and, finally, in 1907, 36,490 tons, +or approximately an increase of 172 per cent. + +Within the last decade, that is to say, from 1902 to 1911 (vide +statistical statements =in fine=), the exportation rose gradually to +28,631 tons in 1902 and to 39,026 tons in 1909, the maximum ever reached +so far, to descend immediately to 38,546 tons in 1910 and 36,547 tons in +1911. + +Brazil has so far not had any serious competition to fear. It is true +that the other producing countries in Central America, South Africa and +Asia, send a considerable quantity of rubber on to the market, but this +does not affect the Brazilian trade, because, besides being practically +all of it of an inferior quality, such extra supply is not sufficient +to occasion the harmful effects of an overproduction. It is curious +to observe, that even within the last decade, the production of those +regions which in 1901 was 21,547 tons increased even so far as to surpass +the production of Brazil in the year of 1905, reaching then 35,428 tons; +but it diminished as rapidly as it had increased and in 1911 we see it +reduced to 23,747 tons. This decrease cannot be attributed to the effects +of competition, for instance to the plantations of the Orient, whose +production commenced to accentuate itself exactly in the year of 1905 +and henceforward. As a matter of fact, competition should bring forth a +fall in prices, but however, on the contrary, such did not happen, the +quotations reaching in the years of 1909 and 1910 such extremes as had +never been seen in the rubber market. It will be sufficient to point out, +that the refined rubber of Pará, which is the Standard regulating type +of the market and whose average annual price has been 3, 4 and even 5 +shillings, went up in those years to 12s/6 per pound. + +However, a new competitor did appear, which had to be taken into +consideration, and which induced the Government of Brazil to adopt some +measures tending to protect its great article of export. The considerable +and methodical plantations of the =hevea brasiliensis= made in the +peninsula of Malacca in Malasia and on the island of Ceylon, commenced to +produce rubber, which it was predicted would within a few years, due to +the enormous quantity produced at a low figure, get the mastery of the +market. + +These plantations, the initial experiments of which date from the year of +1876, with 70,000 seeds sent from the Tapajóz river, an affluent of the +Amazon, by Wickham to the Royal Botanical Garden of Kew, have taken an +enormous increment since the year 1896, till to-day, due to the results +obtained which indicated beyond possible doubt the advantages of the +cultivation of hevea, this in view of the constantly increasing price +of the product and the new applications which day after day the rubber +industry has opened up. + +The cultivated-plantation rubber, which appeared on the market with 5 +tons in 1901, was represented by 646 tons five years later and at the end +of another equal period, by 12,000 tons. It is estimated that if nothing +unforeseen happens to the contrary, its production in 1916 will be 70,000 +tons, thus reaching the quantity which is at the present moment consumed +each year by the necessities of the industry. + +It is believed that by that time the inferior qualities furnished +by Africa, Central America and even by Brazil, will gradually have +disappeared from the market. In order to meet the consumption which, if +progression that hitherto has taken place, continues, will then be of +98,603 tons, the production of Brazil and of the Orient together will +surely render a quantity much superior to that demand. + +The average cost per Kilo of fine Pará rubber in the valley of the Amazon +is from 3$000 to 3$500; in India of 2$650; however, this difference +should disappear under the operation of the Rubber Defence Act, which +is inserted further on, and the possible augmentation of the price in +the Orient, where manual labor will become dearer later on when all its +plantations are in full exploitation, and by the consequent scarcity of +labor, against which agriculturists are already commencing to struggle. + +The industrial element still continues to give preference to the +Brazilian rubber, this being better in quality, =nerve= and in +elasticity—properties these which may probably be attributed to the +process of curing, which is not employed in the Orient, or possibly to +the meteorologic and climate conditions, the geological composition +of the soil, etc. It is true that the quotation for planted rubber +has been superior to that of wild rubber, but it is advisable not to +forget, that while the former shrinks only 3 per cent, and has a much +better appearance, the latter loses 18 per cent of its weight. The price +difference is thus amply explained and when accounts are made up it is +still the fine quality from Pará that is the better quoted. + + + + +THE INDIA RUBBER PROBLEM—MEANS SUGGESTED AND RESOLVED BY THE STATES + + +Threatened with losing the predominant position it has always occupied in +the rubber market of the world, Brazil could not, without committing an +economical suicide, remain inactive. + +The time having come when native rubber would enter into competition with +planted rubber, Brazil had to defend its interests by becoming equipped +for the struggle, making the cost of its product cheaper in order to +ensure its occupying an advantageous position in the market. + +Many are the causes which at present contribute to the high cost of +Brazilian rubber, but they may be united into three groups, as follows: +1st, expensive labour; 2nd, heavy transport tariffs; and 3rd, excessive +export taxes. + +The expensive labour is due to the scantiness of population in the Amazon +valley, the want of foreign immigration to compensate it, and the high +cost of food supplies. + +The rubber-producing trees (seringaes) of the Amazon are exploited +by the natives, whose number is but small, and by the immigrants from +the eastern States who, fleeing from the droughts which periodically +befall those States and attracted by the liberal profits offered by the +extraction of rubber, go there in thousands every year. This current of +immigration is, however, insufficient; a proper remedy for such a state +of things would perhaps be foreign labour which still keeps back from the +North because it only knows it through garbled information. The bad food +and the indifference for all that concerns health conditions, contribute +every year to the invaliding of a considerable number of men. + +The extraction of India rubber being the occupation which pays best in +the Amazon Valley, the pastoral industry, cattle-breeding and farming are +altogether despised, so that all the articles of subsistence needed by +the population, either come from the South of Brazil, burdened by cost of +a long transport, or from abroad overloaded with high Brazilian Customs +duties. + +The heavy transport tariffs are due to the numerous difficulties of all +sorts that thwart navigation in the affluents and sub-affluents of the +Amazon river and to the greediness of ship-owners, encouraged by the +absence of competition. On the other hand, the existence of a complete +river system has made the Brazilian Governments disregard the necessity +of establishing railways which, by shortening distances, might bind the +different affluents of the great river to each other. + +Finally, the excessive taxation imposed by the States of Amazonas and +Pará on its almost only product of exportation is a consequence of the +special conditions of life in that Brazilian region, which conditions we +have just described. The Governmental and administrative system requires +large sums for its maintenance, is unable to avail itself of any other +sources of income because they hardly exist. The legislator has had to go +on taxing the great product more and more. + +In order to cheapen the product, besides removing the causes which have +just been shown, two other far-reaching measures have been suggested; the +adoption of a process for coagulation of the latex which might decrease +the production of inferior rubbers, and planting on a big scale. + +At the present moment the exportation of rubber from the Amazon is +composed of 50 per cent of rubber “fina,” 10 per cent of “entre-fina,” +25 per cent of “sernamby,” and 15 per cent of “caucho.” Now, any process +that can do away with or might at least diminish the percentage of +entrefina and sernamby would be a means of cheapening the rubber of finer +quality (fina). To apply the same activity to produce 70 or 75 Kilos of +“fina” instead of 50 fina, 10 entrefina and 15 sernamby, is the same +in reality as obtaining the first quality at a very much lower price. +Such is the desideratum of the process of Dr. Carlos de Cerqueira Pinto, +a Brazilian doctor who has lived for a great number of years among the +rubber districts where he has made a most accurate study of the subject. +The results hitherto attained are very satisfactory, the Government of +Brazil having aided the inventor with a view to spreading his invention +once its advantages have been definitely proven. + +At the same time, the process of extracting the rubber from trees +disseminated in the interior of the forests at a considerable distance +one tree from the other, is against all principles of economy. The +planting on a large scale, on the margin of the Amazon river, or of its +big affluents, but in places of easy access, is an essential measure, +especially seeing that the Government aims at maintaining for Brazil in +future, the prominent position it now occupies in the trade. Therefore, +whilst considering all the complex elements of the question thoroughly, +a study had to be made of all the solutions presented. We shall now see +what procedure was followed: + +In August, 1909, a Congress of seringueiros (rubber gatherers), assembled +in Acre with a view to studying and discussing the situation of the +rubber trade. In a message addressed to the President of the Republic at +the closing of the proceedings, the members of the Congress suggested, as +chief measures, easy communications, roads, railway lines, subventioned +lines of steamers, colonization promoted by the Government and a +reduction in the export duty. + +Later on, in the same year, the Pará Government enacted Laws Nos. 1,100 +and 1,109 of the 5th and 6th of November, both of which have great +bearing on the solution of this most important problem. + +The first of said laws gives authority, in article 1st, to the State +Government, to enter into agreements with one or more native or +foreign companies, in regard to the plantation and exploitation of the +seringueira (hevea brasiliensis) against the concession of the following +favors: + +a. The concession of vacant lands up to twenty thousand hectares with +proper demarkations for the Company’s plantings. + +b. Reduction in the export duty of planted rubber to the extent of 50 per +cent in the first 10 years as from the date of the first exportation; +of 40 per cent in the second decade; of 30 per cent thenceforward until +completion of twenty years. + +c. Reduction of 30 per cent in the tariffs of the Bragança railway and in +the freights of the line of steamers subventioned by the State, during a +term of twenty years, for planted rubber produced by the Company. + +d. Transport free of charge by the Bragança railway and steamers under +the States’ subsidy of all machinery and plant belonging to the Company +and intended for the installation of its establishments; and of whatever +colonists the Company may place in its premises as well as of seeds, +manure plants and cattle. + +e. An advance, by way of guaranteed interest, of 5 per cent per annum on +the capital issued by the company holding the concession to the extent of +one-half of the paid up capital. + +Special paragraph.—This guarantee, whatsoever be the Company’s capital, +shall not be paid on a sum exceeding £400,000 Sterling over and above +£800,000 Sterling, or its equivalent in paper money. + +The advances, by way of guaranteed interest, thus conceded, will be +discontinued once the Company’s profits attain 6 per cent, and on +exceeding 7 per cent the Company will start amortizing the sums loaned by +the State to the extent of 5 per cent on the total sum advanced. + +The concession of lands available will be made by way of emphyteusis for +99 years. + +The Statutes will have to be approved by the Government, who will name +one of the Company’s Directors and retain certain rights with a view to +the due enforcement of the contract. + +Article Second of the Law describes the Company’s obligations, which are +as follows: + +First. To plant at least twenty thousand rubber trees per year. + +Second. To carry out instructions from the Agriculture Department of the +State in the planting. + +Third. To maintain a rural elementary school, with accommodation for the +shelter of at least twenty destitute children, and a field of practical +tuition of mechanical agriculture, experimental cultivation of tropical +plants, experiments in manure, etc. + +Fourth. Accessory planting of rice, maize, haricot beans, etc., improving +the quality of same by mechanical means. + +Fifth. Furnish accurate yearly statistics of the number of plantations +made, their state and the general production of rubber and other articles. + +Sixth. Use on the bags, boxes and other receptacles containing the +goods produced, a trade-mark duly registered at the Board of Trade as +prescribed by law. + +Seventh. Allow the Government to control all the work carried out by the +Company in such manner as the Government may think fit. + +Complementary to the former, the Law of November 6th concedes prizes and +other favors to the agriculturists of the State, who, by themselves or +associations formed by them, should fulfil the conditions set forth in +same. + +The prizes are of five hundred mil réis for each plot of five hundred +rubber trees properly planted; the favors consist of the distribution +free of charge of chemical manure, seeds, plants, instructions and +agricultural monographs, gratuitous tuition to all the laborer-planters, +transport free by the Bragança Railway and steamers subsidized by the +State, reduction of export duties, =etc.= + +Lastly, Law No. 1,115, of the 8th November, 1909, affords protection to +the rubber trees that are actually yielding, with a view to improving +their production. + +Article First authorizes the Government of the State to further the +defence of the rubber industry as regards the latex and preparation of +rubber, in order to prevent the destruction of the trees existing in the +State, punishment being dealt to whomsoever manufactures the product by +subversive means. + +Article second provides a prize of 50 contos of réis paper money at +most, to be awarded at the Government’s discretion, to the discoverer or +inventor of some process of manufacturing or preparing rubber, which may +afford undeniable advantages as regards its manufacture and reduces the +inferior classes to a single standard of rubber “fina,” ensuring a high +price for the article. + +The State of Amazonas also, as per Law No. 675 of May 20, 1911, +authorizes the Executive Power to concede any advisable favors to +individuals or undertakings that may bind themselves to put up in Manáos +factories for refinement of rubber by means of new and improved methods, +so as to obtain a standard class of rubber for exportation. + +The Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural Congress held at Manáos +in February, 1910, resolved in its final conclusions to recommend to +the Brazilian Government and the immediate neighboring Republics, the +reforming of their freights, especially as regards the food supplies; +grant favors to navigation; free rivers from obstructions; construct +railways; create colonial centres; admit of the pressing and absolute +necessity to plant rubber trees in the Amazon valley and open new fields +of plantation; suggests the establishment of permanent exhibitions of a +highly educational character; advises the rubber extractors not to give +up the process of curing by smoke and condemns entirely the use of acids +or alum in the coagulation, and calls attention to the question of the +commercial classes of rubber which should be properly defined. Going into +details it requests numerous favors for the agriculturists that may go +in for planting hevea rubber trees, cacao and cereals, cotton and other +products, and that prizes be granted to cattle breeders, experimental +fields be opened, as also laboratories of analysis and a service be +established for dealing with the yellow fever and paludinous fevers, etc. + +Such an important matter could not be solved by half-measures; it was +necessary and even indispensable to adopt a plan embracing all the +solutions suggested and proclaimed as being elements of success, thus +obtaining a united plan entailing some complexity in its execution, it is +true, yet clear and simple in its combined purposes. + +And this desideratum was achieved by the Federal Law No. 2,543 A of the +fifth of January, 1912. + + + + +MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—RIO DE JANEIRO CONGRESS OF +RUBBER—REGULATIONS OF THE NEW RUBBER DEFENSE ACT + + +For a long time back the attention of the Brazilian Government has been +drawn to the necessity of adopting a plan of defence for India rubber, +which might solve in a practical and decisive manner the so-long-debated +“problem of the North.” + +In August, 1911, the Minister of Agriculture, after a close study, +made with the aid of specialists and persons having full knowledge of +that region of the country, drew up a project in the above sense and, +recognizing the necessity of still hearing those who are most directly +interested in the matter, convened a meeting of representatives of the +State Governments, Commercial Associations and other Institutions which +might lead to a perfect understanding of what was most advisable to do. + +The first meeting was held on August 14, and the Government’s plan +was hailed with great applause, the same being approved, with slight +alterations, in the last session which took place on the twenty-second of +the same month. + +By Message of September 14, 1911, Marshal Hermes da Fonseca, President of +the Republic, sent to the National Congress for approval, the plan duly +elaborated; after being carefully studied by Congress it was approved and +converted into Law, under No. 2,543 A and was sanctioned on January 5, +1912. + +On April 17, 1912, Decree No. 9,521 was enacted with the Regulation for +carrying out the measures and services provided for in the law of January. + +The measures and services prescribed by Law No. 2,543 A of January, +1912, for the economic defence of rubber, regulated by Decree No. 9,521 +of April 17, 1912, are as follows: + +I. To encourage the rubber extractor and the cultivator of the principal +rubber-producing trees. + +II. To form industries for the refinement and manufacture of rubber +articles. + +III. To aid immigrants, both from the country and those who have recently +arrived from abroad, and the workmen already established in the Amazon +valley. + +IV. To render transport easy and decrease the cost in the Amazon valley. + +V. To install productive centres of food supplies in the Amazon valley. + +VI. To hold three-yearly exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro, comprehending all +that relates to the rubber industry of the country. + +The measures contained in the law in regard to making agreements with +the States which produce rubber “seringa,” with a view to decreasing +the export duties and protecting the rubber trade, will be dealt +with separately, and with regard to the definition and legalization +of freeholds in the Federal Territory in Acre and the revision and +consolidation of regulations concerning the coasting service of steamers +(included in No. IV) special By-Laws will be drawn up which shall be +published in due course. + + * * * * * + +The measures in reference to the first group and whose object is to +encourage the extracting industry and plantation of the principal rubber +producing trees are: First, reduction of the cost of tools and materials +employed in the rubber trade; second, granting of prizes in money to +the planters of the principal rubber trees; third, installation of +experimental stations for the cultivation of rubber. + +For the reduction in the cost of utensils and materials, free entrance is +granted with exemption from any import duties, as well as to everything +intended for the cultivation of the seringueira, caucho, maniçoba and +mangabeira and the gathering-in and improving of rubber extracted from +those trees; whether as regards the extracting industry or the plantation +work. + +These pecuniary premiums for encouraging the industry, will be conceded +to all those who plant entirely anew, or who devote themselves to +replanting; in the first case and for every group of 12 hectares, the +premiums will be Rs. 2:500$000 when the planting is of “seringueira”; +Rs. 1:500$000 when it treats of “caucho” or “maniçoba”; and 900$000 when +it is mangabeira; in the second case and for every group of 25 hectares +the premiums will be 2:000$000, 1:000$000 and 720$000 respectively. The +minimum number of trees for the new plantations will be 250 per hectare +for the seringueira and caucho, and 400 for the maniçoba and mangabeira; +in the case of re-planting, the distance to keep between the trees should +be from 6 metres to 6m50 for the first mentioned case and 5 metres +for the second. In order to obtain the payment of the premium, it is +requisite that the trees be well cared for, and that not more than 15 per +cent are damaged or useless. + +The subsidiary cultivation of alimentitious plants or of those useful for +industrial purposes, will secure an annual gratuity corresponding to 5 +per cent of the value of the principal premium. + +For the cultivation of the seringueira, experimental stations will be +localized in the Territory of the Acre, and in the States of Matto +Grosso, Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauhy and Bahia and for the growing +of the maniçoba conjointly with that of the mangabeira in the States of +Piauhy, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Geraes, S. Paulo, Goyaz, Paraná +and Matto Grosso. + +Each station will have an area of from 80 to 100 hectares, the land +selected having to be suited to the climatic and agrological conditions +exacted by the nature or quality of the plant to be cultivated. + +Besides the grounds for experimental cultivation, each station will +possess laboratories of vegetable physiology for the testing of seeds +and phytopathology, of agricultural entomology; of agricultural +vegetable chemistry and bromotology and of microbiology and technology; +an agricultural and woodlands museum; a gallery of machines and a +meteorological post. Thus it will be properly equipped in order to +serve those who may consult it upon any matter whatsoever, within the +scope of its competency, carry out the analysis of manures and other +chemical fertilizers, plants and waters, distribute plants and selected +seeds, study the diseases common to growing plants and the means of +combatting them, making commonly known by means of the publication of +an official bulletin which will be distributed gratuitously to all +interested parties, the results obtained relative to the most practical +and economical means of carrying out the cultivation of rubber, the best +means of bettering its condition, its preservation, the packing of the +products, etc. + + * * * * * + +In order to stimulate the creation in Brazil of the industries for +refining and manufacturing all kinds of articles made of rubber, monetary +premiums will be instituted as well as exemption from taxes, the right +of disappropriation for private individuals, that may be necessary +for the installation and mounting of factories and the preference of +the Government will be granted for such articles, which each factory +produces, when supplies are made to the army and to the navy, as well as +to other public departments. + +The premiums will be as high as 400:000$000 for the first factory for the +refining of seringa rubber that may be established in each of the cities +of Belém and Manáos; up to 100:000$000 for the first rubber-refining +factory of “maniçoba” and of mangabeira, which may be installed in each +one of the States of Piauhy, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, +Bahia, Minas Geraes and São Paulo; and finally of 500:000$000 for the +first factory of rubber-made articles, which is inaugurated in Manáos, +Belém, Recife, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. + +The exemption from import duties embraces the rights of importation +for the materials, machinery, utensils and the necessary tools for the +construction and mounting of the factory and the chemical substances, +textile articles and divers materials, combustibles and lubricants +indispensable for the up-keep and working of the factory during the +time-term of 25 years; and immunity from the State and Municipal taxes +for the time term of the contract by reason of the factory being +considered a Federal Service. + +The premium in cash shall only be considered when the capital of the +factory is equivalent to 4 times its value. The payment of such premium +will be effected immediately after the inauguration of the factory. + +The problem of assisting immigrants both national and foreign, who may +have just arrived and the laborers established in the valley of the +Amazon, is met by the installation of emigrant-hotels in Belém, in Manáos +and in the Territory of the Acre, by the construction of hospitals in the +Interior and by the creation of agricultural colonies adjacent to such +hospitals. + +The hotels for the reception of immigrants shall follow the rule and be +guided in their installation by that of the Ilha das Flores in Rio de +Janeiro, that latter being considered a Model Institution, at the same +time the modifications exacted by the conditions of each particular case, +that of Belém having sufficient capacity to accommodate 1,500 immigrants; +that of Manáos 1,200 and that of Acre 800. Close to each of these +immigrant-quarters, a store-house will be erected which shall contain +all kinds of special tools and utensils employed in the India rubber +industry, the which will be sold to the immigrants, who desire to buy +them at strictly cost price. + +The families of both national and foreign immigrants who do not +expressly declare that they prefer another destination will be sent to +the National Fazendas (ranches) of the Rio Branco, where they will be +located and distributed among the different colonial centres in the +different colonies. + +The hospitals in the Interior are created with a view of providing the +inhabitants of the Amazon valley with a centre to which they may have +recourse and where they may be treated, acquire medicine and protect +themselves against contagious diseases. The points selected for these are +Boa Vista of the Rio Branco, S. Gabriel on the Rio Negro, Teffé or Fonte +Boa on the river Solimões, São Felippe on the river Juruá, Bocca do Acre +on the Rio Purús, at the confluence of the river Arinos with the Juruéna, +in the Alto Tapajóz, Conceição of the river Araguaya, and Montenegro on +the Amapá. + +Each hospital will have accommodation for 100 sick people and will be +divided into 5 pavillions, one of these latter being constructed with +all the requisites necessary for the isolation of infectious diseases; +there will also be a disinfecting house, a laboratory for chemical and +microbiologic diagnosis, rooms for surgical operations and for autopsies, +consulting rooms and pharmacy. + +There will also be a service of propaganda of the habits and hygienic +measures necessary for the laborers who work and live in the Amazonian +valley. + +Adjoining each hospital, agricultural centres will be founded wherein to +localize 100 families at the least, these agricultural centres will have +for their object the production of the alimenticiary products necessary +for the supply of the said hospitals, the cultivation and extensive +breeding of the plants and animals consumed as food by the neighboring +population located all around, and the constitution of fixed centres of +population which shall help towards the increased peopling of the region. +The Government will assist the emigrants in the acquiring of lands and +shall furnish them with food stuffs at a low price and their maintenance +during the initial period. + + * * * * * + +Amongst the improvements and means tending to facilitate transport and +diminish its cost in the valley of the Amazon, the construction of +systems of railways and the betterment of the navigability of the rivers +most peopled, is of great importance. + +The network of iron roads will be of two different categories: systems +of great lines forming an integral part of the general Federal system of +railroads and a network of economic narrow-gauged railways having the +character simply of penetration lines. + +Belonging to the first of these categories the following networks will +be commenced at once, and constructed within the shortest space of time +possible: 1º starting from Belém de Pará and joining onto the general +railway system in Pirapóra, Minas Geraes and in Coroatá, in Maranhão, +with the necessary branches to connect the initial or terminal point of +navigation on the rivers Araguaya, Tocantins, Parahyba and S. Francisco; +2º starting point from the Madeira e Mamoré Railway in the proximity of +the mouth of the Abunã, passing by the town of Rio Branco and by the most +appropriate point between Senna Madueira and Catay and terminating in the +town of Thaumaturgo, with branch line right up to the frontier of Perú, +along the valley of the river Purús. + +The construction and renting out of these railways will be done in +competition by Public Tender. + +The concession for the railways of the second category shall only be made +to those who undertake to colonize and exploit in proportion as that may +be justified, the respective marginal lands, i.e., the land lying along +each side of such said lines. The Government will concede a subsidy of +25:000$000 per kilometre constructed; the technical conditions are: a +line of the Decauville portatil, the weight of the rails being 50 kilos +per metre, with a gauge of 0.60 between the rails and the minimum radius +of the curve 40 meters inclination 0.10 and weight of the locomotives in +full working order, 18 to 20 tons. + +By way of experiment the Governments will bring about at once, the +construction of 2 economic railway systems, 1º starting from Antiga +Sauzel on the left bank of the river Xingú and going up the valley as +far as the river Careahy, with a branch leading to the river Tapajóz, +whose valley it will follow until the river S. Manoel and with other +sub-branches; 2º starting from the confluent of the Rio Negro with the +Rio Branco and following the valleys of Seruiny and the Caratimani +passing over the water-shed and going on until it terminates in the Alto +Uraricoera, with 2 branches, the one for the Alto Paduary and the other +for the town of Boa Vista. + +The necessary improvements to be made towards effecting the navigability +of the rivers at all seasons of the year, by steamers drawing up to 3 +feet of water, of the Rio Negro, between S. Isabel and Cucuhy, on the Rio +Branco from its mouth as far as S. Joaquim; of the river Purús between +Hiutanahã and Senna Madureira, and of the river Acre from its mouth as +far as Riosinho de Pedras, will be contracted for by public-tender or by +some public company which can prove itself sufficiently capable for the +carrying out of the same. The maximum time-term for the termination of +the improvements will be 7 years. + +As supplementary measures, the exemption from taxes is conceded to the +floating material of whatever kind destined to fluvial navigation in +the valley of the Amazon and floating depots for the supply of coal and +oil-fuel will be established at different points of the river Amazon, its +affluents and sub-affluents. + +The establishment of these depots and the business of supplying the +combustibles will be done by signed contract, with the Minister of +Agriculture, after the competition by public-tender, the concessioner +enjoys besides other favors, exemption from import-duties for the +floating material and for the combustible material imported as also full +exemption from all State and Municipal taxes by reason of the object of +his contract being considered a federal public service. + + * * * * * + +The creation of centres for producing food-stuffs in the valley of the +Amazon being held as an element of the greatest urgency towards the +successful issue of the plan elaborated, is assured by the following +series of administrative measures: 1º, the renting out of the 2 national +ranches on the Rio Branco, that of S. Bento and that of S. Marcus, to +a public Company or undertaking which agrees to open up, and practice +cattle-breeding of different kinds on a large scale and the cultivation +of cereals commonly used as aliments, the establishment of a curing +establishment for preparing dry meat, known as xarque, and a factory of +alimenticiary conserved goods, a dairy establishment, a rice-mill and 2 +mandioca grinding-mills. The company in question will take charge of and +localize the emigrants who desire to be placed upon the lands belonging +to the said ranches in accordance with the Federal laws regulating such +matters. + +The favors of exemption from duties for the imported material necessary +to the mounting of the fazenda or ranch and the installation of the mills +and factories will be conceded, as also for the stud-cattle and seeds +imported and for the chemical manures and all materials necessary for the +factories and for the cultivation during the whole of the time of the +contract. They shall also enjoy the right to disappropriate for public +utility and shall have preference for the contract to carry out the +necessary works and improvements in the navigation of the Rio Branco. + +The colonization of the lands of the “fazenda” of São Marcus situated +between the rivers Mahú, Takutú, Surumú and Cotingo on the frontier of +British Guyana, will be made directly by the Ministry of Agriculture. +2º Premiums and favors will be conceded to whomsoever may found great +ranches for cattle breeding and for great agricultural purposes in +territory of the Acre (between Rio Branco and Xapury), in the State of +Amazonas (in the region of the Autaz), in the State of Pará (in the +Island of Marajó), or in other more convenient points of the lower Amazon. + +These premiums are of 30:000$000 per group of 1,000 hectares of +artificial pastures, planted and fenced round, of 100:000$000 per group +of 1,000 hectares of lands effectively cultivated with rice, black +haricot beans, Indian-corn and mandioca, and 100:000$000 per group of 500 +tons of manufactured goods, of dairy produce and of preserved meat and +xarque, which may have been produced within a time-space of 5 years. + +The favors are those of exemption from import duties for everything +whatsoever that may be necessary to the proper installation and +maintenance of the fazenda or ranch during 5 years. 3º Concession of +favors to a fishing company or undertaking, that shall be established +either in Belém or in Manáos, for exercising that industry and all +subsidiary industries connected therewith on a large scale on the rivers +of Amazonia. The favors consist of the entry free from import duties for +all the material belonging to the company as also for all the fittings of +steamers and other floating material and factories that may be necessary +during the first 15 years, encouragement premiums of 10:000$000 during 5 +consecutive years in the event of the production of fish either preserved +or salted being maintained at a figure above 100 tons; the right of +disappropriation for public utility of the lands or buildings that may +be necessary for the undertaking, the exemption from state and municipal +taxes. + + * * * * * + +Recognizing the utility of periodical expositions which are held as +centres of special studies, producing practical results by the sum of +knowledge which may be derived from them, 3 yearly expositions shall be +held in Rio de Janeiro, which shall embrace all and everything which has +relation to the rubber-industry. + + + + +THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE WORK—THE EXPOSITION OF RUBBER IN RIO DE JANEIRO +IN THE MONTH OF MAY, 1913 + + +The Superintendence Department of the Rubber-Defence, a provisional +Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce on which +is incumbent the direction and fiscalizing of all the services comprised +under the Law No. 2543 of the fifth of January of 1912, has already +initiated its works, undertaking the execution of the following measures. + +1. Resolution to hold a National Rubber Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, +opening on the thirteenth of May of 1913. + +2. Installation of experimental stations, 7 centres for the cultivation +of the seringueira (Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauhy, Bahia and +Matto Grosso), and 6 for the cultivation of maniçoba and mangabeira +(Piauhy, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Geraes and São Paulo). + +3. Studies in the valley of the Amazon, in the basins of the rivers +Negro, Solimões, Juruá, Purús, Tapajóz and Araguaya, and in the territory +of Amapá for the establishment of interior hospitals surrounded by small +agricultural colonies. + +4. Preliminary services for the construction of 4 of those hospitals +situated respectively in Teffé or Fonte Boa on the river Solimões in S. +Felippe on the river Juruá, in Bocca do Acre and in Montenegro of the +Amapá. + +5. Drawing up of the plan and inventory of the cattle and buildings +in the part to rent out of the National fazendas of the Rio Branco; +idem of the part to be colonized by the Government and projects of the +colonial centres model farm for cattle-breeding, horse and mule-raising, +radiographic stations, etc. + +6. Laying of a Decauville line of railway along the rapids of the Rio +Branco, in order to secure prompt communication with the national +ranches, which are to be let out. + +7. Construction by contract or by administration of 3 dwelling quarters +for immigrants in the Acre, in Manáos and in Belém. + + * * * * * + +The rubber exposition which is to take place in Rio de Janeiro, 1 every 3 +years, will have for its object to show the triennial balance of rubber +in its various modalities, comparing it with the situation of the same +industry in other countries. + +The first exhibition will be inaugurated on the thirteenth of May of the +coming year and will be divided into four sections; 1º The cultivation; +2º extraction; 3º improvement; 4º manufacture of articles. + +The sections will be divided into groups and classes comprising the +native or cultivated plants, machinery, utensils, processes, commercial +types, studies and statistics. + +Encouragement premiums will be conferred for the best processes +of cultivation, extraction and preparing and for the objects best +manufactured, whether of raw material constituting trade types for +exportation or as manufactured articles. + +The sale of machinery, utensils and rubber articles and products of all +kinds will be provided for against payment of a small percentage, fixed +by the organizing commission. + +Foreign products may be admitted to the exhibition, but without having +the right to a premium. They will enjoy full custom-house freedom from +import-duty, but should they be sold they shall pay the respective +import-duty on the occasion of their being handed over to the buyers. +The re-exportation of the products not sold will run for account of the +exhibitor. + +Lectures upon the rubber-industry will be given during the +Exhibition-Congress. + +The Commission which will carry out the Exposition of the thirteenth of +May, is constituted by their Excellencies Senhores Drs. Pedro de Toledo, +Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, Raymondo Pereira da +Silva, Superintendent of the Rubber-Defence Department, Miguel Calmon du +Pin e Almeida, Representative of the National Agricultural Society, Jorge +Street, President of the Centro Industrial of Brazil, Julho Furtado, +Inspector of Forests, Gardens, Tree-planting, Hunting and Fishing of the +Federal District, Representative of the Municipal Prefecture and Candido +Mendes de Almeida, Director of the Commercial Museum of Rio de Janeiro, +Secretary General. + +The site chosen for the exposition is in the Quinta de Boa Vista, perhaps +the most beautiful park of Rio de Janeiro. + +The preparatory works, such as the ground-leveling, laying-out of +gardens, adoption of pavillions already existing, etc., is now already in +full course of being carried out. + +The opportuneness of this event, the interest evinced in it by the +South and North and the United forces of the Institutions that form +the organizing commission, will secure a very considerable number of +exhibitors. + +The month of May, one of the pleasantest months as regards temperature +in Rio de Janeiro, is the season chosen by those who desire to visit the +beautiful capital and thus the gathering of visitors to the exhibition +will certainly be notable. + +Thus appears certain the most brilliant success for the Rubber Exhibition +of Rio de Janeiro. + + + + +RUBBER EXPORTERS + + +ESTADO DO AMAZONAS—MANÁOS + + A. Santos Cardoso + Ahlers & Co. + Armazens Andresen + Albert H. Alden, Limited + Barbosa Tocantins + De Lagotellerie & Co. + E. Kingdon & Co. + Gruner & Co. + Gordon & Co. + J. G. Araujo + J. H. Barros + Leite & Co. + Mesquita & Co. + R. Suarez & Co. + Semper & Co. + Scholtz Hartze & Co. + Theodor Levy & Co. + +ESTADO DO PARÁ + + A. Meirelles & Co. + A. de la Reviere & Co. + Alves Braga & Co. Boulevard da Republica 34 + Adelbert H. Alden, Ltd. Boulevard da Republica 32 + A. A. Antunes & Co. Rua da Industria 27 e 29 + Barboza & Tocantins Rua 13 de Maio 21 e 23 + Braga Sobrinho & Co. Caixa do Correio 353 + Coutinho & Co. + Candido José Rodrigues Rua Senador Manoel Barata + De Lagotellerie & Co. Boulevard da Republica 24 + E. Pinto Alves & Co. + Gumer & Co. + Gordon & Co. + Guilherme Augusto de Mendonça Rua da Industria 43 + I. Serfaty & Co. + Jeronymo C. Botelho + José Furtado de Mendonça + J. Marques Braga Travessa Campos Salles + Leite & Co. + Mello & Co. Boulevard da Republica 37 + Pereira Bessa & Co. Rua 15 de Novembro 30 + Pires Teixeira & Co. Travessa Marquez de Pombal 8 + Pinho & Costa + Pereira Lemos & Co. Rua 13 de Maio 46 + Raymundo Vieira Lima + Rocha Silva & Co. + R. Ahlers & Co. + R. Suarez & Co. Rua da Industria 59 + Santos Amaral & Co. + Cunock Schrader & Co. Boulevard da Republica 36 + D. Costa & Co. Boulevard da Republica 25 + H. A. Astlett & Co. Praça Visconde Rio Branco 20 + J. Marques Boulevard da Republica 7 + Neale & Staats Praça Visconde do Rio Branco + Sluglehurst Brocklehurst & Co. Rua da Industria 5 + +ESTADO DA BAHIA—S. SALVADOR + + Ulmann & Co. Rua das Princezas 12 + F. Benn & Co. + F. Stevenson & Co. + Hesse & Co. + Hirsch, Hes & Co. Cães do Ouro 27 + L. Costa & Co. Caixa do Correio 133 + Ottens & Co. + Rosbach Brazil Company Rua Corpo Santo + S. S. Schindler + +ESTADO DO MARANHÃO—S. LUIZ + + Jorge & Santos + Joaquim Julio Correia & Co. Rua da Estrella 25 + Francisco Freitas & Co. + Oliveira Neves & Co. + Currha Santos & Co. Rua Portugal 28 + +ESTADO DE MATTO GROSSO—CUYABÁ + + Almeida & Co. + Alexandre Ador & Co. + Figueiredo & Oliveira + Lucas Borges & Co. + Orlando Irmãos & Co. + Ponce Azevedo & Co. + +CORUMBÁ + + Yosetti & Co. + Pereira Sobrinho & Co. + Wanderley Bais & Co. + Pasques Fillio & Co. + +S. LUIZ DE CACERES + + Benedicto R. Villas Boas + Joao Campos Vidal + José Dulce & Co. + Manoel Pedroso da Silva Bouden + + + + + MINISTERIUM OF AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY + AND COMMERCE + + BRAZIL + + FEDERAL LAW AND REGULATIONS + COVERING THE PROTECTION AND + DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUBBER + INDUSTRY IN BRAZIL + + Decree No. 2,542A of January 5, 1912 and + Decree No. 9,521 of April 17, 1912 + + PUBLISHED BY THE BRAZILIAN COMMISSIONER + THIRD INTERNATIONAL RUBBER AND ALLIED TRADES EXHIBITION + NEW YORK, 1912 + +[Illustration: HEVEA BRASILIENSIS.] + + + + +ACT OF CONGRESS + +Decree No. 2542A of January 5, 1912 + + +Establishing measures destined to facilitate and develop the culture of +rubber, Caucho, Maniçoba and Mangabeira, and the gathering and treatment +of the rubber extracted from these trees, and authorizing the executive +power not only to open the credits necessary to carry out these measures, +but also to contract such loans as may be necessary for that purpose. + +The President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil: + +Hereby makes known that the National Congress decreed and I hereby +sanction the following resolution: + +Art. 1.—All utensils and materials destined for the culture of rubber +(seringueira), Caucho, Maniçoba and Mangabeira and for the collecting or +treatment of rubber extracted from these trees, whether for the purpose +of extracting or experimenting, shall be admitted free of all custom +house duties, including fees. + +Only Section.—This exemption will have to be requisitioned of the +inspectors at custom houses, who will grant it without delay after +verifying the right of those seeking this favor. + +Art. 2.—Premiums will be granted to those who start regular and entirely +new plantations of Seringueira, Caucho, Maniçoba or Mangabeira, or +replant old forests of Seringueira, Caucho, Maniçoba or Mangabeira, as +soon as the plantation has taken place, and will be paid on the following +conditions: + +(a) For groups of 12 hectares (about 30 acres) of new culture, 2,500 +milreis if seringueira; 1,500 milreis if caucho or maniçoba; 900 milreis +if mangabeira. + +(b) For groups of 25 hectares, the replanting of native seringueira, +caucho, maniçoba or mangabeira, 2,000 milreis; for the first, 1,000 +milreis; for the second and third, and 720 milreis for the fourth kind. + +Section 1. These premiums will be payable one year before the first +gathering, when it is shown that the ground is entirely cultivated and +the trees well cared for. + +Sec. 2. An increase of 5 per cent will be given annually in addition +to the premium offered planters of seringa rubber (to count from the +beginning of the planting), who prove that they have cultivated between +the rows in all the ground planted, plants of alimentation or of +industrial use. + +Art. 3. The Government will establish, at a selected convenient point, +an experimental station, or field for demonstrating the culture of +seringueira in the Territory of Acre, in each of the States of Matto +Grosso, Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauhy and Bahia, and for the culture +of maniçoba jointly with mangabeira, in each of the States of Piauhy, +Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, or Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Geraes, São +Paulo, Goyaz, Paraná and Matto Grosso. + +These stations will furnish gratuitously, selected seed to all those +interested, also instructions as to the most practical and economic +methods of culture and will supply information concerning general +results, which will be verified at the end of each year. + +Art. 4.—In addition to the indirect favors which are mentioned in Art. 1 +and others which may seem reasonable and necessary, the Government will +grant the right of premiums of encouragement, up to the sum of 400,000 +milreis to the first plant established for refining the seringa rubber, +that reduces the different qualities to a uniform type and superior to +that exported and which may be established in each of the cities of Belém +(Pará), and Manáos; up to 100,000 milreis to the first refining plant of +maniçoba and mangabeira rubber, that accomplishes the same purpose and is +established in each of the States of Piauhy, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, +Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Geraes and São Paulo; and up to 500,000 milreis +to the first factory of rubber articles which shall be established in +Manáos, Belém (Pará), Recife (Pernambuco), Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. + +Only Section.—In order to have the right to the benefit of the above +article it is necessary for the factory to have actually employed a +capital four times as great as the value of the premium. + +Art. 5.—The Government will put up three buildings to house immigrants, +to be of sufficient capacity and internally arranged, the same as +those on Flores Island. In Belém, Manáos, at an appropriate place in +the Territory of Acre, and also at places in the Valley of the Amazon, +where they are considered to be the most necessary, hospitals are to be +erected, surrounded by small agricultural colonies where the sick can be +received for treatment, be vaccinated gratuitously, and where medicines +of the first quality are kept for sale, especially sulphate of quinine. +Pamphlets containing suggestions about hygiene, prevention of the +diseases of that region and the practical remedies to use in the absence +of a physician, will be distributed freely. + +The superintendence of these stations will be maintained by the Federal +Government, but the hospitals will be entrusted to professionals of +recognized ability, under a subvention or other favors, which the +Government considers reasonable and rules will be enforced which will +secure their proper regulation. + +[Illustration: “SERINGUEIRA” HEVEA BRASILIENSIS. MULL, ARG. (11).] + +Art. 6.—For the purpose of facilitating transportation and reducing its +cost in the valley of the Amazon, the Government will cause to be made, +as soon as possible, the following improvements: + +1. The construction by the Government of narrow gauge railroads along the +Rivers Xingú, Tapajos and others in Pará, Matto Grosso, and of the Rio +Negro and Rio Branco and others in Amazonas, through the valleys through +which they flow, in accordance with the authorization of Congress, Law +No. 1,126, December 13, 1903, at the price fixed per kilometer, according +to the difficulties of the region, at the discretion of the Government. + +In case the State of Pará and Amazonas should contract for the +construction of some of these railroads, the Federal Government for the +more rapid completion of the work will concede an increase of 15 contos +per kilometer. + +2. The construction of a railroad, which, parting at a convenient point +of the Madeira-Mamoré Railroad, near the mouth of the River Abunã, passes +by the village Rio Branco, and at a point between Senna Madureira and +Caty, and terminates in the village Thaumaturgo, with a branch to the +frontier of Perú, by the valley of the Purús River. + +The construction of this road shall be in accordance with the provisions +of Law No. 1,126, of December 13, 1903. As soon as the first section +of the trunk line is inaugurated to the village of Rio Branco, the +Government will install a custom house at Porto Velho on the Madeira +River and announce this port open to commerce with friendly nations. + +3. Construction of a railroad starting at the port of Belém of Pará and +joining the net work of railroads of Central Brazil at Pirapóra, in the +State of Minas Geraes, and of Northern Brazil at Coroatá, in the State +of Maranhão, with the necessary branch lines to join the initial points +or terminals of navigation on the Rivers Araguaya, Tocantins, Parahyba +and S. Francisco. The railroad shall be built according to the provisions +of Law No. 1,126, December 13, 1903, and shall be leased by public +competition. + +4. The execution of the works necessary for the effective navigation, at +any season of the year, of steamers drawing three feet of water; on the +Rio Negro, between Santa Isabel and Cucuhy; on the Rio Branco, from its +mouth to Fort S. Joaquim; on the River Purús, from Hyutanahan to Senna +Madureira; on the River Acre from its mouth to Riosinho das Pedras. + +The Government may contract for the execution of these works by public +competition, or independent of competition, with one or more individuals +or firms offering sufficient guaranty, applying the provisions +established by the decree, No. 6,368, February 14, 1907, or others, which +will not impose greater burdens, and which may be more economic. + +Art. 7.—For the same purpose as mentioned in the previous article, all +vessels of any kind destined for river navigation, are declared exempt +from all custom house duties, including fees, revision, rates. + +Art. 8.—The Government will grant the same exemption in addition to the +indirect favors found convenient, to the contractor who will bind himself +at a public competition, to establish coal depots at points in the valley +of the Amazon previously indicated, and to supply steamers and launches +with fuel at prices approved by the Government. + +Art. 9.—The Government will promote and aid the production of food stuffs +in the valley of the Amazon through the following measures, or others +which may be found convenient and promise satisfactory results. + +1. The leasing of two of the National Reservations on the Rio Branco, +at a public auction or private competition to a reliable concern, which +binds itself to develop on a large scale, the breeding of cattle of +improved types, the production of cereals, and other foodstuffs, to +establish packing houses, dairies, rice-shelling mills, flour and mandiok +mills, etc. + +2. Direct colonization, through the Federal Government, on lands still +belonging to the Union, on the S. Marcos Reservation, situated between +the Rivers Mahú, Takutú, Surumú and Cotingo, with native families of +farmers and stock-farmers, with a view of developing and increasing the +production of foodstuffs, as well as horses and mules. + +3. Concession to concerns which propose to establish large plantations or +colonies under the above mentioned conditions, one in the Territory of +Acre (between the Rio Branco and Xapury), one in the State of Amazonas +(in the region of the Autaz River), and one in the State of Pará (on the +island of Marajó or other point more convenient on the lower Amazon), +granting them the following favors: + +(a) Exemption from all import duties, including fees, for all material +imported, necessary for establishing the plantation, including buildings, +corrals, pastures, fences, watering places, agricultural implements and +machines for the cultivation, harvesting and treatment of cereals, the +installation of factories treating dairy produce and packing houses, as +well as cattle and seed which may be imported during the first five years +after the plantation is started. + +(b) Premiums of 30,000 milreis for lots of 1,000 hectares of cultivated +pasture, planted and conveniently fenced, and of 100,000 milreis for +lots of 1,000 hectares of improved land for farming and actually planted +with rice, beans, corn or mandioca. + +(c) A premium of 100,000 milreis for lots of 500 tons of products made +from milk, packed meats and dried beef, which were produced within five +years. + +4. Exemption from all import duties, including that of fees, for the +vessels, instruments, machinery, drugs and ingredients necessary for +the installation and working, for a period of 15 years, of a fishing +enterprise, including the salting and preserving of fish, that may be +established on the Amazon rivers, and the concession of a premium of +10:000$ for five consecutive years, when the production of salted and +preserved fish shall be above 100 tons annually. + +Art. 10.—The Government shall proceed to the discrimination, and +consequent acknowledgment of the owners of the lands in the Territory of +Acre, for the confirmation of their respective property titles. + +Section 1.—In the verification the following should be considered as much +as possible: + +(a) The titles granted by the Governors of the States of the Amazon, of +Bolivia and the former independent State of Acre before the treaty of +Petropolis. + +(b) The mild and pacific possessions acquired by first occupation, or +from the first occupant, which shall be found in active exploration, +or with its beginnings and habitual residence of the possessor, or his +representatives. + +Sec. 2.—The maximum area of each lot shall be 10 kilometers square. + +Sec. 3.—The Government will review the arrangements of Law, No. 601, +September 18, 1850, and Decree No. 1,318, January 30, 1854, expediting a +new regulation of lands, with the modifications of the present law and +those which appear more convenient to the actual situation of the Federal +territories. + +Art. 11.—Every three years, the Government shall promote the realization, +in Rio de Janeiro, of an exposition embracing all that pertains to +the national rubber industry, and on these occasions it will grant +premiums of encouragement, totaling an amount equal to that which shall +be authorized by law of the budget in force, for the best processes of +culture and treatment, and to the producers of the best manufactured +articles. + +Art. 12.—The Executive Power is authorized to enter into an agreement +with the States of Pará, Amazonas and Matto Grosso, for the purpose of +obtaining an annual reduction of 10 per cent until the maximum limit of +50 per cent of the actual value of the export duties placed by the States +upon the seringa rubber produced in their territories, and the exemption +from any export duty, for the space of 25 years, to begin from the date +of this law, upon rubber of the same quality and derivation which may be +gathered from cultivated seringaes. + +At the time the agreement is effected, the executive power shall issue a +decree making such reduction which the States may make in the export duty +collected on the rubber of the Federal Territory of Acre and conceding an +equal exemption upon cultivated rubber. + +Art. 13.—In addition the Government is authorized to enter into +an agreement with the above mentioned States for the purpose of +establishing, in relation to the rubber of the Territory of Acre, the +measures of protection and defense, which they have adopted in relation +to the production, or other measures which may be thought better, and +having the power to issue the decrees necessary for this purpose. + +Art. 14.—For the entire execution of this law and the realization of +the measures decreed, the executive power shall issue, as quickly as +possible, the necessary regulations; it shall open each year the credits +that may be necessary, rendering an account to the Legislative power the +year following, of the amounts expended, of the work done, of the results +obtained and making the operations of credit which such services and +measures demand. + +Art. 15.—All laws contrary to this are revoked. + +Rio de Janeiro, January 5, 1912, 91st year of Independence and the 24th +year of the Republic. + + HERMES R. da FONSECA, + PEDRO de TOLEDO. + + + + +Order according to Federal Law, number 2,543A, Jan. 5, 1912 + +Decree number 9,521, April 17, 1912 + + +Art. 1. The measures and services created by law number 2,543A, Jan. 5 of +the present year, for the economic defense of rubber, has in view: + +1. The encouragement of the extractive and cultivating industry of the +principal trees producing rubber. + +2. The creation of the refining and manufacturing industry of rubber +articles. + +3. Assistance to immigrants, native and foreign, recently arrived, and to +the laborers already established in the valley of the Amazon. + +4. To facilitate transportation and decrease its cost in the valley of +the Amazon. + +5. To create central producers of alimentary foodstuffs in the valley of +the Amazon. + +6. To discriminate and legalize the possessors of lands in the Federal +Territory of Acre. + +7. To hold triennial expositions in Rio de Janeiro, embracing everything +that relates to the national rubber industry. + +8. To authorize agreements with the States producing seringa rubber, for +decreasing the duties of exportation and for the protection and aid of +the rubber commerce. + +Sole Paragraph. It shall be the object of each of these measures and +means referred to in number 8 and of the special rules, that they shall +publish at opportune times, as well as those referred to in number 6 and +that part of number 4 which speaks of the revision and consolidation of +the regulations of the coast-wise merchant marine. + + +TITLE I + +The means of encouragement of the extractive and cultivating industry of +the principal rubber producing trees + + +CHAPTER I + +The reduction of the cost of implements and materials employed in the +development of the rubber industry + +Art. 2. The implements and regular materials in the list annexed to +this regulation, are free of all import duties, including the fees +when employed for the cultivation of seringueira, caucho, maniçoba and +mangabeira and the improved collection of the extracted rubber, from +these trees, whether it treats of the development purely extractive, or +of the development of cultivation. + +Sole Paragraph. Materials and machinery which shall be discovered or +invented during the time this regulation is in force, which have special +application to the rubber industry, shall enjoy the same exemption from +import duties. + +Art. 3. The exemption shall be quickly granted by the custom house +inspectors, from whom the claimants should require it, uniting all, or +only those necessary as the case may be, the following documents: + +1. The last receipt of the duty of declarations of the Municipality or +Mayor to whose jurisdiction it pertains, by which is proven that the +claimant is developing on his own or rented property, the extractive or +cultivating rubber industry, or that he is a merchant established with a +house prepared for goods for rubber gatherers, when it treats of regular +objects of the first group. + +2. Attested by the Municipality or Mayor to whose jurisdiction he +belongs, that the claimant possesses proper land and that he is about to +effectively undertake the culture of some of the trees above mentioned +and treatment of their rubber or an authentic copy of the concession +for this purpose, which he may have obtained from the Minister of +Agriculture, in case he treats of regular objects of the second, third or +fourth group. + +[Illustration: CASTILLÔA ELASTICA.] + +3. A detailed statement of the kind and quality of objects or material +which it is necessary to import, or has been imported, which it is +necessary to despatch. + +Sole Paragraph. The importer shall become responsible, during this +period, to the exchequer for any errors that may have been made. + +Art. 4. The product, drug or object that may be similar to that produced +in this country, will not be exempt from import duties, when the cost in +this market in which he would have to buy it was equal to that of the +imported merchandise, less the value of the import duty which he would +have to pay in the custom houses. + + +CHAPTER II + +The money premiums offered to those who cultivate the principal rubber +producing trees + +Art. 5. To every one who makes an entirely new culture of Seringueira, +caucho, maniçoba or mangabeira, or replants seringaes, maniçobaes, +couchaes or native mangabaes, shall be given, in the first case and +for groups of 12 hectares, premiums of 2,500 milreis, when it is +Seringueira; 1,500 milreis when caucho or maniçoba, and 900 milreis +when mangabeira—and in the second case and for groups of 25 hectares, +2,000 milreis when it is seringueiras, 1,000 milreis when couchaes or +maniçobas and 720 milreis when mangabaes, when the following conditions +are observed: + +1. Sending beforehand to the Minister of Agriculture a plan of the +property in which he expects to make the culture, indicating the area, +water courses navigable for steamers, launches or only canoes, and of +the means of access from headquarters to the port (fluvial or maritime) +or the nearest station on the railroad, mentioning these respective +distances in case the property is situated in the interior. The plan +shall be accompanied by a descriptive memorandum, containing as much +detailed description as possible as to the nature of the soil and its +adaptation to what shall be principally cultivated, and to those which +may advantageously be subsidiary; the production of rubber for the last +three years in case it treats of the property in development, and about +the conditions of healthfulness. + +2. It shall declare whether it is new culture or replanting that is +proposed to be done and in the second case the number of trees in +development the property has already. + +3. When the cultivation is of Seringueiras one must declare whether +he expects to make parallel cultivations or not, specifying which and +whether they occupy the land planted to rubber, or land separate. + +4. To communicate to the official charged with the fiscalization the +beginning and ending of the planting, with the necessary antecedence, +the year in which the first harvest will be gathered, facilitating the +examination of the property at any time, and as many times as desired. + +Art. 6. The least number of trees per hectare for new culture shall be +250 for seringueira and caucho, and 400 for maniçoba and mangabeira. In +the event of replanting, when possible, the distance between the trees +should be 6 to 6.50 metres for seringueiras and caucho, and 5 metres for +maniçoba and mangabeira. + +Art. 7. To those who cultivate with seringueiras plants of alimentation +or industrial utility, in all the land improved, or in other land equal +to one-third of the dimensions of the first, there will be conferred +annually, from the beginning of the cultivation to the year of the first +rubber harvest, a supplementary premium corresponding in value to 5 per +cent of the principal premium. + +Art. 8. Premiums will not be paid for principal or subsidiary cultures +which in the final inspections for the first and the annual inspections +for the others, the trees show poor treatment or they contain an amount +exceeding 15 per cent of flaws. + +Art. 9. The premiums shall be paid directly by the Delegacia Fiscal of +the State where the property is situated, in the preceding first harvest +of rubber, through the demand of the claimant, with certificate from the +Government inspector, declaring that all the conditions required in this +regulation were faithfully complied with. + +Sole Paragraph. The inspector who makes out the certificate shall +immediately notify the Minister and will be held responsible at all times +for the value of the premium paid, in case his information should be +found false in whole or in part. + +Art. 10. At sight of the documents spoken of in Art. 5, and after +examining them, the claimant shall be entered ex-officio in the general +register of farmers, existing in the General Directory of Agriculture +with the advantages and guarantees it offers him. + + +CHAPTER III + +The Experimental Stations for the culture of rubber + +Art. 11. The experimental stations for the culture of seringueira in +the Territory of Acre and the States of Matto-Grosso, Amazonas, Pará, +Maranhão, Piauhy and Bahia, and for the culture of maniçoba jointly with +that of mangabeira, in the States of Piauhy, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, +Minas Geraes, S. Paulo, Goyaz, Paraná and Matto Grosso, have in view +with the experimental study of all the factors relating to the regional +culture of each of these trees, for the purpose of furnishing the +cultivators with precise data for the adoption of methods and processes, +which will make possible the economic and perfect production of their +respective rubber. + +Art. 12. The experimental stations shall be established on lands that +possess the following requisites: + +1. Climatic situation and agricultural conditions required by the nature +or quality of the plant to be cultivated. + +2. The physical constitution and natural chemical composition which will +permit conjunctly and parallel the culture of the principal food stuffs +or plants of industrial utility. + +3. Localization at points easily accessible by good roads so that they +can be visited and verified, as well in the fields as in the books of +registry of the farmers and agricultural accounts of the practical +results and economies of the different services and operations. The +existence of permanent water courses, or dams with sufficient capacity to +guarantee irrigation when necessary, and also other agricultural services. + +Art. 13. The total area of each experimental station shall be from 80 +to 100 hectares, so that there can be made at the same time in distinct +partial areas the culture of the portions destined for experiments +relative to each kind of tree and a demonstration of the normal +systematic development of the respective culture, for comparison of the +products and their revenue. + +Art. 14. In the area reserved for demonstration, there shall be included +those which will serve as examples, being the first cultivated between +the processes that shall have proven the most advantageous and which are +sought to be introduced, and lastly of those generally adopted in that +region. + +Art. 15. In each station there shall be reserved the land necessary for +the establishment of a nursery of fruit trees and the production of +selected seeds of alimentary plants or those of industrial utility, whose +culture along with the principal plant shall be considered advantageous. + +Art. 16. Every experimental station shall have the following +installations: + +1. A physiological vegetable laboratory, the proving of seeds and +phytopathology. + +2. Laboratory of agricultural entomology. + +3. Laboratory of agricultural, vegetable and bromatological chemistry. + +[Illustration: FUMIGATING CAOUTCHOUC.] + +4. Laboratory of microbiological and technical agriculture. + +5. An agricultural and floral museum. + +6. A corridor for machines. + +7. A meteorological station. + +Sole Paragraph. A station that may be established in a region where +there already exists a federal institution of similar kind, pertaining +to agriculture in general, the installations above mentioned shall +be reduced to numbers 5, 6, and 7 and shall be provided with a small +laboratory for the mechanical analysis of the soil, and utensils and +instruments necessary for the proving of seeds of useful vegetables, +so that a choice or selection may be made and their identity, purity, +quality and germinating energy may be verified, including in these +experiments those which refer to plants that are injurious. + +Art. 17. To accomplish the ends proposed, the experimental stations ought +to: + +1. Attend the consultations that may be held upon any agricultural +question in their line. + +2. Execute gratuitously analysis of fertilizers, spices, plants and +water, when required by the nearest federal institute, when it does not +possess the necessary laboratories. + +3. Distribute selected plants and seeds. + +4. Study the diseases common to the plants cultivated and the means of +combating them, and explaining these things to those interested. + +5. To publish yearly and distribute free of charge a bulletin devoted to +the relation of the works done and the useful knowledge acquired relative +to agricultural and rural industrial subjects, and especially the results +obtained as to the most practical and economic method of cultivating the +trees that produce rubber, and the most profitable subsidiary plants, as +well as the best methods of the treatment, conservation and packing of +the products. + +Art. 18. There shall be admitted to the experimental stations, persons +who wish to gain a practical knowledge in any of the sections, at the +discretion of the Director, who shall fix the number of students in +agreement with the chief of the respective section. + +Sole Paragraph. On equal terms, apprentices between 15 and 18 years of +age, shall be admitted, the numbers to be determined by the respective +Director, with the approval of the Minister, who shall have daily tasks +corresponding to their capacity and aptitude. The Director in the name +of the Minister shall give a certificate, on which shall be indicated +the work that has been done, to all those who have completed their +apprenticeship. + +Art. 19. The plan of each station shall be organized to meet the peculiar +necessities of the zone in which it may be established, conserving, +however, the principal fundamentals already set forth. + +Art. 20. The position of Director shall be held by a person who is a +specialist in any one of the technical sections, and at the same time +shall be its chief, an indispensable condition being that in addition to +his technical knowledge he shall have had a practical apprenticeship. + +Art. 21. The technical positions may be filled, by contract, by native or +foreign professors of established ability. + +Art. 22. To each of the stations there shall be sent a special regulation +determining for them their proportions according to the necessities of +the case, fixing the term and salaries of their respective personnel and +providing for the special necessities to come. + + +TITLE II + +The creation of the Refining and Manufacturing Rubber Industries + + +ONLY CHAPTER + +Art. 23. The first factory for the refining of seringa rubber that shall +be established in each of the cities of Belém (Pará) and Manáos, and of +maniçoba and mangabeira rubber which shall be established in the States +of Piauhy, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Geraes +and S. Paulo, as well as the first factory of rubber articles which shall +be established in Manáos, in Belém, in Recife (Pernambuco) in Bahia, and +in Rio de Janeiro, there shall be conceded the following premiums and +favors: + +(a) Up to 400,000 milreis in money to the plants for the refining of +seringa rubber; + +Up to 100,000 milreis in money to the plants for the refining of maniçoba +and mangabeira rubber; + +Up to 500,000 milreis in money for plants for manufacturing rubber +articles. + +(b) Exemption from import duties, including fees in the manner and by +the processes described in Articles 3 and 91 combined, as the case may +require, for all material, machines, utensils and hardware necessary for +the construction and complete equipment of the factory, as well as all +chemical substances, cloth and different materials, combustibles and +lubricants necessary for the working and maintenance of the factory, +during a period of 25 years. + +(c) The right of appropriation for public use, according to the +legislation in force, of the lands and improvements belonging to +individuals that may be judged appropriate and necessary for the +equipment of the factory and its dependencies. + +(d) A preference given by the Government for the purchase of the +products used in the service of the Army and Navy and the federal public +departments, which shall be manufactured by the factories, when they +can compete in quality with similar foreign articles—the contract for +furnishing the same, adjudicated every 3 years with each factory, for +those of their products which were classified in the first place in the +expositions mentioned in Article 95. + +(e) Exemption from all State and Municipal duties for the same time as +in letter b, because the factory is considered to be of service to the +Government. + +Art. 24. In order to claim these favors any company or organization that +expects to erect one or more factories, should conform to the following +formalities and conditions: + +1. Present to the Minister of Agriculture a previous request accompanied +by the following documents: + +(a) General and detailed plan of the factories; + +(b) An estimate of the expenses for the first establishment; + +(c) A descriptive memorandum in which the capacity of production of the +factory is declared the principal articles intended to be manufactured, +the lowest price for which it is proposed to wash and refine rubber, +which should be reduced, for each quality, to one type and superior for +exportation, in general giving the Government all the information that +will help it to form a correct opinion as to the nature and importance of +the projected establishment; + +(d) Certificates and references which will prove the complete +professional and financial ability of the suitor. + +2. To obligate himself in the contract made with the Minister of +Agriculture, the clause of reversion at the end of the combined term. + +3. To allow the official appointed by the Government for the +fiscalization, to visit the works during the period of construction, for +the purpose of verifying the actual amount of expenses incurred for the +first establishment and determining the value of the pecuniary premium, +which shall be in any of the three cases, equal to a fourth part of the +expense, not exceeding the limits fixed in letter a of Article 23, as +well as to visit the establishment when he desires after it begins work, +in order that he may be sure, that the materials imported free of duty +are effectively and exclusively used in the products of the factory. + +4. To send annually to the Minister, through the said fiscal a prepared +statement in which shall be specified: + +(a) The amount and quality and the place where produced of the rubber +used as raw material; + +(b) The kind and quantity and value of the products of the factory used +at home and exported; + +(c) The number of employes, native and foreign, effectively in service +during the year, with specification of their respective classes. + +Art. 25. The premium in money shall be paid, as soon as the factory is +inaugurated, at the National Treasury or at the Delegacia Fiscal of +the State in which it is situated, when authorized by the Minister of +Agriculture. + + +TITLE III + +Assistance to immigrants, native or recently arrived foreigners and +laborers already established in the valley of the Amazon. + + +CHAPTER I + +The Lodges for immigrants in Belém, Manáos and the Territory of Acre + +Art. 26. The lodges for immigrants in Belém, Manáos and the Territory of +Acre, shall be establishments installed and maintained at the expense +of the Union, intended to entertain immigrants, native and foreign, who +arrive at those ports voluntarily or with their passage paid by the Union +or by the States. + +Art. 27. The lodges at Belém shall have the capacity of caring for at +least 1,500, that at Manáos 1,200 and that at Acre 800 immigrants. + +Art. 28. The plan of the respective buildings and the different +installations of the lodges shall conform rigorously to the conditions +required by the climate of that region and fitted for the special +necessities of service for which they are intended. + +Art. 29. The construction shall be made by a public bidding. + +Sole Paragraph. If the first public bidding is not satisfactory, the +Government can order the projected lodge built by the Administration. + +Art. 30. Annexed to each lodge there shall be an appropriate building, +in which there shall be a special receiver of customs for the implements +of workmen employed in agricultural and extractive industries, and +indispensable for the carrying on of their work these implements to be +sold strictly at cost price to those immigrants who desire to buy for +their personal use. + +To those native immigrants who during the times of drought in the States +of the northwest and going from there, may arrive at the lodges without +resources, shall be furnished free, by authority of the Minister, with +the implements indispensable for work. + +Art. 31. The families of native and foreign immigrants arriving at the +lodges of Belém and Manáos, who do not expressly declare they prefer +another destination, shall be transported at the expense of the Union or +the lessee to the national plantations of Rio Branco, where according to +their aptitude and ability, they shall be settled in colonies, founded by +this one or that one. + +Art. 32. At the inauguration of each lodge, there shall be applied, with +the modifications required by the special conditions of each case, the +regulations of the lodge on the island of Flores. + + +CHAPTER II + +Hospitals in the Interior + +Art. 33. For the purpose of reducing the distances and the time of the +journey for the inhabitants of the interior in the valley of the Amazon, +who must find a centre of supplies where they can be treated when sick, +or provide excellent medicines for their domestic ills; of proportioning +to all who may desire means of immuning themselves against contagious +diseases, and of creating a propaganda service of the hygienic habits +and practices necessary for everyone who must live and work in the +Amazon regions, there shall be built a hospital surrounded by a small +agricultural colony in Boa Vista do Rio Branco; S. Gabriel do Rio Negro; +Teffé or Fonte Boa on the River Solimões; S. Felippe, on the River Juruá; +Bocca do Acre, on the River Purús; at the confluence of the Rivers Arinos +and Juruéna; on the Alto Tapajóz; Conceição on the River Araguaya and +Montenegro on the Amapá. + +Art. 34. The hospitals shall be built in places that have the following +requisites: + +1. To have a plain of low elevation, conveniently ventilated for the +construction of the hospital buildings so-called and its dependencies, +and houses of residence for the personnel. + +2. Existence around or close to the plain of dry lands, provided with +good and abundant water, which serve for agriculture and cattle raising +and of sufficient area for the founding of an agricultural community of +at least 100 families. + +3. Facility for the establishment of rapid communication with a fluvial +port, or one that must serve them. + +Art. 35. Each hospital shall have a capacity for 100 sick persons. + +Art. 36. Each hospital shall possess the following installations: + +(a) Five separate pavilions, each for 20 sick, each sick person having 5 +cubic metres and an area of 12 square metres. + +One of the pavilions should be installed with the necessary requisites +for the isolation of infectious diseases; for this purpose it should be +divided into rooms for isolation, independent and easily disinfected, +with the proper sanitary apparatus. + +All the hospital buildings should have the windows protected by wire +screening whose openings should never exceed 1½ millimeter and the doors +provided with: + +(b) A disinfectory provided with an apparatus to disinfect in boiling lye +and a stove for sterilization by the combined action of heat, vacuum and +formal. Annexed to the disinfectory shall be the laundry. + +(c) A laboratory for the diagnostic clinics and microbiology. + +(d) Surgical operating room. + +(e) Clinic consulting room. + +(f) Room for autopsies. + +(g) Pharmacy. + +(h) Sanitary installation, in which should terminate all the drainage +pipes of the hospital, destined for the bacteriological treatment of the +water used, which not until after this operation must be allowed to flow +into the natural river courses. + +(i) Dependencies for the administration and quarters of the personnel. + +Art. 37. In each hospital there shall be made in the respective +pharmaceutical laboratory a preliminary study of all the remedies used +by the people of that region to determine which are prejudicial and +which inoffensive. The respective Director shall show the people in +printed circulars, frequently and profusely distributed that their +use is improper. Those which are found efficacious and susceptible of +improvement, shall be sent for more complete studies in the chemical +laboratories and federal pharmacies, letting the people know the results +obtained. + +Art. 38. When the installation of each hospital is complete, a contract +shall be made, by public bidding, or independent of it, as the Government +may think best, with some professional of recognized ability, the +direction and maintenance of the respective services, the contract +including the following obligations: + +1. The reservation of one hour daily in the medical consultation room, +where the sick known to be without means may freely receive examination +and be furnished with the necessary medicines. + +2. The maintenance of a bureau for vaccination against smallpox and +other contagious diseases by means considered efficacious, and to attend +gratuitously to all who may wish it. + +3. To submit for the approval of the Government the regimen internal of +the establishment and a table of prices for the treatment of the sick, +which should be revised every 3 years. + +4. To expose for sale in the pharmacy only medicines of the best quality, +especially sulphate of quinine and such other preparations, under penalty +of having destroyed all drugs known to be impure in addition to the fine +to suit the case that may be fixed in the contract. + +5. To give a bond in money, or policies of the public federal debt that +will guarantee the good conservation of the establishment during the time +of the contract. + +6. To distribute abundantly every six months leaflets containing advice +about hygiene prevention of the sicknesses of that region, showing in +clear language, within the reach of all, those that are improper and the +danger in the use of alcoholic drinks, and teaching what measures to take +and the common remedies which should be applied in different cases when +there is no physician to be had. + +7. To be subject to the inspection of the Government which should be very +minute and severe as to the condition of cleanliness and conservation of +the establishment, the quality of the medicines employed and sold to the +public and the care with which the sick are treated. + +Art. 39. The hospitals and all their dependencies and sections are not +subject to any duties to the state or municipality, being the property of +the Union and doing a federal public service. + +Art. 40. To each hospital there shall be given an annual pecuniary +subvention, proportioned to the services to which it will have to attend, +until the income of the establishment and all its dependencies derive +a profit of 10 per cent, during 3 consecutive years on the respective +capital invested, which amount shall be acknowledged and previously +approved by the Government. + + +CHAPTER III + +The agricultural nucleuses adjacent to the hospitals + +Art. 41. The agricultural nucleuses adjacent to the interior hospital +shall be founded by the Union for the following purposes: + +1. The production of foodstuffs necessary for the support of the said +hospitals. + +2. The intensive culture and breeding of the plants and animals of +alimentation generally consumed by the neighboring population. + +3. The constituting of fixed centres of population economically +equipped, which will serve as a point of parting for colonies of greater +importance, capable of gradually attending to the necessities that the +growing population of that region may be creating. + +Art. 42. The preliminary studies, the plan, the preparatory work and +the different installations necessary for the founding of each nucleus +as well as the colonization of the lots, and their administration in +general, shall be done in accordance with dispositions of decree number +9,081, Nov. 3, and number 9,214, Dec. 15, 1911, observing the following +alterations: + +1. The selling price of rural and urban lots shall be calculated on the +prices established in the land laws of the States of Pará and Amazonas, +as a base, applicable to the nucleuses situated respectively in each +state: + +2. In failure of remunerating work, or when there is insufficient, the +judge of the administration, to maintain numerous families, shall furnish +them food, charging the same to the heads of the families, calculating +this furnishing at the rate of from 2 milreis to 3 milreis daily at the +highest, for adults and those over 7 years of age, and one half this for +those between the age of 7 to 3 years. + +Art. 43. The indians and native workers localized in the agricultural +nucleuses shall participate in the advantages and obligations contained +in decree number 9,214, Dec. 15, 1911. + +Art. 44. Having finished the preparatory work for each nucleus, the lots +first colonized shall be those devoted to the production of the foods +necessary for the support of the hospital which is in their neighborhood, +so that it can count on, from the time of its inauguration, a regular and +sufficient supply of these commodities. + + +TITLE IV + +Improvements and measures tending to facilitate transportation and +decrease its cost in the valley of the Amazon + + +CHAPTER I + +Lines of railroad transportation + +Art. 45. There shall be constructed in the valley of the Amazon lines of +railroad transportation of two classes: + +1. Large lines of transportation, making an integral part of the general +line of Federal railroads, with identical characteristics and comprising +the same principles. + +2. Economic lines of transportation, of reduced gauge, provisionally +established for easy ways of penetration, whatever may be their +development, sufficient to facilitate access to and permit the +exploration of the virgin seringas and the good lands for cultivation +situated on the upper banks of the Rivers Xingú, Tapajóz, Branco, Negro, +and others situated in the States of Pará, Matto-Grosso and Amazonas. + +Art. 46. Those lines belonging to the first class shall be immediately +begun and constructed as quickly as possible, the following: + +1. Parting from the Port of Belém (Pará) and joining the general line of +railroad in Pirapóra, in the State of Minas Geraes and in Coroatá, in +the State of Maranhão, with the necessary branches to unite the initial +points or terminals of navigation on the Rivers Arguaya, Tocantins, +Parnaluyba, and S. Francisco. + +2. Beginning at a convenient point chosen on the Madeira-Mamoré railroad, +near the mouth of the River Abunã, passing by the Villa Rio Branco, +and the point most appropriate between Senna Medureira and Catay and +terminating in Villa Thaumaturgo, with a branch to the frontier of Perú +by the valley of the River Purús. + +Art. 47. The rules for the construction of these lines is prescribed by +law, number 1,126, Dec. 15, 1903, and both shall be let at public bidding. + +Art. 48. The Minister of Transportation is to command the studies to +be made, to contract for the construction and inspect the traffic of +these roads, but he will furnish the Minister of Agriculture a copy +of the plans relative to the route and give descriptive memoranda of +the project, and when drawing up the papers for the bidding, shall +include the clauses which he shall judge necessary and opportune for the +colonization of the bordering lands and the development of the industries +of the zone tributary to the line as well as to attend to the eventual +necessities of the commerce. + +Art. 49. The construction and the concession for construction of the +roads of the second class may be made by the Union or by the States +interested. + +Art. 50. The Minister of Agriculture is the proper person to construct or +permit the construction of those Government resolves to carry into effect +at the account of the Union, as well as to authorize the payment of the +subvention of 15,000 mibreis per kilometer to those which were contracted +for by the States. + +Art. 51. The technical conditions of the railroads of which Art. 45 +treats in the second part, are the following: + +A portable line of the Decauville type. + +Weight of the rails, 15 kilos per metre. + +Gauge 0.60 cm between the rails, least radius of curvature 40 M. O. + +Greatest incline OmO10. + +Weight of locomotives 18 to 20 tons. + +Art. 52. The concessions for these roads shall be let at a public bidding +according to the rule established in law number 1,126 of 1903, or +independently of bidding with a person or corporation sufficiently able +with the help of the payment of the maximum subvention of 25 contos per +kilometer, according to the difficulties of the land it passes through, +paid by sections of not less than 30 kilometers, completely ready and +furnished with the necessary rolling stock, within 90 days of the date of +the respective inaugurations. + +Art. 53. The concession for these railroads cannot be given to those who +agree to build then simply as transportation enterprises, but only to +those who will obligate themselves to colonize and explore, in proportion +as they may be justified, the respective marginal lands. + +It is an essential condition for the validity of the concession, that +the contractor presents to the Minister of Agriculture within the +maximum term of one year, proof that he has disposed of the lands for +colonization, and a descriptive memorandum of the character and extent of +the industries he intends to develop. + +Art. 54. Those railroads of this type which in the future may be joined +to any general line of transportation, shall be obliged as soon as its +gross earnings amount to 10,000 mibreis per kilometer, to make its gauge +conform to the same, and from then for all purposes becoming a part of +the general federal transportation system. + +Independently of being joined to any railroad in general, these +economical railroads shall pass to the jurisdiction of the Minister of +Transportation and Public Works and shall be obliged to enlarge their +gauge to 1 meter, without other favors from the Government, there not +being a supplementary term of the contract, if it is wanting for its +termination in less than 60 years, when the gross receipts have reached +15,000 mibreis per kilometer during 3 successive years. Before this the +railroad may pass to the Minister of Transportation and the gauge be +widened, on his own account, when he shall think it to his interest, or +by a new contract, when the Government thinks it necessary to have it +done for the necessities of the administration or the defense of the +country. + +Art. 55. In addition to the subvention per kilometer, there shall be +given to these railroads all the indirect favors received by the other +railroads of the country. + +Art. 56. The maximum term for a concession shall be 90 years, at the end +of which the railroad will revert to the control of the Union. + +Art. 57. Under the right of experiment, the Government shall promote at +once the following lines of economical railroads: + +1. Parting from “Antiga Souzel,” or other point more convenient on the +left bank of the Xingú and ascending the left side of the valley to the +margin of the River Cariahy, with a branch which parting at a convenient +point, shall go to the Tapajóz and ascend the right hand side of the +valley until it reaches the S. Manoel which may appear advantageous, +ascending the secondary valley and continuing to the dividing of the +waters of the two principal rivers. + +2. Parting from the confluence of the River Negro with the Branco and by +the valley of the River Seruiny, gaining the right side of the valley +by the Caratimani river and continuing to the upper Uraricoera, with a +branch parting at a convenient point at the request of the upper Paduiry +and a branch in the direction of the Villa Boa Vista. + + +CHAPTER II + +Improvements for the navigation of the Rivers Branco, Negro, Purús and +Acre + +Art. 58. The improvements necessary for effective navigation at any +season of the year, for steamers drawing 3 feet, on the River Negro, +between Santa Izabel and Cucuhy, on the River Branco, from its mouth to +São Joaquin, on the River Purús, between Hyutanhã and Senna Madureira, +and on the River Acre, from its mouth to Riosinho de Pedros, shall be +contracted for by public bidding, or independently of bidding, with +corporations sufficiently able, under the rule established by decree, +number 6,368, Feb. 14, 1907 or others which may not be more onerous and +may permit the assurance of the opening of navigation more rapidly on the +sections of the rivers to be improved. + +Art. 59. In none of the contracts shall a longer term than 7 years be +granted the contracting party, to count from the date of its signing, so +that safe and free passage is given steamers drawing 3 feet in the entire +distance of the contract. + +Art. 60. The improvements in the Rio Branco, shall commence with the +destruction and regulating of the Cujubim rapid, so that from now on +navigation is assured during the Winter to Villa Boa Vista. + +Art. 61. The studies, plans, constructions, inspection and direct +conservation of these works are under the supervision of the Minister of +Transportation; but before the respective contract is signed, copies of +the plans and descriptive memorandum referring to the project shall be +furnished the Minister of Agriculture, so that he may be heard upon the +opportunity and the order in which these works shall be executed, in the +interest of the economic development of the region, and that they may be +conveniently attended by those casually interested in the colonization +and development of the industries along the banks of the rivers, or in +commerce in general. + +In case it is found that the destruction and regulation of the Cujubim +rapid cannot be done during one season of low water in the river, the +Minister of Agriculture, by agreement with the State of Amazonas, can +order to be constructed a Decauville line of the type described in +articles 45, second part and 51, in the belt line constructed by that +State along waterfalls, so that the leasing and colonization of the +national plantations of Rio Branco is no longer delayed. + + +CHAPTER III + +Complementary measures + +Art. 62. All vessels of every kind intended for the fluvial navigation +in the valley of the Amazon are free of all import duties, including the +fees. This exemption shall be given by the custom houses of Belém (Pará) +and Manáos, through a requisition to the Minister of Agriculture, which +the importer shall have asked for, declaring in his request the number, +class and tonnage, the draft and the cost and the purpose of each vessel. + +Art. 63. The vessel imported under this favor, if sold outside the valley +of the Amazon, or even within it, to a foreign country, shall pay the +proper duties according to the law of the budget in force in the year of +its importation. + +Art. 64. Deposits of coal shall be established for supplying the steamers +which navigate the Amazon rivers, and for others who care to use them, in +the following places, or in others which be shown to be more convenient: +Belém (Pará), Cametá, Breves, Chaves, Mazagão, Gurupá, Souzel, Prainha, +Sautarem, Ponta Nova Brasileira, Obidos, Parintius, Itacoatiara, Manáos, +Carvoeiro, Moreira, Santa Izabel do Rio Negro, Carmo do Rio Branco, +Caracarahy, Boca do Canumã, Baetas, Boca do Rio Machado, Boca do Purús, +Campina, Nova Olinda, Canutama, Cachoeira de Hyutanahan, Boca do Pauhiny, +Boca do Acre, Rio Branco, Seuna Madureira, Coary, Teffé, Boca do Juruá, +Juruapeca, Mearary, Boca do Tarauacá, Cruzeiro do Sul, Boca do Jutahy, S. +Paulo de Olivença, Benjamin Constant and Santo Antonio de Maripi. + +Art. 65. There shall be floating deposits, so that they can be moved from +one place to another, as the growth of navigation in this or that place +may require; they shall have sufficient capacity for the movement of +steamers at the station they are serving and passes modern apparatus for +discharging the coal, which will reduce to a minimum the raising of dust, +and load the steamers as quickly as possible. + +Art. 66. At points where it may be thought necessary, the deposits shall +be provided with tanks for fuel oil, which can be placed on the platform +with coal, or on separate floating platforms. + +Art. 67. The establishment of the deposits and the business of furnishing +fuel to the steamers, shall be by contract after a public bidding and +signed by the Minister of Agriculture. + +Art. 68. The floating material for the depositories and the fuel imported +shall be free of all import duties, including the fees. + +The fees in the custom houses shall be ordered through a requisition from +the Minister of Agriculture, from whom the contracting party shall ask +it, for each shipment, with the necessary data. + +Art. 69. The fuel imported by the corporation can only be sold for river +navigation service. + +Art. 70. The maximum prices at which the party can sell fuel to steamers, +shall be according to tables approved annually by the Minister. These +may be altered during the year, when so necessary in the opinion of the +Government. + +Art. 71. The contracting party shall not be subject to payment of any +state or municipal duties, because the object is the public federal +service. + +Art. 72. In places where the party has and the Government has not +deposits of fuel, to him shall be given the preference for furnishing +the quantity necessary for the national vessels of war, at the prices +received when supplying the vessels of individuals. + +Art. 73. In extraordinary circumstances and at the requisition of the +Government, the contracting party shall place at its disposition all the +deposits of fuel on hand, being afterwards indemnified for a part or all +of the fuel delivered, and afterwards another payment of the value of the +deposits unused, corresponding to the profits lost during the time of +the interruption of his business, calculated on an equal period of the +preceding year. + +Art. 74. The bidding for the contract shall be upon the terms for the +installation of the depositories, their reversion to the Union and the +selling price of fuel for the first year. + + +TITLE V + +The creation of centres producing foodstuffs in the valley of the Amazon + + +CHAPTER I + +The leasing of the national plantations of Rio Branco + +Art. 75. The Minister of Agriculture can contract for the leasing of the +two national plantations S. Bento and S. Marcos, except the part situated +between the Rivers Mahú, Takutú, Surumú and Cotingo, by public bidding, +or independent of it, with a corporation or party sufficiently able, +observing the following dispositions which shall be explained and assured +in the clauses of the detailed contracts. + +1. The party will be obliged to: + +(a) Develop and practice on a large scale, by the best and most modern +methods the breeding of cattle of different kinds and the cultivation of +the usual alimentary cereals; + +(b) Establish a packing house for the preparation of dried beef and a +factory for the canning of alimental animal and vegetable products. + +(c) Equip a factory for milk products, in which in addition to making +cheese and butter, milk shall be prepared by the Pasteur system or some +other that may be better, in condition to be supplied to the seringaes +and estates of the interior. + +(d) Equip a central mill for the treatment of rice and other cereals +and two improved factories for mandioca flour, as soon as the number of +colonies localized can produce a sufficient supply of raw material for +such establishment. + +(e) Receive and localize the immigrants who may desire to settle on the +lands of the plantation, in accordance with the dispositions of this +regulation and with the decrees number 9,081, Nov. 3, 1911, referring to +the peopling of the soil, and number 9,214, Dec. 15, 1911, referring to +the protection of the Indians and localization of native laborers, in the +parts that may be proper. + +(f) Present to the Minister for approval the plans and descriptive +memorandum, with as much detail as possible, of the agricultural nucleus +which he shall be obliged to establish and all the installations +referring to the factories and services necessary for the complete +equipment of the plantations, within the maximum space of 2 years, to +count from the signing of the contract. + +(g) Be subject to inspection by the Government for the faithful execution +of the contract, on the terms therein established. + +Art. 76. To the party or corporation the following favors will be granted: + +(a) Exemption from all import duties, including fees, in the form and +by the process referred to in article 91, for all the imported material +necessary to complete the equipment of the plantations, including houses, +barns, pastures, fences, reservoirs, implements and machines for the +culture, harvesting and treating the cereals, installation of mills and +factories, improved cattle, seeds of alimentary and industrial plants, +as well as for the materials and chemicals necessary to maintain the +factories and husbandry, during the time of his contract. + +(b) Right of condemnation for public use, of the property or improvements +of individuals, which may be necessary, in the opinion of the Government +for any of the services of the enterprise. + +(c) All the favors specified in articles 131 and 132 of decree number +9,081, Nov. 3, 1911, native and foreign colonies being made equal. + +(d) Preference for the contract of the works necessary for the +improvement of the navigation of the Rio Branco, if the price is +considered acceptable by the Government and the time for the completion +of the work not more than 6 years. + +Art. 77. The term of the lease in the contract shall be 60 years, at the +end of which all the cattle for breeding and all the improvements then +possessed by the lessee shall revert to the dominion of the Union. + +Art. 78. Within the term of 1 year, to date from the signing of the +contract, the Government will give to lessee a copy of the plans of +the plantations, in which shall be marked the water courses with a +specification of those navigable, the zone of forest and plain and the +situations of the occupants who may be found. + +Art. 79. The plantations shall be turned over as soon as an inventory +of the improvements, and the number of cattle of each kind then on the +plantation can be made. + + +CHAPTER II + +The colonization of the plantation of S. Marcos situated between the +Rivers Mahú, Takutú, Surumú and Cotingo + +Art. 80. The colonization of the lands of S. Marcos’ plantation, situated +between the Rivers Mahú, Takutú, Surumú and Cotingo, on the frontier of +British Guiana shall be done directly by the Minister of Agriculture, who +shall order, without delay, to prepare a plan with the necessary details, +and afterwards carry them out as they may be necessary: + +(a) A town of the aborigines; + +(b) An agricultural centre; + +(c) A colonial nucleus; + +(d) An ambulant course of agriculture; + +(e) An agricultural apprenticeship; + +(f) A school of practical agriculture; + +(g) An experimental station. + +Art. 81. The colonization of the lands whether in the agricultural +centre, or colonial nucleus, shall be made so that each lot occupied by +a foreign colonist corresponds to at least two occupied by families of +native colonists, which preferably shall be chosen from those who arrive +at the lodges of Belém and Manáos, proceeding from the states of the +northwest. + +Art. 82. Gradually and opportunely there shall be installed in the colony +lands, mills and factories, having in view the improvement and production +on a large scale of cereals and other alimentary foods. + +Art. 83. In an appropriate locality there shall be established a model +plantation for the breeding of cattle, horses and mules, in which there +shall be made a comparative study of the native and foreign breeds, +which best resist the climate of that region, to verify which may be +most advantageously improved by the method of selection, crossing and +formation of perfect types. + + +CHAPTER III + +The premiums and favors to those who intend to found large plantations of +agriculture and cattle raising + +Art. 84. To large plantations of agriculture and cattle raising that may +be founded, one in the Territory of Acre (between the Rio Branco and +Xapury) one in the State of Amazonas (in the region of the River Autaz), +and one in the State of Pará (on the island of Marajó, or other point +more convenient on the lower Amazon), the federal Government will grant +the following favors: + +(a) Exemption from import duties, including the fees, in the form and +by the process described, in article 91, for all the imported material +necessary to complete the equipment of the plantation, including houses, +barns, pastures, fences, reservoirs, implements and machines, for the +culture, harvesting and treatment of cereals, and installation of +factories for milk products, the preservation of meat, as well as for +cattle and seed which are imported, within the first 5 years after the +installation of the plantation; + +(b) Premiums of 30,000 mibreis for groups of a thousand hectores of +pastures artificially planted and conveniently fenced and of 100,000 +hectores and of 100,000 mibreis for groups of a thousand hectores of land +improved for agriculture, and actually cultivated with rice, beans, corn +and mandicaco; + +(c) Premium of 100,000 milreis paid for groups of 500 tons of foodstuffs +manufactured from milk, and canned or packed meat, which may be produced +in 5 years. + +Art. 85. The claimant of a right to these premiums must make a previous +contract with the Minister of Agriculture, in which he obligates himself +to: + +1. Present within one year a plan of the plantation, in which should be +mentioned the river port that would serve him, the courses of the rivers +which wash it, with a specification of these navigable for steamers, +launches or only for canoes, the zones of forest and plain, accompanied +by the plan of installation to be made, a descriptive memorandum of +the services, and industries that he intends to develop and a detailed +relatorio, indicating the quality, the quantity and cost of the materials +necessary to import for the first year’s work. + +2. Allow the plantation and all its dependencies to be visited by the +official charged with the inspection, when he is performing his duties, +to verify the proper use of the objects and materials imported exempt +from duties, the area, the state and kind of culture and the quantity, +class and quality of the goods manufactured and destined for foodstuffs. + +Art. 86. The premiums shall be paid at the National Treasury or at +the Delegacias Fiscaes in Belém and Manáos, by a requisition from the +Minister of Agriculture, which the claimant must ask, attaching to +his request the certificate of the Government inspector that all the +dispositions of this regulation have been faithfully fulfilled, and +a statistical table of the workers employed during the year in each +industry and the amount of the annual crop, with the specification of the +quantity of each kind. + +Art. 87. The contractor can colonize the lands of the plantation under +the order established in Chapter XII of the regulation under the decree, +number 9,081, Nov. 3, 1911; the national colonists coming from the states +of the northwest are made equal to foreign colonists, for the purpose of +the premiums of which articles 132 and 133 treat in the above mentioned +regulation. + + +CHAPTER IV + +Favors to a fishing corporation + +Art. 88. The Minister of Agriculture shall contract with some person, +syndicate or company, offering guarantees of sufficient ability, for +the establishment of a fishing enterprise, which with headquarters in +Belém (Pará) or Manáos, that can be conveniently equipped as quickly as +possible, to begin this and its allied industries, on a large scale in +the Amazon rivers. + +Art. 89. The following favors shall be given the enterprise: + +(a) Exemption from all import duties, including fees, for the vessels, +instruments and other maritime material; for all the material necessary +for the installation, complete equipping and establishment of the +enterprise on conditions which would enable it to be a going industry in +all its phases, as well as the drugs, ingredients, cans and boxes, or +materials to make them, and in general for all that it may be necessary +to import from abroad, indispensable to the maintenance of its vessels +and factories, during a term of 15 years, to count from the date of its +operations; + +(b) Premium of animation in money to the amount of 10,000 mibreis during +5 consecutive years, when the production of preserved and salted fish +shall be annually more than 100 tons; + +(c) The right of condemnation for public use, of the lands and +improvements belonging to individuals, judged appropriate and +indispensable for the installation of any of the establishments that it +is necessary to build on land; + +(d) Exemption from all state and municipal imports because the object of +the contract is for the federal public service. + +Art. 90. All the property of the enterprise shall revert to the Union, at +the end of the term for which the contract was granted. + +Art. 91. The exemptions from duties shall be given by the custom houses +in Belém and Manáos, by a requisition from the Minister of Agriculture, +from whom it shall be requested, attaching to the request a memorandum +of the objects with specification of the qualities, quantities and ends +for which they are needed, and what are imported for the services of +the first establishment, and after this what must be imported for its +maintenance. + +Art. 92. The enterprise shall be subject to inspection by the Government +as to the safety of the steamers, and processes employed in fishing, the +faithful use of the objects imported, the manufacture of preserving, in +which substances hurtful to the public health shall not be employed, nor +in the annual production of preserved or salted fish for the purpose of +obtaining the premiums in money. + +Art. 93. Specimens of fish not well known, the party shall send one +properly preserved to the Minister of Agriculture, accompanied by a small +relatorio describing the place and conditions under which it was caught +and noting anything particular that might be interesting in studying it. + +Art. 94. Every commander or master of the vessels of the enterprise, +shall make a written communication to the directors for them to bring to +the knowledge of the Government, the places where there is the existence +of any obstacle to navigation, indicating the position in a good sketch +of that stretch of the river, describing its nature and the route to be +followed to avoid it. These communications shall be transmitted to the +Minister of Transportation in order that he may place a signal on the +obstacle, and as soon as possible remove it. + + +TITLE VI + +The Triennial Expositions Embracing All That Relates to the National +Rubber Industry + + +Art. 95. The Rubber Expositions shall be held in Rio de Janeiro every +three years, the first being on May 13, 1913; its object shall be to give +the sum of the triennial movement of the national rubber industry in its +various modifications, compared with the industry in other countries. + +Art. 96. The triennial expositions shall include the rubber industry in +all its branches and shall include the following classifications: + +1. The Culture. + +2. The Extraction. + +3. The Improvement. + +4. The Manufacture of Articles. + +The classes shall be subdivided into groups including native and +cultivated plants, machinery, utensils, processes, commercial type, +studies and statistics. + +Art. 97. Premiums of encouragement shall be given for the best processes +of culture, extraction and treatment, and to the best manufactured +products, whether as raw material, constituting commercial types for +exportation, or as to manufacture. + +Art. 98. The Government shall opportunely request the National Congress +for the necessary enactments to make these premiums effective. + +Art. 99. The rubber expositions shall be true expositions held in +relation to the machinery and utensils and products of rubber of all +kinds, but the sale sought to be registered in a special book, by the +payment of a fixed percentage to the organizing commission which shall +apply this income to the interests of these same expositions. + +Art. 100. Foreign products can be admitted to these rubber expositions, +for the purpose of permitting comparison and perfecting the national +industry but shall receive no premium. + +Section 1. Foreign products destined for the rubber expositions shall +be free of all custom house duties, as established in Law No. 2,544, +January 4, 1912, Article 89, No. 6, but if they are sold, shall pay their +respective import duties when given to the buyers. + +Sec. 2. Foreign products not sold shall be re-exported for the account of +the respective expositors. + +Art. 101. The transportation of the national products destined for the +rubber expositions shall be gratuitous. + +Art. 102. For these expositions there shall be prepared bound statistics +and relatorios especially relative to the former period and as regards +the rubber industry in Brazil, compared with the world movement. + +Art. 103. During the expositions there shall be held: + +1. National congresses specializing upon the rubber industry. + +2. Lectures upon subjects previously chosen and illustrated with +stereopticon slides. + +For the carrying out of what is ordered in this article, the organizing +commission shall provide for the respective programs and other measures +for its entire success. + +Art. 104. From all the principle products exhibited some specimens +shall be selected to constitute a permanent exhibit, which shall remain +exhibited in the Commercial Museum of Rio de Janeiro, and in whose care +shall also remain some reserves to be sent to similar Museums in Brazil +and in foreign lands. + + +TITLE VII + +The Direction and Inspection of the Service + + +Art. 105. The direction and inspection of all the service for the +economic defense of rubber, shall be in charge of a provisory department +of the Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, entitled +“Superintendency of the Protection of Rubber.” + +Art. 106. The superintendency is charged with: + +1. To receive, to record, to prepare, and to inform the manuscripts which +depend upon the despatch of the Minister. + +2. To see to the effective and integral execution of measures of an +administrative character foreseen in the Regulation. + +3. The study, planning, calculating and execution of the work that must +be done by the administration. + +4. The study, planning, calculating, and execution of the work that must +be done by contract. + +5. The closing, with the approval of the Minister, of the contracts and +the decrees relative to the concurrence of the States and Municipalities +for the works and measures which they resolved to aid. + +Section 1. Each service that has been definitely installed and is in +normal working condition, shall be given over to a section of the +Ministry of Agriculture with which it harmonizes and incorporated or +subordinated. + +Sec. 2. For the measure that is being executed as ordered in Sec. 1, +the Government shall provide that the proper lawful budgets shall be +apportioned of the means necessary for the maintenance, conservation and +development of new settlements. + +Art. 107. The Superintendency of the “Protection of Rubber” shall be +constituted of: + +A central section working in the Federal Capital. + +A district section with headquarters in the national plantations of Rio +Branco. + +Partial commissions for services that may be indispensable. + +Districts of inspection embracing one or more States, in conformity with +the number and importance of the services under way. + +Art. 108. The central section shall be composed of a superintendent, a +secretary, a constructing engineer, an agricultural engineer, an engineer +of the second class, two draughtsmen, two typewriters, a bookkeeper, two +clerks, a messenger and two servants. + +The district section shall be composed of a chief engineer, an engineer +of the first class, engineers of the second class, agricultural +engineers, conductors of the first and second class, a draughtsman, +a bookkeeper, a paymaster, a customs officer, technical assistants, +journalists and a physician. + +The partial commissions shall be composed of a chief engineer, the +technical and administrative personnel necessary, in conformity with the +work to be done, and a physician. + +The districts for inspection shall consist of a chief engineer, an +engineer of the second class, an agriculturist and assistants to the +number necessary and sufficient. + +The staff of the employes shall not be fixed, but vary according to the +development of the work, and will correspond well with the distribution +of the respective work and the special instructions opportunely executed. + +Art. 109. The services relative to the triennial rubber expositions, +shall be directed by a special commission presided over by the minister +and composed of the superintendent, who shall take the place of the +minister in his absence, and of the members of the Permanent Commission +of Expositions, created by Article 89 of Law No. 2,544, January 4, 1912. + +Art. 110. All the personnel of the superintendency shall be considered +in commission and dismissed when the work is finished for which it was +formed. + +Art. 111. There shall be appointed: by decree of the President of +the Republic, the superintendent; by preferment of the Minister, the +chief engineers, the secretary of the central section, the engineer +of the first class and the paymaster of the district section; by the +Superintendent, the engineers of the second class, the agriculturists, +the physicians, the draughtsmen, the typewriters, the clerks and the +customs officials; by the chief engineers, the personnel who work under +their direction. + +Art. 112. The salaries of the employes shall be those fixed in the +annexed table. + +For the employes in the services which were incident to the order in +the first section of Article 106, the salaries are fixed in accord with +tables for similar service already existing in the Minister’s department, +increased from fifty to eighty per cent for those who shall be situated +in the valley of the Amazon, while the high cost of living shall continue +in that respective place. + +Art. 113. For services which shall be thought advantageous, and when +they have good reputations, the Government may employ professional +specialists, natives or foreigners, paying them annual salaries not +greater than those in the table or a lump sum for the service rendered, +as may be advisable in each case. + +Art. 114. To provide for the increase in the work of the Director +General of Accounts, in consequence of the services mentioned in this +regulation, there shall be added to the same Directorship, employees +of the Treasury and other departments of recognized ability and the +typewriters in commission accepted, under the proposal of the Director +General; working overtime, whenever necessary, in accordance with +Articles 68 and 71 of the Decree, No. 8,889, of August 11, 1911, the +work of counting, examining, inspecting and recording the expenses, +distribution of credits, advances, and other things of an urgent nature. + +The expenses resulting from the order in this article shall be met by +the credits which were opened in accordance with Article 14 of Law No. +2,543A, of January 5, 1912. It pertains to the Minister to fix the +gratuities of the typewriters and the employes of the Department of +Finance to which this same article refers. + + +TABLE OF THE SALARIES OF THE PERSONNEL OF THE SUPERINTENDENCY “PROTECTION +OF RUBBER” + + Monthly + Classes Salaries + + Superintendent 5,000$000 + Chief Engineer of the Section Rio Branco 2,700$000 + Physician 2,500$000 + Constructing Engineer 1,500$000 + Chief Engineer of the Partial Commission 1,250$000 + Chief Engineer of the District of Inspection 1,250$000 + Engineer of the first class of the Section Rio Branco 1,250$000 + Agricultural Engineer 1,000$000 + Engineer of the second class 1,000$000 + Secretary to the Superintendent 1,000$000 + Paymaster of the Section Rio Branco 1,000$000 + Conductor of the first class 750$000 + Customs Official of the Section Rio Branco 750$000 + Conductor of the second class 600$000 + Draughtsman 600$000 + Bookkeeper 500$000 + Technical Aid 450$000 + Clerk 350$000 + Typewriter 350$000 + Messenger 200$000 + Servant 150$000 + +The personnel in service in the Valley of the Amazon, with perhaps the +exception of the Chief Engineer of the Rio Branco section, shall receive +an increase over the salaries mentioned in the table, varying from fifty +to eighty per cent according to the judgment of the Superintendent +because of the high cost of living in their respective places. + +A third part of the annual salary shall be considered the gratuity of the +office. + +To the technical personnel, to the paymaster, and to the physicians shall +be adjudicated by the Superintendent a daily allowance of from 5$000 to +30$000. + +Rio de Janeiro, April 17, 1912. + + PEDRO DE TOLEDO. + + * * * * * + +List of utensils and materials exempt from importation duties, to which +Article 2 of Decree No. 9,521 of April 17, 1912, refers: + +FIRST GROUP + +Implements and Utensils for the Rubber Gatherer + + Axes. + Hatchets. + Knives and special apparatus for the incision of trees. + Buckets, pails, basins of tin, zinc or other material. + Pitchers for smoking. + Machines destined for the coagulation of the milk. + Cylinders for pressing. + Colanders and their appurtenances. + +SECOND GROUP + +Implements and Material for Cultivation + + Electric detoners and their accessories. + Dynamite. + Mining powder and other explosives. + Caps and fuses. + Decauville lines. + Mono rails. + Aerial transporters and their accessories. + Locomotives and stationary engines. + Chemical drugs, disinfectants and insecticides. + +THIRD GROUP + +Materials and Utensils Intended for the Culture of Trees and Treatment of +Rubber, including: + + Materials for the necessary installations for the mounting of + factories, construction of buildings, huts and houses of workmen, + box factory and factory for rubber articles. + +FOURTH GROUP + +Chemical Substances, Raw Material, Thin Cloth and Other Objects Used in +the Treatment of and Manufacture of Rubber Articles + +a. =Coagulants=: + + Acetic Acid. + Fluoric Acid. + Formic Acid. + Sulphuric Acid. + Hydrochloric Acid. + +b. =Dissolvents=: + + Aceton. + Ethylic Alcohol. + Methylic Alcohol (C. H. 4 O). + Benzine. + Benzol. + Borax or + Borate of Sodium. (Na² B. ⁴O⁷ 10 H² O). + Chloruret of Carbon. + Chloroform. + Ether. + Essence of Therebentine. + Methylbenzol or Tolnol (C⁷ H⁸). + Solvent Naphtha. + Oil of Camphor (essence). + Oil of Dippel. + Parafin Oil. + Sulphuret of Carbon. + Tetrachloruret of Carbon. + +c. =Deodorizers and Disinfectants=: + + Camphin or Camphene. + Animal Charcoal. + Porcupine Grape Yellow. + Anilines and their derivatives. + Arsenites and their derivatives. + Aureoline. + Cobalt Blue. + Methylen Blue. + Bistre. + Fixed White (Salts of Baryum, etc.). + Creosote. + Cresolin. + Essence of Lavender. + Essence of Lemon. + Essence of Peppermint. + Essence of Menthol (C¹⁰ H² O). + Essence of Eucalyptus. + Essence of Florence Lily. + Essence of Mustard. + Essence of Moss. + Essence of Rosemary. + Essence of Tomilho. + Essence of Thymol. + Farmol, Formaldehyde or Formalin. + Nitrobenzol. + +d. =Coloring Materials=: + + Cassel’s Yellow. + Van Dyck and Bismarck Brown. + Yellow Brilliantine. + Bronze and its derivates. + Orange Bleu. + Brooksite (Mixture of rosin and oils). + Bukaramuguiana. + Pattison White. + Paris White. + Wax for cables (wax, asphalt and rosin). + Cachou. + Rosin Colors. + Massicot. + Minio. + Murexide (purple). + Paris Black. + Lamp Black. + Ivory Black. + Uranium Black. + Vine Black. + Nigramine. + Ochre of all colors. + Orange Neutral. + Salts of Mercury. + Sulfapone. + Terre d’Ombre. + Falladium Red. + Vermillion (sulphuret of mercury). + +e. =Hydrocarburets, Heavy Bodies and Oils=: + + Stearic Acid. + Fish Oil. + Fichetelito (C¹⁸ H²²). + Vegetable Fibre. + Glycerin. + Heptana. + Idrialine (C³⁰ H⁵⁴ O²). + Lanoline. + Linoxine. + Marito Lard. + Naphthaline. + Arachyde Oil (Amendoim). + Cole Seed Oil. + Wood Oil, Chinese and Japanese. + Cotton Seed Oil. + Layos Oil. + Banba Oil. + Oil of Wool (fat of wool from sheep). + Linseed Oil. + Corn Oil. + Cod Liver Oil. + Nut Oil. + Olive Oil. + Palm Oil (Attalea Excelsis, Bertholetin Excelsis, Maximiliana regia). + Pine Oil. + Ricine Oil. + Soja Oil. + Calves’ Foot Oil. + Tung Oil. + Vulcanized Oils. + Nitrated Oils. + Parafin. + Pentan. + Petroleum and all its derivatives. + Stearine. + Vaseline. + +f. =Resin, Resinous Gums and Lacs=: + + Yellow Amber. + Ambroid. + Natural Balsam. + Canada Balsam. + Chypre Balsam. + Sulphur Balsam. + Perú Balsam. + Therebentin Balsam. + Talu Balsam. + Benjoim. + Colophane. + Copal. + Banana Gum. + Lac Gum. + Kauri Gum. + Lacs separate. + Enamel Lacs and all their derivatives. + Rhus Lacs. + Mastick. + Rosin Oil. + Ammonia Rosin. + Bourgogue Rosin. + Damar Rosin. + Elemi Rosin. + Hymenea Courbaril. + Rosin (Copal). + Jalap Rosin. + Myrrh Rosin. + Xanthorea Rosin. + Sandarac. + Storax. + Therebentine. + Venice Therebentine and its derivatives. + +g. =Agents of Vulcanization=: + + Metallic Antimony and its derivatives. + Bromurets and all their derivatives. + Calcium and its derivatives. + Caustic Lime. + Chlorine (Cl.) and all its derivatives. + Lead and all its derivatives. + Sulphur and all its derivatives. + Iodine and all its derivatives. + Sodium and its derivatives. + Zinc and its derivatives. + +h. =Fibres and Cloth=: + + Cotton. + Brass. + Cabo Asbestos. + Maselig Asbestos. + Hemp. + Banana Hemp. + India Hemp. + Sisel Hemp. + Madrasta Hemp. + Manila Hemp. + Fibres of all kinds of vegetable or animal origin. + Vulcanized Fibres. + Raphia Fabrics. + Lace. + Flax Thread. + Jute. + Wool. + Flax. + Luffa. + Japan Lacs. + Nanking. + Cotton Cloth. + Asbestos Cloth. + Linen Cloth. + Paper Maché. + Parameta. + Rami. + Silk Cloth, animal and vegetable. + Taffetas. + Zaputtine and its derivatives. + +i. =Isolated Materials=: + + Asbestos and all its derivatives. + Alexite. + Algina. + Amiante. + Asphalt. + Astrictum. + Russian. + Birch. + Animal and Vegetable Tar of lignite, hulha and all their derivatives. + Bitite. + Bitumen. + Colorifugos and all its derivatives. + Cerasine. + Cork. + Cellulose and all its derivatives. + Esbetine. + Eshalite. + Fermantine. + Fassilite. + Fucasine. + Gasoline. + Gelatine. + Gilsonite. + Hermetine. + Karphite. + Lava. + Ledererite. + Lithine. + Lithocarbon. + Manjak. + Marloid. + Mica. + Mecanite. + Oil of Tar. + Okonite. + Ouralite. + Ozocerite. + Ozotere. + Vegetable. + +j. =Divers Materials=: + + Citric acid (C⁶ H⁸ O⁷). + Azotic acid (H. N. O³). + Salicylic acid. + Sehacic acid. + Oxalic acid (C² H² O⁴). + Oleic acid (C¹⁶ H³⁴ O²). + Tartaric acid. + Agalmatolite. + Areometers. + Alkalies. + Ammonia. + Salts of Ammonia. + Aluminum and its derivatives. + Alum. + Starch. + Auhydrite. + Autibenzine Pirine. + Astraline. + Atmold. + Whale Oil. + Balenite. + Balons. + Salts of Baryum. + Materials for bleaching. + Bolus. + Camptulikon. + Afridi Wax. + Japan Wax. + Caruabuba Wax. + Carbarundum. + Materials for + Beech Creosote. + Chlorhydrate of Quinine. + Cyanuret of Potassium. + Caseina. + Ceramyl. + Vegetable Coal. + Coal Dust. + Horn. + Mineral and Vegetable Waxes. + Fish Glue. + Coralline. + Caokaline. + Leather. + Copper and its derivatives. + Dextrina (C¹² A²⁰ O¹⁰). + Dextrose. + Diamond. + Dichlorohydrine. + Dielectrics. + Dielectrine. + Eburine. + Sponges. + Tin and its derivatives. + Eternite. + Flour. + Potato Sediment. + Felds Pathe. + Fibroleum. + Metallic Wires. + Sheets of Tin. + Lasts. + Fuller. + Fustian. + Galalithe. + Gas. + Gaze. + Fish Glue. + Glucose. + Glutin. + Graphite. + Mineral Oils. + Gypsum. + Hemalite. + Hatschetine. + Hydrofugine. + Koalin. + Kisselguhr. + Compound Kirrage. + Lactoleum. + Lederine. + Limeite. + Lactoite. + Lactites. + Material for Polishing. + Magnalium. + Magnesium and its compounds. + Magnesia. + Magnesia Calcinated. + Marble Dust. + Morocoline. + Nickel. + Salt of Nipa. + Nitronaphtaline. + Organdim. + Bones. + Pagodite. + Pantasote. + Petrifite. + Earth of Pipe. + Pumice Stone. + Phosphorus. + Plombago. + Pluviosine. + Salts of Potassium. + Poudre Rouge. + Anti-ronille. + Sand. + Salitre (Nitrate of Potash K. N. O³). + Soap. + Sawdust. + Silicates of Aluminum. + Bronze Silicium. + Hides. + Luberine. + Luberite. + Metallic Sulphuret. + Isinglass. + Tannico. + Metallic Cloth. + Turfa. + Tripoli. + Trichopiese. + Hulha Varnish. + Wood Vinegar. + Vulcoleina. + Wallasine. + Waterproof Varnish. + Whaleboline. + Xylolithe. + + Rio de Janeiro, April 17, 1912. + + PEDRO DE TOLEDO, + Minister of Agriculture. + +[Illustration: GEORGE E. PELL, ESQ. + +Commissioner for the Commercial Association of Pará] + + + + +PARÁ + + +FURTHER DETAILS RELATING TO PARÁ HAVE NOT COME TO HAND UP TO THE TIME OF +GOING TO PRESS + + +COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION, PARÁ (BRAZIL) + +DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS. + + Quality. Weight. Procedence. + + 501 Biscuits Fine Island Rubber, net 1,037 ks. From the Islands. + + 81 Biscuits Fine Island Rubber, net 804 ks. From River Cajary, + Cajary, & partly islands. + + 111 Biscuits Fine Island Rubber, net 756 ks. From River Anapu + Anapu, & partly islands. + + 235 Biscuits Fine Island Rubber, net 1,116 ks. From Island of + Cavianna, Cavianna. + + 145 Biscuits Fine Low Xingú, net 979 ks. From Lower reaches + of River Xingú + (This parcel + contains two + lots, dry and + fresh, should be + separated and + marked “Dry” and + “New”). + + 44 Biscuits} on sticks net 937 ks. From Lower reaches + 10 Biscuits} Fine Itaituba (Tap), of River Tapajos. + + 10 Biscuits Fine High Xingú, net 696 ks. From Higher reaches + of River Xingú, + above rapids. + + 5 Biscuits} on sticks net 1,025 ks. From Higher reaches + 34 Biscuits} Fine Itaituba of River Tapajos, + (Tapajos) Cachoeira, above rapids, + and state of + Matto-Grosso. + + 68 Biscuits Weak Fine Rubber, net 650 ks. From Lower Amazon. + + Island Coarse Rubber, net 1,000 ks. From Islands and + affluents of + Lower Amazon. + + 110 Biscuits Cametá Coarse, net 1,515 ks. From River Cametá + and partly + Islands. + Coarse Itaituba net 302 ks. From River Tapajos. + (Tapajos), + Weak Coarse, net 254 ks. From Lower Amazon. + Tiras (Strips), net 119 ks. From River Tapajos. + + 20 Balls Toc. Caucho Ball, net 911 ks. From River + Tocantins & Rio + Fresco. + + 30 Balls Tap. Caucho Ball, net 1,061 ks. From Higher reaches + Cachoeira, of River Tapajos, + above rapids, + and State of + Matto-Grosso. + + 20 Balls High Xingú Caucho Ball, net 1,044 ks. From Higher reaches + of River Xingú. + + 2 Bags—1 Bag Inaja Palm Nuts Used for curing + Fine Rubber. + 1 Bag Urucuri Palm Nuts Used for curing + Fine Rubber. + + 2 Boxes—4 & 5 Tin Cups, etc., for collecting Latex + + 1 Case—No. 3 Natural Woods—2 blocks of wood and shavings, used for + curing rubber + + 1 Box Machadinhos (Hatchets), collecting and curing utensils + + 1 Box Wooden Stand used for curing large biscuits of rubber. + + + + +The AMAZONAS Section + + +AMAZON STATE IS THE LARGEST ONE IN BRAZIL + +Area in square kilometers, 1,894,724. + +Population, 600,000 inhabitants. + +Capital, Manáos; 60,000 inhabitants, 32ᵐ, 40ᵐ height from sea-level. + +It exports rubber and woods for construction and for other works, Pará +nuts, Guaraná and some other products. + +Beans, corn, rice and almost every kind of cereals grow there beautifully. + +It is put in communication with Europe by one English and two German +Steamship Companies, and by cable and wireless telegraphy. These +companies have improved their steamers, which go to Europe. To the United +States it is served only by the English company, every ten days. They are +cargo boats. + +Principal cities: Stacoatiara, Manicoré, Humaythé, Teffé, Parintins and +Labrea. + +Medium temperature, 27° 2′ centigrade. + +Rains—Evaporation in mm., 1592,0. Height, 1525,3 (in 202 days). + +Wind—Velocity in one second, 1ᵐ, 60. Direction, east. + + +EXPORTS OF RUBBER FROM STATE OF AMAZONAS SINCE 1827 UP TO 1907 + + Years. Kilograms. + 1837 802,410 + 1847 4,286,570 + 1857 7,134,195 + 1867 2,969,070 + 1877 17,403,574 + 1887 43,454,671 + 1897 106,424,423 + 1907 120,434,947 + +From 1827 to 1852 the exports belong to Pará and Amazonas together. + +[Illustration: COLONEL ANTONIO CLEMENTE RIBEIRO BITTENCOURT + +Governor of the State of the Amazonas, Brazil] + +[Illustration: PORT OF MANÁOS] + +[Illustration: DR. MANOEL LOBATO + +Commissioner for the State of the Amazonas, Brazil, also of Matto Grosso +and the Federal Territory of Acre] + + +RUBBER IN THE STATE OF AMAZONAS + +General Ideas about the State. Progress in the Means of Transportation. +Climatological Conditions. + +The State of the Amazonas is the largest one in the Brazilian Republic. +Notwithstanding its well-known natural resources that are not limited, +according to many persons, to the precious milk of the rubber tree—that +wonderful tree of fortune—which is disputed by various producing centers, +its vast territory is yet far from being completely and properly +populated. + +The emigration currents towards that section have started lately, so that +the population of hardly over two hundred thousand souls a few years ago, +to-day is over six hundred thousand inhabitants, without any exaggeration. + +As such changes are taking place the conditions of life are being altered +every day. It is true that there still prevails in the books of gay +tourists who consider humbug as a condition of inexhaustible success, the +impression that the native indians travel about half nude and armed with +arches and arrows, chasing the lost Europeans through such outlandish +regions of the world. + +The remark, however, is not based on real facts. The native Indians are +not now to be found in very accessible places. The foreigner who lands in +the Amazonas capital, for instance, may be sure that his habits and his +civilization will not cause any fright. + +It is difficult to find among the natives who possess some education and +means one who has not been through several European countries, especially +France; so that as soon as the visitor lands he notices an atmosphere of +modern improvements and all the novelty and gay spirit of Parisian life; +the latest fashions are found at once in Manáos. + +The progress of that beautiful princess of the Rio Negro (Black River) +is most remarkable, because it is at the most only twenty years. Until +the proclamation of the Republic in Brazil, Manáos amounted to almost +nothing. From 1889 to this date began its stupendous development, +counting already over 60,000 inhabitants. + +[Illustration: A. W. STEDMAN, ESQ. + +Commissioner for the Commercial Association of the State of Manáos, Matto +Grosso, and the Federal Territory of Acre, Brazil] + +To-day it has comfortable homes, good and solid buildings of artistic +architecture. Its port is perfectly fitted to receive the visits of the +large transatlantic steamers, which places it in communication with the +leading European ports. The navigation line for the United States, served +by an English company, is not yet of the required progress to insure all +the necessary comfort to the passengers who venture to undertake the +long trip. Furthermore, it is served by steamers that do not possess the +modern requirements of speed, which at present is of first interest not +only for the passengers who look for a pleasure resort as well as for the +intercourse of commercial relations with the world’s markets. That is the +reason why the interchange between Amazonas and New York has been rather +slow, which interchange could be of greater magnitude than it is to-day +if there was a more intimate knowledge between the parties. + +I would not want to end this information about the capital of the State +of Amazonas without quoting some paragraphs from the excellent work, “The +Rubber Country of the Amazon,” written by Mr. Henry C. Pearson, Editor of +the “India Rubber World”: + +“When one considers that this city is a thousand miles from the seacoast, +in the heart of a vast tropical jungle, with wild Indians within a +hundred miles of it, its presence seems incredible. In a way, it is as +modern as New York or Chicago. The latest Parisian fashions are there, +and almost anything that civilized man desires is obtainable. Prices are +high, to be sure, because both luxuries and necessities are imported and +subject to a duty of 100 per cent. But when something besides rubber is +produced by the magnificently fertile lands that surround it, Manáos +will be one of the great and beautiful cities of the world and living as +reasonable as anywhere.” + +That progress, although it has been made principally in Manáos, in some +form is also affecting the interior of the State. The river navigation is +made quicker than before and on elegant and up-to-date steamers, which +navigate throughout all the tributaries of the Amazon River. + +Furthermore, the Madeira-Mamoré railroad has produced a great improvement +in the transportation facilities adopted in the State for the quick +delivery of merchandise in the interior. + +The most distant points of the territory are now connected by wireless +telegraphy. The news of the world can be transmitted daily to the capital +of the State by means of double river cable and by wireless telegraphy of +the Marconi system. + +The climatic conditions are not so terrible as pictured in the minds +of the outside people, who do not know the real facts and the true +geographic situation of the State. + +[Illustration: CAOUTCHOUC PROCESS No. 1. + +The Men Set to Work Bleeding the Base of the Castillôa.] + +Mr. A. R. Wallace, in his “Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio +Negro,” and Captain Maury, in his book “The Amazon and the Atlantic Coast +of South America,” show themselves so enthusiastic over the climate of +Amazonas and recommend it “as one of the healthiest and mildest in the +world.” That easy enthusiasm is not so good for us as the competent +French engineer, Mr. Paul Le Cointe’s opinion, after many years in the +northern part of Brazil. Thus he expresses himself: + +“The Amazonia, an immense tableland slightly concave, situated entirely +in the tropics, crossed by rivers of colossal dimensions, with lakes +and swamps, the remains of the original water basin, badly separated by +modern alluvium land, covered with impenetrable forests from which emerge +here and there some plains, ought to have a specially hot, damp and +unhealthy climate. + +“That is the reputation which it has enjoyed for a long time and which +has frightened away the European immigration; but it is not deserved in +such an absolute manner; as a hot country is perhaps on the contrary the +less deadly for the settler as well as for the traveler.” + + +THE AMAZON AS RUBBER PRODUCER + +It is indeed very difficult if not absolutely impossible to limit the +rubber producing region of Amazonas. In almost the whole of the vast +territory of that State there are found rubber trees and where they do +not grow, they certainly can be successfully planted. Over large tracts +of lands on the banks of rivers not navigable, there are extensive rubber +forests not explored on account of lack of population. + +That exuberance of the Amazonian flora, that arrangement of nature to +furnish resources to the rubber extractor for many years, kept him away +from any other occupation except that of raising the arm and wounding the +tree of fortune in order to obtain prosperity. There was no necessity of +planting that which the open road of the forest presents at each step; +also why worry with a view to obtaining any other process of securing the +“=hevea brasiliensis=” when its milk in the primitive state is obtained +at the lowest price of exploitation and cultivation, preserving all the +excellent qualities of the rubber? + +The presence of competitors in the world’s market, more than the damage +caused to the health by the smoking process of coagulation, is the +reason to establish new exploitation. The rubber plantation is now being +conducted perhaps without obeying the scientific criterion, but more in +the shape of facilitating the gathering of the =latex=. + +[Illustration: RUBBER-WORKER PERREIRA AND WIFE IN THEIR SUNDAY CLOTHES.] + +One hears a good deal about high prices in the Amazonas, and careless +observers state in opposition to that the cheapness of life in the +Asiatic Islands and other points of the world. I do not think that a +thoughtful person without any interest in connection with enterprises +and plantations elsewhere in the world, would be able to use such an +assertion, which is so unjust. + +The French engineer, Mr. Paul Le Cointe, who is an expert in the matter, +writes the following: + +“For the work to be executed, the number of workmen required is much less +where the production of those men is high, hence to calculate the price +of hand work, the individual production is the factor that may become +more important than the pay to the men who work by the day. + +“In the Far East, the workmen are paid from Fr. 75 to Fr. 1.25, equal to +14 cents to 23 cents, approximately, including feeding. In the Amazonas, +the pay per day amounts to Frs. 4.75, or that is, almost 91 cents for all +the work, which is three to four times more.” + +Let us examine the cost in Asia and in the Amazonas for the different +work required by the cultivation of the rubber trees. + +According to Mr. Stanley Arden, it is about 38 cents for each kilogram +of rubber in the plantation (the data that I am presenting in connection +with this matter is from the book of Mr. Le Cointe, entitled “Le +Caoutchouc Amazonien et son Concurrent Asiatique”). + +Mr. Lamy Torrilhon speaks about the Kuala Lampur Rubber Company (Malay), +which had in 1909, 404,012 rubber trees from one to six years old. +Calculating the price of cultivation of that rubber at Fr. 4 per kilogram +or approximately 76 cents, Mr. Stanley Arden also calculated that the +cost of a hectar of plantation before reaching the period of exploitation +(the sixth year, according to him) was only Fr. 816, or more or less +$157, including the salaries and establishment of European employees, and +Mr. M. G. Vernet, of the Pasteur Institute of Nha-Trang, calculated Fr. +3,000, about $580. + +Mr. Le Cointe further states that Mr. Stanley Arden in his calculations +of expense seems to presume the plantation in lands not thickly wooded, +because he counts for the burning and clearing of the land, hardly +one-third the cost of felling the trees, when in the forest it is about +the same. Of course, lands not properly protected and in the virgin state +in the tropical countries, are less fertile than those covered with thick +forests, furthermore the lands that have been devoted to a prolonged +cultivation of plants, like coffee, tea, etc., are to a large extent +exhausted, and if rubber trees were attempted to be planted there, the +result would be that it would largely lose the advantages by having to +fell new trees. + +[Illustration: BRANDING RUBBER ON THE SAND-BAR.] + +Mr. Le Cointe also speaks of about 225 trees per kilogram, when +practically that number can be doubled; besides this the calculation made +by the same author of about $18 for the clearing of the hectar, at the +rate of $14 per day for each workman shows that the price for that work +in almost clean land will take sixty-two days, whereas in the Amazonas we +only count on twenty-six days for each clearing of a hectar in a virgin +forest. + +This argument, it seems to me, shows that there is a purpose to bring up +a cheapness which is more apparent than real, with the determination of +recommending the Asiatic plantations to the detriment of the Amazonas +rubber plantations. + +This plan of attack is not the most correct one. We have the advantage +of having workmen who easily adapt themselves to the producing land, and +with the measures of protection that the Government is going to guarantee +to the rubber planters, the life of the contractor is going to become +easier. + +The tree which is planted in its own region, is less subject to ravages, +being less persecuted by the destroying parasites, is not violently fell +by hard winds. + +As every day increases the number of industries which requires rubber +as a raw material, it is therefore necessary to exploit it in different +centers, counting even with possible disaster, but nowhere in the world, +in accordance with the most reliable statistics, is there more favorable +land for the planting of rubber trees than in the various territories +of the Amazonas. That territory has been placed by nature to be the +emporium of that industry, and counts with all the means to preserve +that privilege, and for the guarantee of the planter as soon as the +rubber tree develops itself, it has other resinous trees suitable for +construction, and excellent fibres which can be sold at a profit. The +Brazilian walnut is so abundant there that it is a second source of +income in the State of Amazonas. + + +THE PRODUCTION OF RUBBER + +Only during the first six months of this year, notwithstanding that +the time for the full crop was not as yet due, from Manáos there were +exported to the United States 2,328,389 kilograms of fine rubber, 602,180 +medium quality, sernamby 991,088, caucho 798,024; to Europe, first +quality 2,449,776, medium quality 407,278, sernamby 507,860, caucho +1,368,489; from Itacoatiara, first quality 37,240, medium 3,858, sernamby +26,237, caucho 11,405, that is for the Amazonas a total of 9,531,824 +kilograms, almost half of the export of 22,902,401 kilograms made in that +period for that State, besides that of Pará and Iquitos. The production +of Amazonas in 1910 was 10,466,231 kilograms; in 1911, 10,122,242; this +year, it is expected that there will be an increase of more than 15 per +cent of the production of last year. + +[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF A RUBBER-WORKER’S HUT. + +There Were Always Two or Three Hammocks.] + +This is due only to the active work of a few thousand workmen. What would +be the colossal production of that territory, when the work of the men +will be facilitated by a rational distribution of rubber trees! + +Reflecting upon that, I am reminded of the words of Dr. T. Huber: + +“A regular planting industry will have a marked and salutary influence +upon the extraction of wild rubber and the management of wild rubber +forests.” + +Furthermore, I have the full conviction that the future of that industry +competently managed will offer in Amazonas, and in order to be more +exact, in Brazil, more guarantees of success than in any other region in +the world. + + M. LOBATO. + +[Illustration: RUBBER-WORKERS’ HOME NEAR LAKE INNOCENCE.] + + + + +BRAZIL + +The States of Amazonas and Matto-Grosso, and the Acre Territory + + +The Commercial Association of Amazonas exhibits samples of rubber from +the States of Amazonas and Matto-Grosso, and from the Acre Territory, +having been authorized by the respective Governments for this purpose. + + +STATE OF AMAZONAS + +The main stream of the River Amazon flows through the entire territory of +this State, and within its boundaries is joined by many tributaries. + +The boundary with the State of Pará is formed by the same river, and that +with Matto-Grosso and the Republic of Bolivia by the Upper Madeira River. +The River Javary, a tributary of the Solimões (or Upper Amazon), forms +the boundary with Perú, as does the Upper Rio Negro (the waters of which +connect with the Orinoco through the Cassiquari Canal), with Venezuela. +Before the formation of the Federal Acre Territory, the upper reaches of +the Rivers Acre, Purús, and Juruá also constituted the frontiers of the +State of Amazonas with Perú and Bolivia. + +The capital of the State, Manáos, is situated in the bay of the Rio +Negro, three days distant by steamer from the capital of the adjoining +State, Pará. The nearest European port, Lisbon, can be reached in +thirteen days, and New York in eighteen days. + +Manáos is the turning-point for ocean going steamers from the United +States of America, and Europe, as well as from the South of Brazil. + +The companies engaged in the transatlantic service are: + +=The Booth Steamship Co., Ltd.= (British), with four sailings each way +to and from Liverpool per month, calling at Itacoatiara, Pará, Madeira, +Lisbon, Leixoes (Oporto), Vigo and Cherbourg, and three sailings to and +from New York per month, calling at Pará and Barbadoes. + +=The Hamburg-Amerika Line= and =Hamburg-Sudamerikanische +Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft= (German), with two sailings per month to +and from Hamburg, calling at Pará, Madeira, Lisbon, Leixoes (Oporto), +Havre and Antwerp. =The Booth Steamship Co., Ltd.=, also runs two lines, +one from Liverpool and the other from New York, as far as Iquitos, the +capital and principal port of the Loreto province of Perú. Maritime +communication with Southern Brazil is maintained by the “=Lloyd +Brazileiro=” and the “=Cia. de Commercio e Navegação=,” the former having +six steamers per month, and the latter three. The voyage from Manáos to +Rio de Janeiro occupies from 14 to 16 days. + +[Illustration: MAP OF MANÁOS] + +The river navigation is controlled by the Amazon River Navigation Co. +(1911), Ltd., and numerous private steamers, which form a flotilla only +to be compared with that of the River Mississippi. A new company “A +Companhia Navegação do Amazonas” is about to commence operations. All +these steamers call at Manáos, or have their headquarters there. + +Telegraphic communication is as follows: By means of the =Amazon +Telegraph Co., Ltd.=, in combination with the Western Telegraph Co. to +and from all parts of the world. + +=Wireless Telegraphy= (Marconi and Telefunken systems), is already making +considerable headway. The Marconi station at Manáos, in the hands of the +Madeira Mamoré Railway Co., receives and transmits messages to and from +Porto Velho, on the Madeira River, the starting point and headquarters +of the railroad, as well as to and from the Telefunken stations at Senna +Madureira, Empreza and Cruzeiro do Sul (the capital towns of the three +divisions of the Acre Territory). + +These last stations are not yet open for use by the public, and other +intermediate stations are still in course of construction. + +Manáos has also a station of the =Amazon Wireless Telegraph & Telephone +Co., Ltd.=, which transmits messages to Pará, and has lately been in +regular communication with the station in Iquitos belonging to the +Peruvian Government. By this route it is possible to send messages to +Lima, the capital of Perú, on the Pacific Coast. However, the Company +mentioned has so far not succeeded in obtaining the official permission +of the Brazilian Government to operate in Brazil. + +Manáos has a permanent population of upwards of 70,000 inhabitants. Its +houses and public buildings conform to modern architectural ideas, and +some of its buildings, such as the State Theatre, the Public Library, +the Palace of Justice and the “Benjamin Constant” Orphan Asylum are +magnificent. + +The streets, squares and avenues are well lighted by electricity and +the town possesses an excellent electric tramway system. The drainage +scheme is almost completed, and the water supply is very satisfactory. +The port works are in the hands of the Manáos Harbor, Ltd. There are some +excellent hotels, and a splendid telephone service. + +The following banks carry on operations in Manáos: + +=The London & Brazilian Bank, Ltd.=, and =The London & River Plate Bank, +Ltd.= (British), agencies. + +=Banco do Brazil= (Brazilian), agency. + +=Banco Amazonense= (Brazilian), Head Office. + +[Illustration: A “SERINGUEIRO” TAPPING A RUBBER TREE.] + +=Banking Firms=: Zarges Ohliger & Co. (German). + +=Life, Fire & Marine Insurance Companies=: + +Northern Insurance Co. (British), agency. + +Royal Insurance Co. (British), agency. + +“Mannheim” Insurance Co. (German), agency. + +Lloyd Amazonense (Brazilian), head office. + +And agencies of the following Brazilian companies: Garantia da Amazonia, +Seguradora Paraense, Allianca da Bahia, Commercial Paraense, Lloyd +Paraense, Allianca Paraense. + +Rubber is the chief industry of the State, being its principal product +and source of income. The predominance of this industry dates from 1863, +and within a few years it superseded entirely the planting of rice, +coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, beans and maize. + +Up to 1870 rubber was generally exported in the form of roughly made +shoes, hats and caps, as well as in sacks and in bulk, the greater part +of it going to New York, via Pará. Later, the present system of biscuits +or balls, cut and packed in cases, came into use. + +Considerable business has always been done in Amazon with the United +States of America, although formerly the proportion shipped to America +was greater than at present, as it was only in later years that the heavy +competition by London and Liverpool came into being. + +The production of the various rivers during 1911 was: + + River Solimões 865,000 kilos + Purús 3,019,000 ” + Acre 371,000 ” + Juruá 2,055,000 ” + Madeira 1,370,000 ” + Javary 1,420,000 ” + Japurá 70,000 ” + Jutahy 287,000 ” + Negro 679,000 ” + Branco 33,000 ” + Lower Amazon 194,000 ” + +The rubber exporting houses are: + + Zarges Ohliger & Co. (German). + Adelbert H. Alden, Ltd. (American). + Ahlers & Co. (German). + General Rubber Co. of Brazil (American). + De Lagotellerie & Co. (French). + +[Illustration: “DEFUMADOR,” OR SMOKING-HUT.] + + +STATE OF AMAZON EXHIBIT INCLUDES: + + Pyramid of 50 tons rubber. + Models of River Steamers. + Rubber Milk. + Photographs and Maps. + Rubber Toys, etc., made by natives. + Basins, Pails, etc. + Large Rubber Tree Stump and several Young Rubber Trees. + + =Exhibited by Messrs. Asenei & Co., River Madeira.= + + Rubber Milk. + Nuts and Appliances for Smoking Rubber. + + =Exhibited by Sno. Raymundo Monteiro da Costa.= + + +COMPARATIVE RUBBER STATISTICS + + Comparative Rates of Fine Pará. + Liverpool. New York. + + s. d. s. d. + 1894 2 9 to 3 1 $0.64½ to $0.73 + 1895 3 0¼ to 3 4¼ .70 to .81½ + 1896 3 0½ to 3 8¾ .71 to .85 + 1897 3 5 to 3 9 .79½ to .89 + 1898 3 7½ to 4 5 .82 to 1.06 + 1899 3 10 to 4 7¼ .91 to 1.10 + 1900 3 8½ to 4 9 .83 to 1.11½ + 1901 3 4 to 3 11½ .76 to .95 + 1902 2 10 to 3 9½ .66 to .92 + 1903 3 6¼ to 4 8 .78 to 1.13 + 1904 3 10¾ to 5 6 .89 to 1.32 + 1905 4 10¼ to 5 8¾ 1.13 to 1.35 + 1906 4 11½ to 5 5½ 1.16 to 1.28 + 1907 2 11¾ to 5 3 .69 to 1.24 + 1908 2 9¼ to 5 5 .65 to 1.30 + 1909 4 10 to 9 2 1.13 to 2.15 + 1910 4 10 to 12 4½ 1.16 to 2.90 + 1911 3 10 to 7 1 .90 to 1.67 + + + + +FEDERAL TERRITORY OF ACRE + +[Illustration: SERINGUEIRO SMOKING RUBBER AT ALTO ACRE.] + + + + +THE ACRE + +THE FLUVIAL REGION THAT IS RICHEST IN RUBBER + + +As far as the wealth of rubber obtained from natural sources is +concerned, Brazil ranks first among all the world’s rubber producing +countries. While the East Indian section, with its plantation grown +product, has already outstripped her in the quantity of its annual +plantation output, the superior excellence of genuine Pará rubber has not +been attained. The “fine rubber” that comes from the inundated region of +the lower river country is best known. In the upper districts of various +southern affluents, fine rubber trees grow, but no longer in the lowlands +that have long been subject to inundation, they occur rather in forests +that are overflowed seldom, if at all, that even extend over the hilly +districts. The method of collection and the entire operation of rubber +production varies in many respects from the more familiar methods of +the inundated districts. This applies particularly to Acre, with its +characteristic and peculiar river section. + +To explore this section, from economic and scientific points of view, I +undertook a journey last year, 1911, at the instance of the Associação +Commercial. + +The results of this journey will be embodied in a detail report, it is at +present proposed to make only a brief summary to supplement the pictures +shown in the exhibition. + +Our better knowledge of Acre dates back barely a quarter of a century. At +that period uncertainty prevailed as to which of the countries adjoining +Acre, Brazil, Bolivia and Perú, were the owners of the territory. In +more recent times these conditions have been adjusted, the greater part +having been awarded to Brazil, while Bolivia received a portion of the +left bank of the upper Acre. The boundary between Bolivia and Perú is as +yet undecided. The latter country includes the uppermost left bank of the +source section which contains but few fine rubber trees. + +[Illustration: DR. CARLOS DE CERQUEIRA PINTO, + +Inventor of a Smokeless Process for Curing Rubber.] + +[Illustration: LANDSCAPE ON THE BANKS OF THE ALTO ACRE.] + +The Acre is a right affluent of the larger tributaries of the Purús, +entering above the mouth of the Rio Negro and coming from the Southwest, +and flows, like these, through the boundless forest tracts of the Amazon +River country. It rises in elevated ground, East of the Andes, in a +still partly explored territory, very difficult of access, at about +the eleventh degree of southern latitude and 70½ longitude and flows +at first eastward, to the Bolivian boundary at 69°. From this point, +the Acre flows first Northeast, with a constantly increasing northerly +inclination, until it enters the Central Purús at 8⅔ South latitude and +67½ longitude. The small steamers run from this point to the junction +with the Amazon and on to Manáos in six to eight days. + +In November more than 40 large and small steamers are despatched from +Pará and Manáos. They carry supplies for the rubber district and load, +for the return trip, fine rubber and other caoutchouc varieties. Such +steamers have, as a rule, a cargo capacity of 100 to 300 tons. The +largest, taking as much as 500 tons, are at most 50 to 60 meters in +length. + +The journey from Manáos to the Purús, is usually accomplished in one day. +The Purús is a stately river, which, in its lower reaches often attains +a breadth of 1,000 meters and although it gradually narrows, it always +retains, until its confluence with the Acre, a breadth of several hundred +meters. + +The trip to that point takes, as a rule, 12 to 16 days and except for the +last stretch of about three days, is open all the year. Here is the place +called Cochoeiras, where there are rapids, which during the dry season of +about four months, obstruct steam navigation on the Purús. The Acre, on +the other hand, has a narrow but deep bed, is rarely over 100 meters wide +and often contracts to 50 to 60 meters. In the dense forests, there may +be seen, from time to time, clearings on the banks with the =Baracâos= +that are the stations for the fine rubber business. Also occasional +larger places of residence, villages and little towns, where longer stops +are often made, are encountered. + +We first pass Antimary, at the mouth of a river similarly named. Then we +soon reach Porto de Acre, a large residential place, where the steamers +must have their papers passed and pay duties. + +This is the beginning of the Federal territory, which is separate from +the State of Amazonas and is subject to the central government in Rio +de Janeiro. Hardly a day’s journey up stream lies the little town of +Empreza, with its picturesque houses embowered in foliage. It is the most +important place on the lower Acre and the second largest residential town +in Acre Territory. + +About three days’ journey up the river the town of Hapury is reached, +which contains several thousand inhabitants and enjoys a considerable +trade. It is the largest and most important town in the entire Acre +territory. + +[Illustration: ON THE LOWER ACRE.] + +When at times in the river’s narrow water course there are a dozen +large steamers lying and a lively business intercourse is everywhere in +progress, the scene, in the depth of the primeval forest, creates quite +an imposing impression. Hapury is considered already in the district of +Alta Acre and from this point, the difficulty of navigation increases, +the breadth and volume of water of the river alike decreasing. Very +rapidly during long, rainless periods, the river water level lowers +and the further progress of the steamers becomes impossible. They must +anchor at a convenient place and wait until the river rises again. In +lower Acre, where water is more plentiful, such interruptions are less +frequent, but in upper Acre they are the rule. The farther the river is +ascended the more frequent are these compulsory stoppages, often lasting +eight to fourteen days. High-water in the river often lasts but a few +days, so that the steamers must stop again. Then too, the many windings +of the river make navigation exceedingly difficult. On the upper Acre +travel is by day only, boats laying to at night. + +Following the course of the river, 85 kilometers above Hapury, Igarapé +de Bahia is reached, on the Bolivian border and then the little town of +Cobija. It is situated on the right bank and belongs to Bolivia, whereas +on the left bank, Brazilian territory continues. The steamers here are +subject to the Bolivian customs regulations and must pay duty on all +goods destined for Bolivia. + +A large number of the steamers that start from Manáos, go only as far as +this or as Hapury, only a few venture to penetrate further and are not +deterred by the great loss of time. + +Above Cobija are some of the most productive rubber sections where there +are goods to discharge and rubber to be loaded. A few steamers follow +the Bolivian border up to the terminal station, Tacna. Here, as a small +affluent from the right, the Taverija flows into the Acre, forming at the +same time the boundary between Bolivia and Perú. + +Bolivia maintains here a small military post, whereas there is only a +commissioner for Perú. If the steamer has met with favorable conditions, +the trip from Manáos may have been made in a month; ordinarily, however, +it takes two or three months. The return trip is made much faster, some +steamers, that do not stop, make Manáos from upper Acre in fourteen days. + +Above Tacna there are but two rubber forest districts or seringaes as +they are termed, the Seringal Auristella on the Peruvian side and the +Seringal St. Francisco on the Brazilian side. The latter is a very +productive and still young rubber forest, farther up the river the fine +rubber trees suddenly cease and their output is no longer remunerative. + +[Illustration: RUBBER TREE AT HAPURY.] + +The climate, like that of the Amazon country, is humid and hot, with +a rainy and a dry season. The southerly situation, however, causes a +somewhat more marked difference between the two seasons. In April, the +rains become less frequent and then, until October, there are no or but +very few heavy precipitations; some times the fallen leaves on the ground +in the woods are dried out and even the dew is absent. There then occur, +however, especially in the months of June, July and August, steady cold +spells, when the thermometer, in the morning, sinks to 8° C. and often +does not go above 12° C. during the day. These so-called =Friazens= last +several days and are recurrent, but cease in September. Thunder storms +and violent rain storms begin in October, so that in November the rivers +are usually navigable again. In December the first steamships arrive. In +January and February a rainless period is frequent, which is followed, in +March and April again, by a rainy spell. Many steamers undertake, usually +at this time, their second voyage and if they have good fortune they make +three trips to upper Acre. + +The copious precipitation, the heat and the fertile soil have produced +in Acre a luxuriant primeval forest, which is higher and more densely +overgrown than that of the lower river courses of the Amazon country. +Trees of 40 to 50 meters in height are not infrequent, they form a forest +of varied composition. There may be found here representatives of the +most diverse plant families; some of which, in the cool season, lose +their foliage. The forest is densely overgrown with plants, shoots and +shrubs. Where a thorny growth, Tapoea and other underbrush gets the upper +hand, a macheté or axe is necessary in forcing a path through the virgin +forest. + +Various kinds of trees are used by the natives for building houses, +fashioning canoes and other purposes. For export, however, neither these +useful woods nor many other products of the forest, have attained any +importance. The fruit of the cacao tree and Pará nuts, rot on the ground, +transportation to Manáos being too costly. The caoutchouc products are, +however, present in such abundance and possess such great value, that +their acquisition and transportation recompenses every effort and have +been the cause of the development in these distant primeval forests of a +busy life. + +The water in the deeply hollowed bed of the Acre, swells in flood time +and submerges the land on the adjacent shores and some sand banks, but +for the most part does not penetrate into the forest or only for a short +period. The flooded forests of the lower water courses, often miles in +extent, are lacking and the fine rubber trees grown on land free from +inundation, often reaches up into the hills in the hilly or mountainous +district. + +[Illustration: JUNCTION OF THE ACRE RIVER WITH THE PURÚS.] + +The fine rubber tree belongs to the Hevea brasiliensis, Mull. Arg. or to +their near families. It is higher and more vigorous than the trees in +the inundated districts and has somewhat larger and longer seeds. Trees +of more than 40 meters in height and up to five meters in circumference, +are not rare. Whether the Acre fine rubber tree is a special species +or a variety of Hevea Braziliensis, can be determined only by a very +painstaking investigation. In yield of rubber and quality of product, the +Acre tree surpasses that of the inundated districts. + +Of other Hevea varieties Hevea cuneata Hub. the Seringa vermelha, occurs +but rarely, also sapium tapurú, Ule, is found but rarely. Castillôa Ulei, +Warb., the “caucho” of the Peruvians, is quite plentiful and is generally +utilized, its exploitation being regarded sometimes as more profitable +than the fine rubber. Just as in the Amazon country, under the title +“caoutchouc,” the product of castillôa is mainly understood, so, in Acre, +for the yield of the Hevea, the name “fine rubber” is used. + +At present, there are on the Acre no unowned, unused lands, but some of +the seringaes in operation are capable of further development. In lower +Acre there are many seringaes that are badly exhausted and furnish but a +small yield. The rubber collectors too, who, as is well-known, cut down +the Castillôa trees, are compelled to go further into upper Acre all the +time to find profitable work. + +Acre territory is regarded as the most productive fine rubber section, +especially on its borders; on the little river Hapury and towards the +Taurumano, which belongs to the water-shed of the Madeira, the output is +said to be exceedingly rich. In proportion to their longitudinal extent, +the extent of the woods belonging to Acre, in breadth, is comparatively +small, for in a one or two days’ journey, it is possible to reach the +district of another river. The rubber forest properties are consequently +all measured from the river and include usually, a territory of several +hundred square kilometers, often in fact, equal to small principalities. +Many owners have also several seringaes, often in Bolivia and Brazil +simultaneously. + +In such a seringal on the river bank, the dwelling with warehouse +accommodations and sales-place, is erected, known as the Baracâo in +contradistinction to the small Baraken of the work people. + +About the Baracâo the forest is usually cleared to afford land for +planting and pasture for the cattle. + +The management of the seringal and its entire business, proceeds from the +Baracâo. According to the extent of the seringal, from twenty to several +hundred work people are employed on it. Through the entire forest, paths, +known as =estradas=, are laid out, from which all obstructive brush and +hanging creepers, are cut away with the macheté. These =estradas=, where +possible, are laid out in loops, so that they lead back to the starting +point and are so planned as to include from 100 to 150 fine rubber trees. + +[Illustration: SERINGAL WITH THE RUBBER ON THE ALTO ACRE.] + +Every seringueiro is allotted two or three =estradas= to work. These +seringueiros live in the interior of the forest in special =baraken=, +either with their families, or usually several together. The different +=baraken= are connected by broader roads that can be traversed by mules. + +In May or June, after the =estradas= have previously been put in order, +the gathering of fine rubber commences. The seringueiro proceeds in the +early morning into the forest, taps the trees in the customary manner +with the little axe Maschadi, attaches the tin cups and afterwards +collects the accumulated milk. It is afternoon when he reaches home with +the milk he has collected in a rubber bag or in tin cans, to be smoked. +In a little hut, roofed with palm-straw, the smoking is proceeded with. +Pieces of wood that give a copious smoke are burned and over the fire +is placed a tin cylinder, known as a =Boião=. The seringueiro first +collects, in the middle of a round, strong stick, some coagulated rubber +milk and pours the still fluid milk, which he has in a large tin dish, +over this place, turning the stick so that the smoke can impregnate the +coagulating caoutchouc. He continues this operation until the milk in the +tin pan is all used up. + +By this means, a rubber ball is produced which is enlarged in the +succeeding days until it weighs about 50 kilos. The stick is then +withdrawn and the ball, stored with others, until the mule train +comes for it. A mule can carry on each side of him 50 kilos without +over-exerting himself. + +If, however, the weight of the ball exceeds sixty kilos, the mules are +overloaded and the seringueiro who made the balls pays a fine. Where the +dwelling place of the seringueiro is near a river and the fine rubber can +be transported by canoe, larger balls, that often weigh more than 100 +kilos are made. + +This gathering and preparation of the fine rubber differs materially +from that practiced on the lower water courses where the milk is smoked +with much greater care, on the shovel shaped mould and the balls, as a +rule, weigh but 10 to 30 kilos. On the Acre, the seringueiro will gather +in a day 15 to 25 liters of milk, which will yield 7 to 12 kilos of dry +rubber, whereas in the inundated section he will be able to gather but +one-half or one-third as much. Of course the seringueiro can smoke the +milk much more carefully and take certain precautions, as for instance, +that the rubber-milk is never heated. On the Acre on the other hand, the +milk is warmed as a rule, because otherwise the large mass is difficult +to manage. There is no question but that in this manner the quality of +the rubber, which is prepared from the best material and certainly would +yield the best product, suffers. Nevertheless the rubber balls from Acre, +prepared in the primitive manner, furnish a good and much sought for +rubber. The tapping of the trees also is often effected with less care, +small steel axes being used that make wounds that are too deep and as a +result, the seringaes in the Acre are exhausted more quickly than those +in the inundated district. + +[Illustration: A HUT ON THE UPPER ACRE IN WHICH RUBBER IS SMOKED.] + +From the =baracâos=, the stations on the banks of the river, small mule +trains proceed to the interior to bring in the rubber balls, which are +laid in rows, usually in the open air, so that they will be thoroughly +dried before loading them on the steamer. By the same mules, food and +supplies are sent to the seringueiros in the forest. When the rubber +gathering ceases in December or January, the seringueiro has other +important work to do. Roads must be opened and repaired, clearings made +in the forest, huts erected, wood cut and finally the paths set in order +for the approaching harvest. During the rainy season, the steamer brings +new supplies and food, which the seringueiro must buy at the =Baracâo=. + +Concerning the duties the seringueiro has to perform, there are special +regulations, which prevail in most seringaes and of which written or +printed copies are often furnished. + +To each seringueiro is allotted two or three estradas, each with 120 +to 200 trees. For this he pays 15 per cent of his gathering of fine +rubber to the owner of the forest and an additional 10 per cent if he +uses the mules for transportation. The remaining rubber belongs to the +seringueiro in so far as he does not have to pay it for goods purchased. +As a rule, the owner purchases a portion of the product on the spot at +a price that is, of course, somewhat lower than is paid in Manáos, the +remaining portion is shipped, for account of the seringueiro, to Pará +and Manáos, and he receives the full market price for it, of course, +after deducting freight and duties. The balance is placed to the credit +of the seringueiro and paid to the firm representing the owner in Manáos +or Pará. Certain items, for instance, the price of Sernamby, consisting +of residual scraps of rubber, the seringueiro also receives in Acre. In +some cases payments are made in rubber products, a form of payment quite +common in other transactions. + +On the upper Acre, a seringueiro will usually collect in a day as much +milk as will yield from 6 to 15 kilos of fine rubber. Two liters of this +milk yield a kilo of dry rubber, whereas with Manihot Glaziovi, 3 liters +are required for this. Exceptional cases occur where the seringueiro +furnishes milk for 20 to 25 kilos of fine rubber in one day. Daily +collections of more than 40 liters, however, a single worker can hardly +control and he must then have an assistant for carrying and smoking. The +yearly production of a seringueiro amounts, in the better rubber forest +properties, to upwards of 1,000 kilos of dry rubber. + +[Illustration: RUBBER TREE OF NEARLY FIVE METERS IN CIRCUMFERENCE.] + +Some owners offer a reward, such as for instance, a gold watch, for the +most industrious and luckiest seringueiro. On the Seringal S. Francisco, +for the crop year 1911-1912, a seringueiro won the gold watch who had +collected 2,500 kilos. The annual highest yield of caoutchouc from +the Castillôa was only 1,700 kilos, for the forest there in regard to +Castillôa is already very much exhausted. Otherwise the yields of this +rubber are more variable and higher than those of fine rubber. + +If the price of rubber rules high, a seringueiro has quite a considerable +income and with a little frugality can acquire a property. + +If, on the other hand, the price of rubber drops below five milreis, the +seringueiro has trouble to make both ends meet with his income and easily +gets into debt. The supplies that he must purchase from the proprietor +or his representative (lessee) are very expensive. The customs duties, +the long haul and consequently high freight, the risk, the different +losses, which the proprietor suffers through debtor workmen, and the +occasional high price of fine rubber, which forces all prices upward, +makes everything in upper Acre very dear. + +The prices of some of the most necessary supplies and goods are about as +follows. + + 1 kilo mandioka flour, 2½ milreis. + 1 kilo coffee, 4 milreis. + 1 kilo sugar, 3 milreis. + 1 kilo beans, 3 milreis. + 1 kilo rice, 2½ milreis. + 1 kilo dried meat, 5 milreis. + 1 kilo fresh meat, 4 milreis. + 1 chicken, 30 milreis. + 1 dozen eggs, 10 milreis. + 1 bottle brandy, 8 milreis. + 1 meter goods, 3 to 6 milreis. + 1 woolen quilt, 120 to 140 milreis. + 1 pair boots, 40 to 60 milreis. + 1 cake washing soap, 3½ milreis. + 1 piece fine soap, 5 milreis. + 1 macheté, 14 to 22 milreis. + 1 package matches, 3 milreis. + 1 carbine, 200 milreis. + 1 kilo powder, 28 milreis. + 1 kilo shot, 4 milreis. + +[Illustration: THE MOUTH OF THE ACRE.] + +1 pound sterling is now worth about 15 milreis, so that four shillings +(about one dollar U. S.)=3 milreis. + +On the lower Acre, goods are much cheaper and they fall still lower down +to Manáos, where many articles only cost one-third or one-fourth as much, +or even less, but Manáos is nevertheless an expensive city. + +The large profits which fine rubber often yields, make all labor very +dear. For this reason agriculture has developed but slowly and most food +supplies must therefore be imported. Nevertheless cattle raising is +constantly growing, stock being brought in from Bolivia. Bananas, the +tubers of the sweet mandiola, beans and some vegetables are extensively +grown, especially by Peruvians and Bolivians. Often the seringueiro will +plant some bananas and cultivate a small patch of cleared land, but this +is not favorably regarded by the proprietor. In some seringaes, even the +marriage of the seringueiros is opposed; everything is directed towards +obtaining the largest possible quantity of fine rubber. + +Although the Acre is not very full of fish, fishing, in the dry season, +is attended with some success, which particularly benefits dwellers +on the banks of the river. Hunting also, in some sections, furnishes +residents with fresh meat. As animals of the chase may be enumerated, +monkeys, Taca, Aguti, wild swine, small varieties of deer, sloths, +tapirs, various wood fowl and ducks. + +Very different from the arrangements customary, as a rule, in the Acre, +are the conditions in the Bolivian rubber districts, which for the most +part are owned by a single proprietor, N. Suarez y Hermanos. He is said +to produce 1,500 tons of fine rubber per year, and could produce more +than four times the quantity if the entire forest concession, which +is probably as large as South Germany, was all put in operation. One +portion of this rubber forest is situated on the Acre, but the greater +part includes the Southwestern tributaries of the Rio Madeira. In the +properties on the Acre, the working methods are adapted to Brazilian +customs, especially where Brazilian seringueiros are employed. + +While in the Seringaes, trade is conducted mostly through the Baracâos, +there are in some places, notably in Cobija, Hapury and Empreza, various +business houses, through which the owners of seringaes, captains of +ships and other persons, can supply their wants, for before the steamer +returns, there is often a scarcity in some products. + +[Illustration: THE ACRE SEEN FROM COBIJA ON THE BOLIVIAN FRONTIER.] + +The retail trade is mainly in the hands of so-called Turks, various +Orientals, from Syria, Arabia, Tunis and Morocco. They have large boats, +propelled by poles and oars and which contain the goods in a covered +space. These Turks travel as pedlars for years about on the rivers, +selling their goods for money or rubber. This commerce is designated +=Regatao= and is not favored by proprietors, who sometimes forbid +stopping in their territory. The seringueiro can not only buy cheaper of +them, but can dispose of caoutchouc surreptitiously. + +Those who encounter favorable conditions on the Acre, who are diligent +and economical, can, by working in the rubber industry, or in any other +field of activity, soon acquire a property. The majority, however, +squander their earnings on trips to Manáos, Pará or Ceará, or suffer from +sickness. + +Although hygienic conditions on the Acre have improved with the times +and there are numerous healthy localities, malaria still prevails there +a great deal, and other diseases, notably beriberi, are often fatally +prevalent. Many privations, caused by the difficulties of travel, and +a certain amount of luxury, made possible by the large earnings, often +contrast with one another. + +From Acre, during the year, about 5,000 tons of fine rubber, inclusive of +other rubber products, are exported, of which certainly a portion comes +from the adjacent territory. + +This quantity, according to the price of rubber, will represent a value +of 20,000 to 75,000 contos of réis, about $5,000,000 to $15,000,000. +These are figures that play a part in the total output of rubber, the +importance of which is increased by its quality. + + +THE ACRE TERRITORY. + +Previous to the Treaty of Petropolis, in 1903, between Brazil and +Bolivia, the Acre Territory formed part of the State of Amazonas, one +portion being, in fact, still in dispute. By virtue of this treaty the +Acre Territory became Brazilian, Brazil in exchange paying £2,000,000 +to Bolivia, an indemnity to an American syndicate, and undertaking to +construct the Madeira Mamoré Railway. + +The Congress then empowered the Federal authorities to administer the +Territory until the question should be finally settled. + +The administration is much the same as that of the other States. Recent +laws have tended to decentralize the administration, the latest being one +giving municipal independence. The three provinces of the Territory are: + + Upper Purús (capital Senna Madureira), + Upper Juruá (capital Cruzeiro do Sul), and + Upper Acre (capital Empreza). + +[Illustration: TRANSPORT OF RUBBER BISCUITS.] + +The only product and export is rubber, the proportions during 1911 being: + + Upper Purús 4,042,000 kilos + Upper Juruá 3,008,000 kilos + Upper Acre 3,526,000 kilos + +One of the most serious questions has been that relating to the ownership +of land. The Federal Congress is prepared to solve this problem +satisfactorily, by recognizing bona-fide holdings dating from before the +Treaty of Petropolis, giving preference to property deeds granted by the +State of Amazonas, next to those given by the Republic of Bolivia during +its brief occupation, and then to any possession obtained in good faith +during the whole interregnum, up to the date of the last law passed. + + +GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. + +For the protection of Brazilian rubber, and in order to facilitate and +develop its culture, as well as its final handling, a Federal law was +passed on January 5th of the current year. (No. 2513 A.) + +Its principal measures are especially concerned with Amazon rubber and +the country in which it is produced, viz.: the States of Amazonas and +Matto-Grosso and the Acre Territory. The scheme embraces the construction +of railways and roads, the clearing of rivers, reduction of import duties +and of dues on river navigation, the establishing of coal depots, living +accommodation for laborers, centres for the production of foodstuff, +model cattle farms, prizes to rubber planters and exemption from import +duties on all material for rubber working. + +Besides the Madeira Mamoré Railway, which benefits principally the +Madeira River district of Matto-Grosso, and a further branch of the same +railway, now in course of construction, and which is intended to open +up the Bolivian district of the Beni River, the Brazilian Government +will construct another railroad (in the route of which the Commercial +Association has suggested some alterations) to commence from Manáos and +to work through the region of the Rio Branco, to link up with the English +railroad already constructed in British Guiana up to the Brazilian +boundary. This railway will open up to the State of Amazonas a huge +tract of country admirably suited to agriculture of all kinds, and to +colonization by Europeans. + +The Association Commercial will also propose the construction of a +further railroad to communicate by means of branch lines with the various +provinces of the Acre Territory, in order to bring the product of that +region to the lower Purús River, at a point which will admit of free +access to steamers of deep draft to and from Manáos. + +[Illustration: THE UPPER ACRE SEEN FROM PATAGONIA.] + + +DR. CERQUEIRA PINTO’S PROCESS + + +EXTRA FINE PARÁ + +This rubber was cured for export in the rubber estate “IRACEMA,” in the +Federal Acre, Amazonia, Brazil, by Dr. Cerqueira Pinto’s process of +smokeless coagulation. (See The India Rubber World, August 1, 1909, page +396, and copy of the same journal of 1st September, the same year, page +435.) + +The enclosed sample contains 68 kilos and belongs to the lot of 5,000 +kilos (11,025 lbs.) that Dr. Cerqueira Pinto holds to be sold in New York. + +Dr. Cerqueira Pinto’s process is one of coagulation of the latex of +the “=Hevea Brasiliensis=” by an ingredient patented by the Brazilian +Government—“=LACTINA=”—absolutely free of any acid. + +The latex after the coagulation is pressed through a cylinder in order to +dry out. + +This rubber was tested and classified as of STANDARD type by the +Government of the United States of America. + +It offers the resistance of 2,010 pounds per square inch according to +the experiments made by The Manhattan Rubber Company in July, 1909. This +rubber means a saving to the manufacturer of at least 20 per cent, in the +opinion of the Favorite Rubber Mfg. Co. of New Jersey and of 25 per cent, +as per the analysis made in London. + +The author of this process calls the Jury’s attention to his rubbers and +is willing to furnish with the sufficient quantity in order to prove to +the entire satisfaction of his assertions. It vulcanizes as well by acid +as by vapor. Dr. Cerqueira Pinto will prepare, during the Exposition, +in September, before the public and the manufacturers, his rubbers with +both Hevea and Castillôa latexes, yield of the trees in October, 1911, +in the Federal Acre, Brazil. He shall present as well a large quantity +of similar rubbers cured by the author on different occasions. They are +true rubbers of commerce cured for export. They are clothed by a vegetal +varnish, soluble in water, which is also a discovery of Dr. Cerqueira +Pinto, to prevent the mould. + + +CASTILLÔA OR CAUCHO. + +Prepared by the process of Dr. Carlos de Cerqueira Pinto. (See the India +Rubber World of September 1st, 1909, page 435). + +The included sample weighs 68 kilos. The author holds 1,400 pounds of +this quality to be sold in New York market. + +The article was cured by rubber laborers of the estate “Iracema” in the +Federal Acre, Amazonia, Brazil, during the months of July to December, +1911. They are rubbers of commerce and cured for export. + +[Illustration: COURTYARD OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MESSRS. SUAREZ Y +HERMANOS, FILLED WITH RUBBER BISCUITS READY FOR SHIPMENT.] + +[Illustration: THE TOWN OF HAPURY.] + +[Illustration: SETTLEMENT OF PORTO AUCAO WITH MULES CARRYING MERCHANDISE +TO THE INTERIOR.] + +[Illustration: SETTLEMENT OF MONTE MO.] + +[Illustration: SERINGUEIRO CARRYING LATEX.] + + + + +THE STATE OF MATTO GROSSO + +[Illustration: BALLS OF RUBBER.] + + + + +THE STATE OF MATTO GROSSO IN THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL RUBBER EXPOSITION IN +NEW YORK, 1912 + +BY LEOPOLDO DE MATTOS + +Dr. Joaquim Augusto da Costa Marques, President of the State of Matto +Grosso, 1911-1915 + +The State of Matto Grosso, Brazil, at the Third International Rubber +Exposition in New York, 1912 + + +Of the twenty states composing the Republic of the United States of +Brazil, Matto Grosso is second to the largest in its territorial +extension. It is situated south of the States Amazon and Pará, having +on the East the States of Goyaz, S. Paulo and Paraná, on the South the +Republic of Paraguay, and on the West Bolivia. + +It embraces on the map that portion of the earth’s surface which +extends, approximately from the fourth degree South of the Equator +to the Tropic of Capricorn. Its immense area is about 50,175 square +leagues, or according to Mr. Candido Mendes it has an area of 1,379,651 +square meters. Its population is actually about 350,000, not including +a considerable number of uncivilized Indians, whose improvement is +carried steadily forward by the united efforts of the State and Federal +Governments. + +Without mentioning its capital, the principal cities of the State are +Corumbá, S. Luiz de Caceres, Miranda, Nioae, Focoué, Santa Aunade +Paranabyba, Diamantina, Rosario, Livramento, and the new and recently +incorporated municipality, S. Antonio de Rio Madeira. Its capital, +Cuyabá, is situated on the left bank of the river of the same name, 288 +meters above sea level, and owes its origin to the Paulistas, who formed +colonies in the western part of Brazil during the first part of the +Eighteenth Century. + +In 1719 Paschoal Moreira Cabral ascending the River Coxipé Mirim, founded +on the left bank of this stream a village which was called Forquilha, +but to-day is the city of Cuyabá, where in those early days a rich gold +mine was discovered. In those days, according to Elysée Reclus, the vast +region of Matto Grosso, was hardly anything except a narrow, ordinary +zone, nothing more than an immense solitude of undefined limits and +unknown, but given over to Indians and wild beasts. It was joined to the +rest of Brazil by the lonely paths of hunters, and by channels of the +rivers that had their origin there. Really in those days communication +with the remainder of Brazil was as difficult as with Matto Grosso. It +is within the memory of many and known to those who read the history +of Brazil, that it was impossible for the troops who were enrolled and +equipped in the coast provinces, to go directly to the aid of their +compatriots in Matto Grosso, when the Brazilian people had to respond to +the declaration of war by Paraguay. + +With the thousands of obstructions in their path, a portion of the army +composed of 3,000 men, which left Rio de Janeiro in April, 1865, and +which could only be organized in Uberaba, in the upper basin of Paraná, +was reduced to about 700, when it arrived at that safe and impregnable +place. + +The war with Paraguay being ended, there is no doubt that the victory +gained by Brazil opened wide the ports of Matto Grosso, for the natural +declivity of the soil, the course of the streams, with the free river +navigation, guaranteed by her triumph, established a regular line of +packets between Rio de Janeiro, Corumbá and Cuyabá, by way of the River +La Plata, passing by Montevideo, Buenos Ayres and Assumption. + +The fluvial ways of the Guaporé, Madeira and Amazon were constantly +used in the Eighteenth Century, after the exploration made by Manoel de +Lima in 1742. Navigation by the Guaporé river to the Madeira, in short +to S. Antonio, which is the initial point of navigation on this last +mentioned river, is long and full of difficulties. Withal, Matto Grosso +is gradually approaching the coasts of Brazil by means of railroads, +such as the Northwestern Road, which will shortly unite it with Rio de +Janeiro, and the railroad, already projected, which, parting from S. Luiz +de Caceres, will reach the old city of Matto Grosso, where the Guaporé +begins to be navigable, to Guajará-Mirim, the terminal point of the great +Madeira-Mamoré Railway. + +In a short time, as can readily be seen, these roads will be a reality, +the navigable rivers being united by the stretches of railroads between +them. The Paranápanema and the Ivahy in the States of Paraná and S. +Paulo, continue on the one side of the Paraná River, ascending the +Ivanhema, and the Brilhante, as far as the neighboring mountains of +Miranda, in the meridional part of Matto Grosso. + +[Illustration: RUBBER FROM JACY PARANÁ OF FIDEL BACA & CO. READY TO BE +PUT IN BOATS TO BE TAKEN TO A STATION OF THE MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +The magnificent regions of Matto Grosso promise in the near future, +to be great centers of population and consequently a future focus of +civilization by probable fusion of the different elements of immigration, +which will certainly come together there in the flight of time, and the +increased facilities in the way of transportation. Somewhere it has been +said, that colonization without doubt will come from the South, from +Paraguay and Argentina; but at the present time, with the completion +of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway, undoubtedly colonization will also come +from the North, communication being facilitated by the Amazon River, +the Madeira being one of its tributaries, on the right bank of which is +situated Porto Velho, the initial point of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway. +These effects are already commencing to produce results as may be seen +from founding of a new municipality and district of Matto Grosso, called +the municipality of St. Antonio of the River Madeira, reached by the +above-mentioned railway and to which region we will devote a special +chapter later on. + +Already one sees the farthest northern side of Matto Grosso filling with +people, while the southern side really contains the greater number of +inhabitants. + +Matto Grosso is one of the regions of least roughness on the continent of +South America. There are no elevations of the land which constitute real +mountains. + +The elevated lands have their points of culmination in the western +bases of the Mantiqueira, the Aymorés, and the Espinhaço, and continue, +gradually lowering from this side to the West of Goyaz, and on the other +side are the elevated lands at the base of the Andes, which incline to +the East with its supports. Elysée Reclus says that an intermediary +plain, separating the two geographical districts, goes winding in the +form of a valley, that in other ages certainly was a maritime strait +separating the two islands—Western Brazil and the Andes. + +To-day rivers run in the depression where formerly there was a sea and +the plain is actually full of alluvial soil. The true center of South +America is between the two cities of Cuyabá and Corumbá. + +To those who do not know the region, the slopes of the hills are mistaken +for mountains and geographical maps show a chain of mountains more or +less continuous, between the basins of the Tapajóz and the Madeira, +between the head waters of the same Tapajóz and Paraguay and finally +between the Tapajóz and the Araguaya. Nevertheless this semi-circular +plain exists only in fragments, because the elevations which are found +in the plains of the upper Paraguay and its tributaries are only a high, +level ground of horizontal sections or slight elevations and worn away by +the rivers which flow into the great Amazon. + +[Illustration: REMOVING THE BALL OF RUBBER AFTER IT HAS BEEN SMOKED.] + +They are rather tablelands than mountains, for they do not reach an +elevation, except in some parts of the tableland, of more than 100 +meters, while the mean elevation of a range of mountains is 500 meters. + +This geographic district in the State of Matto Grosso is indifferently +called the cordillara of Parecys, but does not present a mountainous +aspect except on the South side. On this scarred side, the rock is +cut into peaks, or cut away into obelisks. On the other side towards +the Tapajóz and Xingú, a long range extends and gradually declines +into the plains of the State of Amazonas. D’Orbiguy found in the high +northern part of Matto Grosso, the existence of beds pertaining to the +carboniferous age and corresponding to rocks of the same nature which +on the opposite side of that region are found in the Bolivian bases of +the Sierra of Santa Cruz. After this Hart and Derby verified the fact +that the southern parts of the Araxá, which are the elevated borders of +the tableland, date probably from paleozoic epochs, and there are found +the carboniferous, devonian and silurian beds. Fossil beds found by the +Geologist Smith below the hillocks of the plains, 50 kilometers east of +Cuyabá, place these facts beyond doubt. More to the North is the zone +of the rocky places, which in links cut the Madeira, Tapajóz, Xingú, +Tocatius and their tributaries, the walls denuded by erosion, are all +of the crystalline formation, granite, gueis, porphory and quartzite. +The elevations that unroll in the direction of the South, between the +sources of the Paraguay and Araguaya, following between the Paraguay and +the Paraná, do not present the same characteristics as the tablelands of +the North. The high parts of Western Matto Grosso were separated from +the East and West sides and devastated by lateral excavations, take in +certain places the aspects of true mountain chains, and for this reason +they are named, from the North to the South, the Sierras of S. Jeronimo, +Maracajú and Anhauhaly. + +Eruptive rocks, called basaltic in this country, probably porphyritic +rend the beds of sandstone, of which the mountains are composed and +appear to form by their disintegration “red lands,” similar to those +which give the farmers of S. Paulo their abundant harvests of coffee. + +In a sort of circle limited by a semicircle of elevations isolated +masses have been lifted up, rocks whose outlines, seen from a distance, +have a perfect regularity. The hills proper, for the greater part, have +geometrical forms, which it should be said, great forces have crumbled, +leaving smooth walls like the sides of pyramids. The tops of the +tablelands, as well as summits, have been maimed by a force certainly +corresponding to the other summits, which now may be seen as part of +the same prairie. According to Taunay, who traveled over the country, +these masses of sandstone in horizontal beds regularly placed one above +another, are formed of marshy sediment deposited by the sea of fresh +water, which in former times covered this region. + +[Illustration: COLLECTING THE LATEX.] + +The ruins of these hills and slopes contributed also to change the +physiognomy of the landscape. These excoriations were picked up and +dragged by the rivers, to form new beds and soil, and much rock +disappeared below the continued crumbling of the mountains. Others +show nothing except their summits above the land of recent formation. +Masses that held them to the tablelands and the chains of the interior +are separated from them, because their bases are buried and they emerge +abruptly from the soil. These distinctive peaks to which the name of +=itambea= has been given, raise their heads above a sea of trees, like +some great buildings erected by the hand of man. To the East, the +southern part of Matto Grosso, they range themselves in files and group +themselves in archipelagoes, each time becoming higher and more numerous. +The part that goes towards the West are solitary peaks on the circle of +the horizon and may be seen along the banks of the River Paraguay, and +even on the other side of the same. + +The Upper Guaporé, Itenez of the Bolivians, although situated in the +immense basin of the Amazon as a tributary to the Madeira River by the +Mamoré, belongs to the State of Matto Grosso, for the city of this name +was founded on its banks and nearly the whole population of the state +accumulated in this depression, through whose western half the river +finds its way. Its principal source is very obscure. It rises in a grotto +along the border of the Araxá, and takes first a southerly course, +parallel to other rivers which descend towards Paraguay. On leaving the +last hills it curves to the West, and afterwards to the Northwest, where +already enlarged by numerous tributaries it crosses the plain, where +there is found the city named at its founding Villa Bella and to-day +called Matto Grosso. + +The Paraguay is one of the most known rivers of South America, as a way +of navigation, as Elysée Reclus affirms. Few rivers have such a slight +declination in proportion to their length. Castelnaw says that it rises +at an altitude of 305 meters, in places where tranquil waters glide +slowly to the sea, the altitude of the land being scarcely 200 meters. +At a point 4,000 kilometers from the sea, the declination is scarcely 5 +centimeters. Therefore, steamers of light draft can freely ascend to the +confines of Brazil, far to the North of the two Republics of Argentine +and Paraguay and arrive at the base of the tableland by the principal +river and its tributaries, Jaurú, Sepotuba, Cuyabá, S. Lourenço and +Taquary. The Paraguay presents another notable phenomenon, which is the +crossing its sources with those of the tributaries of the Amazon. + +[Illustration: SMOKING RUBBER.] + +The River Jaurú approaches the Guaporé so closely that it would be easy +to make a canal from the waters of this western river to a tributary +of the Jaurú. Another tributary of the Paraguay, the Aguapehy, is only +separated from the Alegre River, which flows by the old city of Villa +Bella, to-day called Matto Grosso, by a low and narrow isthmus, which +according to Leverger measures 5,280 meters. During 1772, and even later, +it was proposed to cut a canal at different places in this isthmus, but +the work was never done because of the little commerce of that locality. +Certainly, railroads, in the near future, will supply the absence of a +canal and will join Montevideo to Pará, passing through the larger part +of the State of Matto Grosso, and by a continental navigable water way of +8,300 kilometers, as Bartholomo Bossi says. + +The Paraguay River has as its principal tributaries the S. Lourenço, +enlarged by the waters of the Cuyabá, the Taquary, the Mondego, and +the Apá, the last marking the boundary between Brazil and the Republic +of Paraguay. At the time of the floods, its level, and that of its +tributaries, rises 10 to 11 meters and overflows to the right and the +left, forming a temporary sea, which extends to great distances, being +lost to sight and continuing in lakes. The first Spanish explorers gave +it the name of Lake Xarayes, in its lower section, where it receives the +nearly dormant waters of its principal tributaries. This lake is about +600 kilometers in length from North to South, between the mouths of Jaurú +and the hills of “Fecho-dos-Morros,” and in certain places reaches a +width of 250 kilometers. + +It is not permanent, as you already know, but at certain seasons of the +year there are overflows, which the Indians called bays and rightly, for +here there were bays of an ancient sea, which to-day are nearly dry, +and most of these lakes are in constant communication with the Paraguay +River, either by underground openings, or by long canals. These latter +are called the lakes of Uberaba, Gaiaba, Mandioré, Caceres, etc. Some +of these lakes contain only fresh water from the overflowing rivers, +while others being ancient cavities are now filled with salt water, and +have in their depths beds of salt, which give to the liquid a soapy +characteristic. It is singular that this contrast by nature of fresh and +salt water is also found in the lands of the vast plains, and thus it is, +that these extensive fields, covered by a rich alluvial soil, bear heavy +forests. Here the agriculturist can certainly obtain marvelous harvests. +It is certainly true that these fields of Matto Grosso will serve for +agriculture as well as pastoral industry. + +The height of the lands, formed in the center of this vast valley, +hinders the tributary from remaining in a regular channel, and the waters +escaping from both sides ramify in a labyrinth of rivers and false +rivers. The lateral branches follow in the zones of the lakes, to the +confluence of the Taquary and Miranda Rivers, which descend from the +mountains on the East. These receive in the upper region, a tributary +called the Coxim, which travelers consider one of the most picturesque +rivers of Brazil. It is curious to see, in some places, the waters of the +Coxim crowded between perpendicular walls 50 meters in height and the +small vessels floating on their bosom at the bottom of an opening not +more than 10 or 12 meters in width. + + +THE CLIMATE + +The climate of Matto Grosso is relatively warm in the lower parts and +those overflowed by the high waters of the Paraguay and other rivers. +In the region of the tablelands the climate is cool and healthy. The +movement of the air columns is determined by the open passage way between +the Andes mountains and the highlands of Brazil, as well as in the center +of the South American continent, and are held by it. The warm winds, +coming from the region of the Amazon, are succeeded in the Winter time +by the winds which blow from the cool pampas. In the high parts of the +circle of hills and mountains which surround the tablelands of Matto +Grosso, the cold goes below the freezing point. The copious rains brought +by the cooling winds refresh the central tablelands of Brazil and then +dash themselves against the sides of the Andes. They fall with great +regularity in the Summer and are frequently accompanied by thunderstorms. +According to observations taken by some, the annual fall of water is 3 +meters, and in Cuyabá about 135 days of the ordinary year are rainy ones. + + +ITS SITUATION + +The State of Matto Grosso, from its geographical situation in the +Continent of South America, placed at the point of separation of the +two great basins of Brazil, contains at the same time the flowers and +faunae of the Amazon and Plata regions. Nevertheless, the tropical flora +predominates with its infinite variety of vegetable forms in all the +forest regions, that is to say, along the banks of the rivers, and among +the famous species found along the shores of the River-Sea, there are few +which are not found in the region of the Upper Guaporé, and specimens of +which may not be seen. + +In no other parts, like here, will the development of Cipo’s palm be +found. In 1875, a boundary commission discovered one of these palms +=Urumbamba (Calamus procumbeus) or Des Moncus rudentum de Martins=, of +more than 20 meters in length, with hardly the thickness of a centimeter. +The cotton tree, tobacco, ipecac, there called “poya,” grow spontaneously +on the plains and in the forests. The last grows abundantly in the +forests of the Upper Jaurú and the neighboring rivers. Maté, the most +notable product of the tablelands of the South, and which has made some +regions rich, as the State of Paraná, grows here spontaneously between +the Rivers Miranda and Apá, without speaking of the seringa, which is +found in immense and thick forests in a district that extends from Cuyabá +to Madeira and which will be the special subject of this leaflet. + +The woods for building are very abundant and of a great variety, such as +Brazil wood, Jacarandá, Peroba, Canella, Cedro, Jequitibá, Massaran-duba, +Arco, Ferro, Setim and Vinhatico. + +Among the animals are found deer, tapir, panther, and also a large number +of small animals usually found in tropical regions. The fowls and birds +along the streams and the songsters in the forests are, because of their +variety, almost innumerable. The ostrich is found in the region of the +pampas and on the margins of the upper Paraguay. There are many varieties +of fish in the large and small rivers. + +In the mineral kingdom, the State of Matto Grosso has numerous mines +of gold, silver, platinum, copper, tin, mercury, coal, iron, precious +stones, diamonds, etc. There are already four English companies +developing gold mines. There is also granite, crystal, malacacheta, +limestone, sal-geunna, etc. Finally, in the region of the Araxá, there +are sulphur mineral springs. + +In Matto Grosso are found the largest cattle ranches, not only as to +their territorial extent, but also as to the number of horses and cattle, +some of them numbering 100,000 head. The number of cattle is calculated +to be 2,000,500,000 head. Although the transportation of cattle from +Matto Grosso to Rio de Janeiro is difficult, it is generally done by +a road running West to Uberaba, where they pass the Winter season of +two or three months and being recuperated are sent by railroad to Rio +de Janeiro. Hence it is easy to see that with the completion of the +Northwestern Railway of Brazil, the problem of transportation to the +coast will be solved. Also with the completion of the Madeira-Mamoré +Railway the navigable rivers of Matto Grosso, will in short time, be +linked with the port of Pará. Before long another railway will extend +from S. Luiz de Caceres, the ancient city of Matto Grosso, where the +River Guaporé commences to be navigable to Guajará-Mirim, the terminal +point of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway. This will solve the problem of the +transportation of cattle to the States of Amazonas, Pará, etc. + +[Illustration: RUBBER BEING SHIPPED ON MADEIRA-MAMORÉ RAILWAY AT THE +ESTATES OF FIDEL BACA & CO., JACY PARANÁ RIVER] + +From this brief exposition one concludes that the State of Matto Grosso +is very rich in cattle and gold, diamonds and coffee, tobacco and maté, +rubber and ipecac, and all other products of the tropical and temperate +zone. Without doubt it will come to be one of the largest and richest +empires of the world. + +Endowed with a warm climate in the North, it has in other regions +a temperate and even cold climate. The tablelands contain a rare +accumulation of wealth, yet little explored. Naturally people, in their +activities and progressive conflict for a livelihood, will come here from +all parts of the world. By their intelligence and endeavors they will +make that part of Brazil an industrial, commercial and maritime mart. +Here from the fusion of the different races, a great civilization will +arise, and mankind will progress onward and upward to the final conquest +of the land. + + +RUBBER + +The rubber sent to this Exposition, comes from the vast regions served by +the Rivers Machados, or Dgy-Paraná, Jamary, Jacy-Paraná, Mutum-Paraná, +Paca-Nova and Guaporé and their tributaries, which in turn are +tributaries of the great Madeira River, on whose right bank is situated +the new municipality St. Antonio do Rio Madeira, installed July 2, 1912. + +The new municipality has the following limits: Starting at the falls of +St. Antonio do Rio Madeira, on parallel 8° 48′, the River Madeira above; +the River Madeira above to the mouth of the Guaporé on parallel of 12°, +and on this parallel to its intersection with the River Camararé; on +this river below to its confluence with the Juruema; on this river below +to the point where it unites with the Arinos; on the parallel at this +point which passes to its intersection with S. Manuel River; it follows +this river down to its confluence with the Tapajóz; and from this point +back to St. Antonio Falls, along the line that divides Matto Grosso from +the Amazonas. All this immense territory of the new municipality is +traversed on the North by the Madeira-Mamoré Railway, which was completed +and opened for traffic, September 7, 1912. It starts at Porto Velho and +terminates at Guajará-Mirim, a distance of 390 kilometers. + +The Madeira-Mamoré Railroad, in addition to the stations already opened +in Porto Velho, Candelaria, St. Antonio, Jacy-Paraná, Abunã, Villa +Murtinho, and Guajará-Mirim has 46 places of stopping, which corresponds +to the number of camps. + +Among the ways of communication that St. Antonio do Rio Madeira, the +new municipality, has with the neighboring States of Amazonas and Pará, +as well as with the capital and other cities of Matto Grosso, we would +mention the telegraph line which the Federal Government is constructing +along with its public road ways. There are two gangs of engineers and +workmen engaged in the construction of the telegraph line. One started +at St. Antonio in the North, and the other at Diamantina in the South. +Leaving St. Antonio the telegraph line follows parallel 8° 48′ until it +comes to the River Jamary, a distance of about 60 kilometers. Arriving +there its course is changed to the headwaters of the Dgy-Paraná River, +to a place called Urupá. Here it will meet and be joined to the line +coming from the South. On June 3, 1912, at the very headwaters of the +Dgy-Paraná River, the telegraph station of José Bonifacio was opened, +by the gang from the South, while those from the North had, previous to +this, opened the stations of St. Antonio do Rio Madeira and Jamary. This +notable undertaking is under the efficient and extraordinary devotion +of the Colonel of Engineers of the Brazilian army, Candido Roudon, who +has a record for the construction of telegraph lines in Brazil and South +America. + +Within a year, more or less, the telegraph line will follow along a +roadway 40 meters wide, and about 200 leagues in length, extending +from Cuyabá to St. Antonio on the Madeira River. This immense roadway +of communication cutting all this vast interior, rich in rubber and +gold, will have a telegraph station every 10 leagues. In Porto Velho, +the initial point of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway, there is already +working a wireless telegraph station of the Marconi system. There is +daily communication with Manáos. Also with Iquitos and with the Federal +department at Acre, Purús and Juruá. + +Transportation from Manáos to St. Antonio on the Madeira River is made +in good condition and comfortable vessels. During the time of low water, +that is during the dry season of the great Amazon and its tributaries, +only vessels of 500 tons can ascend to those places from Manáos. In the +time of high waters, when the valley of the entire Amazon is overflowed, +the trans-Atlantic steamers of 7,000 to 9,000 tons, ascend in four days +from Manáos. This has been done in the transportation of materials for +the construction of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway. The vessels easily +approached and made fast to the two wharves made of wood, one of which +is in front of the offices at Porto Velho and the other at Candelaria. +The Government of the Republic, however, has determined to build of stone +and lime the wharves between Porto Velho and St. Antonio on the River +Madeira. + +[Illustration: RUBBER ON THE BEACH READY FOR SHIPMENT.] + +The small steamers which navigate during the dry season, have +accommodations for first and third class passengers, are lighted by +electricity, have an artificial ice plant and make the voyage from Manáos +to Porto Velho and St. Antonio in about five days, at the average speed +of ten miles an hour, calling at the small Amazonian ports and cities +situated on the banks of the Madeira River. In descending the river both +the large and small steamers make the voyage in from three to four days. + +The rubber from St. Antonio on the Madeira River is of the same physical +and chemical constituents as all the rubber of the Amazon Valley. This is +worth remembering, when we think of this new municipality in the State of +Matto Grosso, being the frontier of the States of Amazonas and Pará. + +In the Manáos market, where the rubber comes by way of the Madeira River, +and in that of Pará, which it reaches by way of River Tapajóz, it is +always quoted at the same price and under the same conditions as those +produced in the regions of the Amazon proper. + +The production has been increasing annually since 1906 and is actually +about 2,000,000 of kilos annually. This will certainly increase to an +amount that cannot be foretold, with the completion of the Madeira-Mamoré +Railway, the wagon road and telegraph line and the constant improvements +in navigation. + +During the first six months of the current year, the production of rubber +was greater than for the same length of time in any year since 1907, as +can be verified from the report annexed. + +In those regions, between Cuyabá and the new municipality, there exist +rubber (seringa) forests capable of producing in one year, more than +40,000,000 of kilos of rubber. + +To attain this ideal, it is only necessary that the captains of industry +should join in the development of extraction. This fountain shoots forth +from the earth spontaneously without the necessity of cultivation. To +encourage and stimulate those who wish to employ there, their endeavors +and capital, the law of the State of Matto Grosso offers special favors. +These are offered to those who wish to develop the vast forests of +rubber existing, as well as to those who wish to plant and cultivate the +=Syphonia elastica=. + +Speaking of the Rubber Exposition soon to be held in New York, it +is proper to call attention to the well-known fact that already the +capitalists of North America have begun the development of that region. + +The large capitalist, Percival Farquhar, of North America, has already +incorporated two rubber companies, the Muller and Guaporé, under the +social terms of July, for the purpose not only of developing the +extraction industry of the =hevea= braziliensis, but also for the +different branches of agriculture necessary for the making of sugar, +cotton cloth, etc. + +Actually the extraction of rubber in the vast seringaes of the +municipality of St. Antonio of the River Madeira employ about 5,000 +workmen. This number will constantly increase, as the said municipality +becomes the center of the currents of commerce, industry and agriculture, +from Matto Grosso and the Republic of Bolivia. + +This is easy to imagine, when we see that the Madeira-Mamoré Railway +will place it in communication to the South with S. Luiz de Caceres, by +means of the River Guaporé, and by the railway, which, from S. Luiz de +Caceres will extend to the ancient city of Matto Grosso, thus joining the +basin of the Plata—by means of the Paraguay River, to the basin of the +River Amazon. And to the West the same Madeira-Mamoré Railway, reaching +to Ribeira-Alta, will bind the vast and rich regions of the Bolivian +Republic to the basin of the Amazon, by means of the Madeira River. +Presently the chief engineer and director of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway, +Mr. H. Dose, will leave for that region, to begin the construction of the +branch Guajará Mirim—Matto Grosso, to Ribeira Alta, Bolivia, which will +be finished within a year and a half, and be about 100 meters long. + +In addition to this with the prompt construction within a year of the +wagon—telegraphic line—roadway from Cuyabá to St. Antonio on the Madeira +River, we can easily conclude, that the municipality of St. Antonio on +the Madeira River, will indeed become the converging point of these great +and strong currents of development of progress and of civilization. + +In conclusion it should not be forgotten that this territory herein +described serves not only for the production of rubber, which there, as +in the whole valley of the Amazon, is native and grows according to the +laws of nature. It also should be mentioned that cacao and cotton are +native, while there can be planted and cultivated, sugar cane, coffee, +vanilla, corn, beans, rice, tobacco, potatoes, brazil nut, etc. The +Madeira-Mamoré Railway Company has the concession of a vast amount of +land along its line, which it proposes to plant in cacao, sugar cane, +etc., thus improving these lands. + +From this description, in which we have endeavored to set forth only the +truth, giving the facts concerning the region in question, it can be +concluded that the new municipality of St. Antonio on the River Madeira, +which actually exports to the markets of the world, via Pará and Manáos, +about 2,000,000 kilos of rubber, will in a few years, with immigration +and from other causes, export from 10 to 15,000,000 kilos. + +The author of this article asks indulgence for any shortcomings it may +contain, as it was written in the spare moments he could find, while +laboriously collecting the samples of rubber and putting them on board +the steamer at Manáos for New York. + +[Illustration: PUTTING THE LAST LAYERS OF MILK ON THE BALL.] + +The samples of rubber from the State of Matto Grosso, which are seen in +this International Rubber Exposition, have been exhibited by order of +the Government and at the expense of the Commercial Association of the +Amazonas. + + +STATE OF MATTO GROSSO + +Inspection Department of the North + +Table showing the production of rubber in the valleys of the Madeira and +upper Tapajóz, for the years 1907-1912, in comparison with the first six +months of 1912: + + Origin 1907 1908 1909 + Machado and Jamary 1,092,454 1,252,194 910,982 + Jacy-Paraná, Upper Madeira and Moré 98,464 152,713 150,759 + Upper Tapajóz 156,034 167,841 107,458 + --------- --------- --------- + 1,190,918 1,560,941 1,229,582 + + Origin 1910 1911 1912 + Machado and Jamary 1,295,605 1,317,917 1,315,995 + Jacy-Paraná, Upper Madeira and Moré 142,458 201,562 259,612 + Upper Tapajóz 73,688 113,453 + --------- --------- --------- + 1,545,521 1,593,167 1,689,060 + +[Illustration: TAPPING THE RUBBER TREE.] + + +STATE OF MATTO-GROSSO + +The capital, Cuyabá, and the principal port, Corumbá, belong to the +hydrographical system of the Paraguay River. + +The boundaries of this State, formed by the Amazon River, embrace the +upper basin of the Madeira River, which as the result of an agreement +with the State of Amazonas appertains to Matto-Grosso, whereas it +previously belonged to the former State. + +This territory constitutes the judicial and administrative province of +Santo Antonio do Madeira. + +The executive and fiscal administration is entrusted to a Fiscal Delegate +in Manáos. The collection of duties is attended to by the State Customs +of Amazonas. + +The rubber producing rivers, with total production of Matto-Grosso, are: + + 1908 1909 1910 1911 + Kilos Kilos Kilos Kilos + Machado and Jamary 1,253,000 911,000 1,296,000 1,318,000 + Jacy Paraná, Upper + Madeira & Mamoré 153,000 150,000 143,000 202,000 + +During the first half of the current year the production has shown +a considerable increase, this being largely due to the opening and +developing of the Madeira Mamoré Railway, which passes through the whole +region of these rivers. + +[Illustration: BOATS GOING TO THE UPPER JACY PARANÁ RIVER TO GET RUBBER] + +[Illustration: WALKING THROUGH THE FOREST ESTATE OF FIDEL BACA & CO., +JACY PARANÁ RIVER.] + + + + + ESTADO DE MATTO-GROSSO NA + EXPOSIÇÃO INTERNACIONAL DE + BORRACHA DE 1912 EM NEW-YORK + + POR + LEOPOLDO DE MATTOS + + NEW-YORK, 1912 + + DR. JOAQUIM AUGUSTO DA COSTA MARQUES + PRESIDENTE DO ESTADO DE MATTO-GROSSO + 1911-1915 + + + + +O ESTADO DE MATTO-GROSSO NA EXPOSIÇÃO DE BORRACHA DE 1912 EM NEW-YORK + + +Dos vinte Estados que compõem a Republica dos Estados Unidos do Brasil, +Matto-Grosso está collocado em segundo plano, pela sua extensão +territorial situado ao Sul dos Estados do Amazonas e Pará, tendo a Leste +os Estados de Goyaz, S. Paulo e Paraná, ao Sul a Republica do Paraguay e +a Oeste a Republica da Bolivia. + +Abrange no mappa uma porção que vae approximadamente desde o 14° grao ao +Sul do Equador até o Tropico do Capricornio. Sua área immensa é de cerca +de 50175 leguas quadradas, segundo Candido Mendes, ou melhor, tern uma +superficie de 1379651 kilometros quadrados. + +Sua população é actualmente de cerca de 350,000 habitantes, não incluindo +consideravel numero de indios bravios, cuja cathechese se procede com +afinco, dia a dia, com o concurso simultaneo dos Governos Federal e +Estadoal. + +Sem contar a Capital, as cidades principaes do Estado são Corumbá, S. +Luiz de Caceres, Miranda, Nioac, Poconé, Sant’ Anna de Paranahyba, +Diamantina, Rosario, Livramento e o novo Municipio recentemente +installado de Sto. Antonio do Rio Madeira. + +Cuyabá, sua capital, está situada á margem esquerda do rio do mesmo nome, +a 288 metros acima do nivel do mar, e deve as suas origens aos Paulistas +que formaram as legendarias bandeiras e que percorreram o Brasil +Occidental no começo do seculo XVIII. + +Em 1719 Paschoal Moreira Cabral subindo o Rio Coxipó Mirim, fundou á +margem esquerda d’esta corrente uma povoação que denominou Forquilha, +hoje a cidade de Cuyabá, onde naquelles tempos se descobriu uma rica mina +de ouro. + + * * * * * + +Em outros tempos, conforme Elysée Reclus, a vastissima região de +Matto-Grosso era apenas, salvo uma estreita zona mediana, não mais que +uma immensa solidão de limites indecisos e senão desconhecidos pelo +menos ainda entregues aos indios e ás feras, a qual se ligava ao resto +do Brasil por simples picadas de caçadores e pelos cursos dos rios que +ali nascem. Realmente em outros tempos eram tamanhas as difficuldades de +communicação do resto do paiz com Matto-Grosso, que ainda está na memoria +de muitos e no conhecimento dos que leem as paginas da Historia do +Brasil, a impossibilidade que tiveram as tropas reunidas nas provincias +do littoral para irem soccorrer directamente seus compatriotas de +Matto-Grosso, quando a nação brazileira teve de responder á declaração de +guerra do Paraguay. + +[Illustration: A RUBBER GATHERER MAKING A RUBBER SACK BY COVERING CANVAS +WITH LIQUID RUBBER.] + +Com os mil estorvos da travessia, o corpo de exercito composto de 3000 +homens que partiu em Abril de 1865 do Rio de Janeiro e que só poude +organisarse em Uberaba, na bacia superior do Paraná, estava reduzido +apenas a 700 homens quando chegou a ponto inatacavel e seguro. + +Vencida, porem, a guerra com o Paraguay, não ha nenhuma duvida que a +victoria do Brasil escancarou-lhe as portas de Matto-Grosso, pois que o +declive natural do solo e o curso das aguas com a liberdade da navegação +fluvial, garantida pelo triumpho, estabeleceu um serviço regular de +paquetes do Rio de Janeiro a Corumbá e Cuyabá, pela via do Rio da Prata, +passando por Montevideo, Buenos Ayres e Assumpção. + +O caminho fluvial do Guaporé, Madeira e Amazonas foi muito utilisado no +seculo XVIII, depois da exploração feita por Manoel de Lima em 1742. A +navegação pelo Rio Guaporé até o Rio Madeira, até enfim Sto. Antonio, +que é o ponto inicial da navegação d’este ultimo rio, é longa e cheia de +fadiga. + +Comtudo Matto-Grosso vae gradualmente se approximando do litoral do +Brasil por meio de estradas de ferro, taes como a Noroeste do Brasil +que ligal-o-á dentro em breve ao Rio de Janeiro e a estrada de ferro +já projectada que partindo de S. Luiz de Caceres irá até a antiga +cidade de Matto-Grosso, donde o rio Guaporé começa a ser navegavel até +Guajará-Mirim, ponto terminal da grande via Madeira-Mamoré Railway. + +Dentro de pouco tempo, como se vê, as estradas mixtas serão una +realidade, comprehendendo rios navegaveis por vapores e os trechos de +communicação entre estes rios. O Paranápanema e o Ivahy, nos Estados +do Paraná e S. Paulo continuam para outro lado do rio Paraná subindo +o Ivinhema e o Brilhante, até as visinhas montanhas de Miranda, na +parte meridional de Matto-Grosso. As magnificas regiões de Matto-Grosso +promettem ser de futuro, e futuro já bem proximo, um grande centro de +povoamento, e conseguintemente um futuro foco de civilisação, pela +provavel fusão dos diversos elementos de immigração que para alli +certamente concorrorem com o correr dos tempos e a facilidade que forem +apresentando cada vez mais os meios de communicação. Algures se disse, +que a colonisação far-se-ha sem duvida pelo Sul, pelo lado do Paraguay e +da Argentina; mas nos dias que correm, com a presença da Madeira Mamoré +Railway, indubitavelmente a colonisação darse-á tambem pelo Norte, +facilitada a communicação pelo Rio Amazonas, de que é um dos affluentes +o Madeira, á margem direita do qual está Porto Velho, ponto inicial da +mesma Madeira Mamoré Railway. E estes effeitos já se começam a produzir +com a fundação de um novo Municipio e Comarca de Matto-Grosso, que é +o Municipio de Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira, cortado pela referida via +ferrea e a cuja região dedicaremos adiante um capitulo especial. + +Já vae portanto se enchendo de população a extremidade da vertente +septentrional do territorio de Matto-Grosso, postoque a da vertente +meridional é realmente a que contem maior numero de habitantes. + + * * * * * + +Matto-Grosso é uma das regiões de menor relevo do continente da America +do Sul; alli não se encontram elevações de terreno que constituam +verdadeiras montanhas. + +As terras elevadas do Brasil tem os seus pontos de culminancia nas +cadeias orientaes da Mantiqueira, dos Aymorés e de Espinhaço e vão-se +abaixando proporcionalmente d’este lado para o Oeste do Estado de Goyaz e +do outro lado são as elevadas massas da cadeia dos Andes que se inclinam +para Leste com os seus contrafortes. Diz Elysée Reclus, que separando os +dois systemas orographicos, vae serpeando em forma de valle uma planicie +intermediaria, que certamente foi outr’ora um estreito maritimo separando +as duas ilhas—Brasil Oriental e Andes. + +Hoje correm aguas fluviaes na depressão por onde passaram outr’ora as +aguas marinhas e a planicie está cheia actualmente de suas alluviôes. O +verdadeiro centro da America do Sul está entre as duas cidades de Cuyabá +e Corumbá. + +Pará os que desconhecem a região, as vertentes são as vezes confundidas +com as serras, e em cartas geographicas se desenha uma cadeia de +montanhas mais ou menos continua, entre as bacias do Tapajóz e do +Madeira, entre as nascentes do mesmo Tapajóz e do Paraguay em seguida, +e finalmente entre ainda o Tapajóz e o Araguaya. Comtudo este relevo +semicircular não existe senão fragmentado, pois que as elevações que +dominam as planicies do alto Paraguay e seus affluentes são na realidade +um alto =chapadao= de extractos horisontaes ou mui ligeiramente +inclinados e carcomidos pelos rios que descem para o grande Amazonas. + +São antes =taboleiros= que montanhas, ou ao menos estas não se elevam +senão em alguns pontos do grande planalto, attingindo, aqui e alem, uns +mil metros de altura, emquanto a elevação media do proprio paredão é de +quinhentos metros. + +Assim, o conjuncto orographico do Estado de Matto-Grosso chamado +indifferentemente cordilheira dos Parecys, não apresenta aspecto +montanhoso senão para o lado do Sul; n’esta face escarpada, a rocha +é talhada a pique ou recortada em agulhas, mas do outro lado para o +Tapajóz e Xingú, uma encosta longa se estende e vae morrer gradualmente +nas planicies do Estado do Amazonas. + +D’Orbigny reconheceu na eminencia da parte septentrional do Estado de +Matto-Grosso a existencia de camadas pertencentes á edade carbonifera +e correspondendo ás rochas da mesma natureza, que do lado opposto da +região se apresenta nos contrafortes bolivianos de Santa Cruz de la +Sierra. Depois d’este, Hart e Derby verificaram que as partes meridionaes +do Araxá, que são as bordas elevadas do planalto, datam provavelmente +das epochas paleozoicas, e que alli estão representadas as camadas +carboniferas devonianas e siluricas. Leitos fossiliferos encontrados +pelo geologo Smith abaixo das collinas da Chapada, 50 kilometros á Leste +de Cuyabá, puzeram fora de duvida estes factos. Mais ao Norte, na zona +de rochedos que em travessões cortam o Madeira, o Tapajóz, o Xingú, o +Tocantins e seus affluentes, as paredes desnudadas pela erosão são todas +de formação crystallina: granitos, gneis, porphiros e quartzitos. + +As elevações que se desenvolvem na direcção do Sul entre as nascentes +do Paraguay e as do Araguaya, em seguida entre o Paraguay e o Paraná, +não apresentam as mesmas caracteristicas dos planaltos do Norte. As +eminencias da parte Oriental do Estado de Matto-Grosso foram esbarancadas +dos dois lados a Leste e Oeste e devastadas por estas excavações +lateraes, tomam em certos pontos o aspecto de verdadeiras cadeias de +montanhas, e assim é que desenham-se do Norte ao Sul as serras de S. +Jeronymo, do Maracajú e Anhanbahy. + +Rochas eruptivas, chamadas no paiz =bassaltos=, provavelmente +porphyricas, romperam as camadas de grez que compõem as montanhas e +parece que formaram pela sua desaggregação “terras roxas,” analogas ás +que dão aos fazendeiros de S. Paulo tão copiosas colheitas de café. + +Na especie de circo limitado pelo semi-circulo das elevações levantam +se massiços isolados, rochas, cujos extractos, visiveis de longe, têm +uma regularidade perfeita. Os proprios morros têm pela maior parte +formas geometricas: dir-se-ia que se esboroaram vastos lanços, deixando +paredões lisos, eguaes aos flancos de uma pyramide. Os cumes horizontaes +como se as pontas tivessem sido decepadas por um instrumento cortante +correspondem a outros cumes, e vê se que outr’ora faziam parte de um +mesmo =chapadao=. Segundo Taunay, que percorreu o paiz, estes massiços de +grez, de camadas horizontaes e regularmente superpostas, são formados de +sedimentos lacustres coados pelo mar de agua doce que outr’ora cobriu a +região. + +[Illustration: HUT OF RUBBER GATHERERS ON THE UPPER ACRE.] + +As ruinas d’estes paredões e das escarpas contribuiram tambem para mudar +a phisionomia da paysagem. Os escombros, apanhados e arrastados pelos +rios, foram revestir de camadas novas o solo, e muitas saliencias de +pedras desappareceram debaixo dos restos esmigalhados das montanhas e +outras não mostram senão as pontas por cima doz terrenos de formação mais +recente. Massiços que se prendiam aos planaltos e ás cadeias do interior +estão agora separados d’ellas, porque suas bases se acham soterradas e +elles emergem abruptamente do solo. Estes picos distinctos aos quaes se +deu o nome de =itambés=, erigem seus cabeços por cima dum mar de arvores +comparaveis a gigantescos edificios erguidos pela mão do homem. A Leste +da parte meridional de Matto-Grosso, elles enfileiramse e agrupam-se em +archipelagos, depois cada vez mais altos e menos numerosos, á proporção +que se caminha para Oeste, ou completamente solitarios no circulo do +horizonte, apparecem até nas margens do rio Paraguay e ainda do outro +lado do mesmo. + +O alto Guaporé, Itenez dos Bolivianos, posto que comprehendido na bacia +do immenso Amazonas, como affluente do Madeira pelo Mamoré, pertence +especialmente ao Estado de Matto-Grosso, pois que a cidade d’este nome +foi fundada nas suas margens e quasi toda a população de Estado se +accumulou na depressão, cuja metade occidental este rio percorre. Sua +principal nascente, muito ferruginosa, desponta n’uma grota junto á borda +do Araxá, e corre primeiro na direcção do Sul, parallellamente a outros +rios que descem para o Paraguay; mas ao deixar as ultimas collinas o +ribeirão curva-se para Oeste, depois para Noroeste e já engrossado por +numerosos affluentes atravessa a planicie, em que está a cidade que se +chamou na sua fundação Villa-Bella e hoje se denomina Matto-Grosso. + +O Paraguay é um dos rios mais notaveis da Terra como via de navegação, +segundo affirma Elysée Reclus; poucos têm um declive mais suave e fraco +proporcionalmente a sua extensão. Affirma Castelnau que elle nasce na +altitude de 305 metros; nos lugares onde as aguas tranquillas deslizam +lentamente para o mar, a altitude dos campos é apenas de 200 metros, e +a partir de um ponto situado a quatro mil kilometros do mar, o declive +é apenas de cinco centimetros. D’este modo, vapores de pequeno calado +podem subir livremente até os confins do Brasil, muito ao Norte das duas +Republicas da Argentina e Paraguay e chegar á base do planalto pelo rio +principal e pelos seus affluentes, Jaurú, Sepotuba, Cuyabá, S. Lourenço +e Taquary. O Paraguay apresenta ainda um phenomeno notavel, que é o do +cruzamento de suas nascentes com as dos affluentes do Rio Amazonas. + +O Jaurú approxima-se tanto do Guaporé, que seria facil passar por um +canal as aguas do rio Occidental para um affluente do Jaurú. Outro +tributario do Paraguay, o Aguapehy, só está separado do rio Alegre, que +desce para a antiga cidade de Villa-Bella, hoje Matto-Grosso, por um +isthmo de pouca largura, de fraco relevo, que segundo Leverger, mede +2400 braças ou 5280 metros. No anno de 1772, e depois, tentou-se cavar +um canal em pontos diversos do isthmo, masas obras não chegaram a termo +por falta de commercio na localidade. Certamente estradas de ferro, em +mais ou menos dias, supprirão a ausencia do canal que ligaria Montevideo +ao Pará, passando em grande parte do Estado de Matto-Grosso, e por uma +via continental navegavel de 8300 kilometros, segundo refere Bartholomeu +Bossi. + +O rio Paraguay tern como affluentez principaes os rios S. Lourenço, +engrossado pelas aguas do Cuyabá, o Taquary, o Mondego e o Apá, limite +este ultimo entre o Brasil e a Republica do Paraguay. + +Por occasião das enchentes, seu nivel e o dos seus affluentes eleva-se +de dez e onze metros e derrama-se á esquerda e á direita, formando um +mar ephemero que se estende ao longe, a perder de vista e se prolonga +em =banhados=. Os primeiros viajantes hespanhoes deram o nome de lago +Xarayes á baixada onde se esparramam as aguas quasi dormentes dos braços +principaes do rio. Este lago tern de extensão cerca de 600 kilometros de +Sul a Norte, entre as boccas do Jaurú e as collinas do Fecho-dos-Morros e +em certos pontos chega a 250 de largura. + +Elle não é permanente, como se pensava outr’ora, mas em qualquer epocha +do anno ha trechos alagados que os indios denominam bahias e com razão, +pois que são bahias de um antigo mar, que hoje está meio secco, e a maior +parte de taes lagoas está em communicação constante com o rio Paraguay, +ora por furos lateraes, ora por longos canaes, taes como os denominados +lagos de Uberaba, Gaiaba, Mandioré, Caceres, etc. D’entre estes lagos, +uns não contem senão agua doce trazida pela innundação fluvial, emquanto +outros, que são antigas cavidades outr’ora occupadas por agua do mar, +conservam no fundo de seus leitos camadas salinas, que dão ao liquido +um sabor caracteristico. É singular que este contraste da natureza das +aguas doces ou salinas tambem se produza nos terrenos da vasta planicie, +e assim é que campos extensos, cobertos de ricas alluviôes, deram +nascimento a mattas cerradas, e o agricultor pode muito bem alli obter +colheitas maravilhosas. É certamente por este motivo que os campos de +Matto-Grosso tanto se prestam á industria pastoril. + +[Illustration: FAMILIES OF THE AMERICAN EMPLOYEES, MADEIRA MAMORÉ +RAILWAY.] + +A horizontalidade do terreno, formada pelo centro da depressão do +immenso valle, impede que o confluente se conserve em um leito regular, +e as aguas escapando por ambos os lados ramificam-se n’um labirintho +do rios e falsos rios. Os ramos lateraes seguem por entre as zonas dos +=banhados=, até á confluencia do rio Taquary e do rio Miranda, que +descem das montanhas de Leste, recebendo o primeiro d’estes, na região +superior, um affluente, o Coxim, considerado pelos viajantes como um +dos mais pittorescos rios do Brasil. É curioso ver em alguns lugares o +Coxim estreitara-se entre paredões a pique, de 50 metros de altura, e as +pequenas embarcações correrem sobre elle como no fundo de um vallão que +não tem mais de 10 ou 12 metros de largura. + + * * * * * + +O clima de Matto-Grosso é relativamente quente nas regiões baixas e +alagadas pelas enchentes dos rios, taes como Paraguay; nas regiões dos +planaltos o clima é salubre e frio. O movimento das columnas de ar é +determinada pela forma de corredor aberto entre a cordilheira dos Andes +e as terras altas do Brasil, bem no centro do continente Sul Americano, +e por elle são arrastadas; aos ventos tepidos proveniente da região +da Amazonia, succedem no inverno ventos que sopram do frio pampa. Nas +alturas do circo de chapadões e montanhas que rodeiam a planicie do +Estado de Matto-Grosso, o frio desce abaixo do ponto de congelação. As +copiosas chuvas trazidas pelo rebojo dos ventos que contornam o planalto +central do Brasil e vem esbarrar nos primeiros contrafortes dos Andes, +cahem com muita regularidade no verão e são frequentemente acompanhadas +de trovoadas. + +Consoante alguns observadores, a queda da agua annual é de 3 metros, e em +Cuyabá contam-se mais ou menos 135 dias de chuva por anno medio. + + * * * * * + +O Estado de Matto-Grosso, pela sua situação geographica no continente Sul +Americano, collocado no ponto de separação das duas grandes bacias do +Brasil, reune ao mesmo tempo as floras e as faunas da região da Amazonia +e das regiões Platinas. Entretanto, a flora tropical predomina com sua +infinita variedade de formas vegetaes em todas as regiões das florestas, +isto é, á beira dos rios, e entre as especies famosas habitantes das +margens do Rio Mar, poucas ha que não estejam representadas na região do +alto Guaporé, ou das quaes se não encontrem congeneres. + +Em nenhuma parte se desenvolve como alli as palmeiras Cipós, e em 1875 +uma commissão de limites descobriu uma d’estas palmeiras =Urumbamba +(Calamus procumbeus) ou Desmoncus rudentum= de Martius, com mais de +200 metros de comprimento e apenas com a grossura de um centimetro! +O algodoeiro o tabacco, a ipeccacuanha, chamada alli =poaya= nascem +espontaneamente nas planicies e nas florestas; esta ultima sobretudo +colhem-na nas florestas do alto Jaurú e dos rios visinhos. O mate, a +mais notavel das plantas da zona meridional e que faz a riqueza de +algumas regiões como do Estado do Paraná, cresce alli espontaneamente +entre Miranda e o rio Apá, sem fallar propriamente da seringueira, que é +encontrada em immensas e cerradas florestas n’uma extensão comprehendida +desde Cuyabá até o Madeira, e a qual fará o assumpto especial d’este +ligeiro exposto. + +[Illustration: EXCAVATING FOR THE MAMORÉ RAILWAY AT KILOMETER 263.2.] + +[Illustration: HOSPITAL FOR EMPLOYEES OF MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +As madeiras de construcção são abundantissimas e em grande variedade, +podendo-se citar o pao-brasil, o jacarandá, a peroba, a canella, o cedro, +o jequitibá, a massaranduba, o pao-d’arco, o pao-ferro, o pao-setim, o +vinhatico, etc. + +Entre os animaes, encontram-se os veados, as antas e as onças, alem de +um grande numero de outros pequenos, proprios das regiões tropicaes. As +aves e os passaros, aves ribeirinhas e passaros cantores das florestas, +são pela sua variedade quasi innumeros. A avestruz vinda das regiões dos +pampas chegou as planicies marginaes do alto Paraguay; os peixes abundam +n’uma riquissima e magnifica variedade nos grandes e pequenos rios. + +No reino mineral, o Estado de Matto-Grosso possúe minas numerosas de +ouro, prata, platina, cobre, estanho, chumbo, mercurio, carvão de pedra, +ferro, pedras, preciosas, diamantes, &c., existindo já quatro companhias +inglezas na exploração de minas de ouro. Ha tambem granitos, crystal de +rocha, malacacheta, pedra calcaria, sal-gemma, &c. Finalmente nas regiões +do Araxá, ha fontes de aguas mineraes sulphurosas. + +O Estado de Matto-Grosso é a região do Brasil onde se encontram as +maiores fazendas de gado, não só em extensão territorial, como em numero +de cabeças de gado vaccum e cavallar, havendo algumas que contam cem mil +cabeças. Calcula-se o numero de cabeças de gado vaccum em Matto-Grosso em +dois bilhões e quinhentas mil. + +Nos dias que correm, ainda é um pouco difficil o transporte de gado de +Matto-Grosso para o Rio de Janeiro, principalmente, e a exportação é +feita pelo caminho de Oeste até Uberaba, onde a invernada se faz em dois +ou trez mezes, até que os animaes se refaçam e possam ser conduzidos em +caminho de ferro até o littoral do Rio de Janeiro. Vê-se, entretanto +que, com a terminação da via ferrea Noroeste do Brasil, o problema do +transporte para o littoral será resolvido, assim como a Madeira Mamoré +Railway, contando Matto-Grosso presentemente com rios navegaveis e dentro +de bem pouco tempo com a via ferrea de que já fallamos, de S. Luiz de +Caceres á antiga cidade de Matto-Grosso, donde começa a ser navegavel o +rio Guaporé até Guajará-Mirim, ponto terminal da Madeira Mamoré Railway, +resolverá tambem o problema da exportação de gado para os Estados do +Amazonas, Pará, &c. + + * * * * * + +D’este leve exposto conclue-se que o territorio do Estado de Matto-Grosso +é grandemente rico de gado e ouro, de diamante e café, de tabaco e mate, +de borracha e ipecacuanha e de todos os productos dos tropicos e das +zonas temperadas:—elle só bastaria para constituir um dos mais vastos e +mais opulentos imperios do mundo! + +[Illustration: RUBBER STATION ON THE UPPER MADEIRA RIVER ALONGSIDE +MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +Dotado de um clima, se bem que quente ao Norte, porem temperado e mesmo +frio nas demais regiões, como a dos planaltos, apresentando um accumulo +de riquezas raro e ainda pouco explorado como está, forçosamente para lá +o homem das diversas partes da Terra, na sua constante actividade, na sua +crescente lucta pela vida, immigrará e concorrerá com a intelligencia +e com o esforço do trabalho, para fazer d’aquella parte do Brasil um +grande emporio de industrias, commercio, navegação, caminhos de ferro e +conseguintemente uma grande nascente de civilisação, donde, pela fusão +das diversas raças, o mesmo homem surgirá sempre grande, sempre vencedor +no immenso concerto e na elevada harmonia da Vida e da Terra! + + * * * * * + +A borracha que se vê n’esta Exposição é extrahida e vinda toda das vastas +regiões cortadas pelos rios Machados, ou Dgy-Paraná, Jamary, Jacy-Paraná, +Mutum-Paraná, Paca-Nova e Guaporé com seus affluentes, aquelles a seu +turno affluentes do grande rio Madeira, em cuja margem direita está +situado o novo Municipio e Comarca de Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira, +installado em 2 de Julho do anno corrente. + +O novo Municipio tem os seguintes limites: partindo da cachoeira de Sto. +Antonio no rio Madeira, no parallelo de 8° 48′, o rio Madeira acima; o +rio Mamoré acima até a foz do Guaporé no parallelo de 12, este parallelo +até a sua intersecção com o rio Camararé; este rio abaixo até a sua +confluencia no Juruema; este rio abaixo até o ponto em que se reune ao +Arinos; o parallelo que n’este ponto passa até a sua intersecção com o +rio S. Manuel; este rio abaixo até sua confluencia no Tapajóz; e d’este +ponto até encontrar a cachoeira de Sto. Antonio no Rio Madeira a linha +que extrema os territorios dos Estados de Matto-Grosso e do Amazonas. + +Todo o immenso territorio do novo Municipio é cortado ao Norte pela +Madeira Mamoré Railway, que conta 365 kilometros de via ferrea já +construidos, partindo de Porto Velho no Estado do Amazonas, distante 7 +kilometros da sede propriamente do Municipio, até Guajará-Mirim. + +A via ferrea Madeira Mamoré, alem das estações já construidas, em Porto +Velho, Candelaria, Sto. Antonio, Jacy-Paraná, Abunã, Villa Murtinho e +Guajará-Mirim, tem 46 pontos de parada que correspondem ao numero dos +seus acampamentos. + +[Illustration: PORTO VELHO INITIAL POINT OF MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +Entre as vias de communicação do novo Municipio de Sto. Antonio do rio +Madeira com os visinhos Estados do Amazonas e Pará e tambem com a capital +e outras cidades do Estado de Matto-Grosso, comecemos por dizer algo da +linha telegraphica ora ainda em construcção por conta do Governo Federal +e da respectiva estrada de rodagem. São duas as turmas de engenheiros e +operarios que constroem a linha telegraphica, uma partida do Norte—Sto. +Antonio—e outra do Sul—Diamantina. Partindo de Sto. Antonio, a linha +telegraphica segue o parallelo 8° 48′ até encontrar o rio Jamary, n’uma +extensão de cerca de sessenta kilometros; ahi chegando desvia se para o +rumo das cabeceiras do rio Dgy-Paraná, no lugar denominado Urupá, onde +se deve encontrar com a turma do Sul e onde a ligação será feita. A 3 de +Junho de 1912 na mais alta cabeceira do rio Dgy-Paraná, já foi inaugurada +a estação telegraphica de José Bonifacio, pela turma do Sul, emquanto +a do Norte tambem já inaugurou em data anterior as estações de Sto. +Antonio do rio Madeira e Jamary. Este emprehendimento notavel está sob a +intelligencia e extraordinaria dedicação do snr. Coronel de Engenheiros +do Exercito Brazileiro, Candido Rondon, que tem o record das construcções +de linhas telegraphicas no Brasil e quiçá na America do Sul. + +Prompta dentro de um anno, mais ou menos, a linha telegraphica +marginará uma estrada de rodagem de 40 metros de largura, de cerca de +duzentas leguas de extensão a partir de Cuyabá até Sto. Antonio do rio +Madeira. Esta immensa via de communicação cortando todo um vasto sertão +sobretudo rico em borracha e ouro, terá de dez em dez leguas uma estação +telegraphica. + +Em Porto Velho, ponto inicial da Madeira Mamoré Railway, ha já por sua +vez funccionando uma poderosa estação radiographica do systema Marconi e +que se communica diariamente com Manáos e já se tem communicado mesmo com +Iquitos e com os Departamentos Federaes do Acre, do Purús e do Juruá. + +Quanto á navegação de Manáos até Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira, ella é +feita em boas condições e em navios confortaveis. Nas aguas baixas, +isto é, nos tempos da secca do grande rio Amazonas e seus affluentes, +sobem de Manáos até aquelles pontos os navios de tonelagem até 500, +nos tempos de aguas altas, em que o valle do Amazonas todo se alaga, +navios transantlaticos de 7 mil a nove mil toneladas sobem de Manáos +até alli, em quatro dias de viagem, como já tem succedido no transporte +de materiaes para construcção da Madeira Mamoré Railway, acostando +facilmente em 2 caes feitos de madeira de lei, o primeiro construido em +frente as officinas de Porto Velho e o segundo em Candelaria. Por sua vez +o Governo da Republica está resolvido a construir um caes de pedra e cal +entre Porto Velho e Sto. Antonio. + +[Illustration: IRON BRIDGE ON PARANÁ RIVER.] + +Os pequenos navios que navegam durante a secca dos rios, teem +accomodações para passageiros de 1.ª e 3.ª classe, são illuminados á +luz electrica, possuem fabricas de gelo e fazem bem a viagem de Manáos +a Porto Velho e Sto. Antonio em cerca de 5 dias, com uma media de +velocidade de 10 milhas por hora, fazendo escala por pequenos portos e +cidades amazonenses, situadas nas margens do rio Madeira. Na descida +tanto dos grandes transantlaticos como dos pequenos navios de 500 +toneladas, a viagem se faz mais rapidamente, em 3 e 4 dias. + + * * * * * + +A borracha de Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira é da mesma natureza phisica +e chimica de toda borracha do valle do Amazonas, e esta asserção salta +á vista, quando nos lembramos que a parte do Estado de Matto-Grosso +occupada pelo novo Municipio é justamente aquella limitrophe dos Estados +do Amazonas e do Pará. + +Na parça de Manáos, para onde vem o producto pela via do rio Madeira, +e na de Belém do Pará onde é enviada pela via do rio Tapajóz, ella é +sempre cotada pelos mesmos preços e nas mesmas condições das produzidas +propriamente nas regiões da Amazonia. + +A sua producção, que vem num crescendo desde o anno de 1906, é +actualmente de cerca de 2 milhões de kilos annuaes, que augmentará +certamente numa proporção—impossivel desde já de ser prevista—com a +presença e o desenvolvimento da Madeira Mamoré Railway, da estrada de +rodagem da linha telegraphica e os progressos constantes da navegação. + +No. 1ro. semestre do anno fluente a producção da borracha foi superior +a de não importa qual seja o anno desde 1907, conforme se verifica do +quadro estatistico annexo. + +N’aquellas regiões, comprehendidas desde Cuyabá até a sede do novo +Municipio, existem seringaes capazes de produzir por si sós dentro do +periodo de um anno, mais de quarenta milhões de kilos de borracha. + +Pará attingir a este ideal, bastaria que os capitaes concorressem para +exploração de uma industria extractiva, cuja fonte brota espontaneamente +da terra sem carencia de cultivo e para animar e estimular aquelles que +desejam ali empregar os seus esforços e capitaes, ahi está a lei do +Governo do Estado de Matto-Grosso, que offerece favores especiaes aos +que, alem propriamente da exploração dos vastos seringaes já existentes, +se quizerem dedicar ao plantio e cultivo da mesma =syphonia= elastica. + +Tratando-se uma exposição de borracha em New-York, é justo chamarmos +a attenção dos que nos queiram ler para o facto bem importante da +concorrencia que já começa dos capitaes norte-americanos para a +exploração d’aquella região. + +O grande capitalists Percival Farquhar, americano do Norte, já incorporou +duas companhias sob as razões sociaes de Julio Muller Rubber, e Guaporé +Rubber, com o fim não só de explorar a industria extractiva de =hevea +brasiliensis=, como tambem para os diversos ramos de agricultura +attinentes ao fabrico do assucar, dos tecidos de algodão &c. &c. + +[Illustration: KILOMETER 212 MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +Actualmente a extracção da borracha nos vastos seringaes do Municipio +de Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira occupa cerca de cinco mil trabalhadores, +mas este numero augmentará cada vez mais, positivamente, á proporção que +o referido Municipio se for tornando o ponto de convergencia para onde +affluirão as correntes commerciaes, industriaes e agricolas dos centros +de Matto-Grosso e da Republica da Bolivia. + +Isto é facil de imaginar, quando vemos que a estrada de ferro Madeira +Mamoré por seá em communicação para o Sul com S. Luiz de Caceres por +meio do rio Guaporé e da estrada de ferro que de S. Luiz de Caceres irá +até á antiga cidade de Matto-Grosso, ligando assim a bacia do Prata de +intermedio o rio Paraguay—á bacia do rio Amazonas, e para Leste, a mesma +Madeira Mamoré Railway levará os seus trilhos até Ribeira-Alta, ligando +as vastas e riquissimas regiões da Republica Boliviana tambem á bacia do +Amazonas, de intermedio o rio Madeira. Presentemente, parte para aquella +região o Engenheiro chefe e Director da Madeira Mamoré Railway, Mr. H. +Dose, que vai dar começo a construcção do referido ramal de Guajará +Mirim—Matto-Grosso—á Ribeira Alta-Bolivia—, que ficará concluida dentro +do praso de um anno e meio e terá cerca de cem kilometros de extensão. + +Accrescendo a isto ainda a construcção prompta, dentro de um anno, da +grande estrada de rodagem da linha telegraphica de Cuyabá até Sto. +Antonio do rio Madeira, poderemos facilmente imaginar o que n’um futuro, +que nada faz pensar será muito remoto, irá ser o novo Municipio de +Sto. Antonio do rio Madeira, como um verdadeiro e incontestavel ponto +de convergencia de tão fortes e ricas correntes de desenvolvimento de +progresso e de civilisação. + +Antes de terminar, não devemos esquecer que o territorio em questão não +se presta somente á producção da gomma elastica, que aliás como em todo +o valle do Amazonas é agreste e nasce á lei da natureza. Convem dizer +que alli, alem do cacao e do algodão, que tambem são agrestes, podem ser +plantados e cultivados a canna de assucar, o café, a baunilha, o milho, o +feijão, o arroz, o tabaco, a batata, a castanha, &c. + +A propria Madeira Mamoré Railway Co., concessionaria de uma vasta faixa +de terra á margem de sua linha ferrea, pensa em fazer o plantio do cacao, +da canna de assucar, &c., &c., aproveitando os referidos terrenos. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: SECTION OF A ROAD IN USE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MADEIRA +MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +De tudo o que fica exposto em linhas bem ligeiras e nas quaes procuramos +nos approximar sempre da verdade, dando noticias sobre a região em +questão, pode-se concluir facilmente que só o novo Municipio de Sto. +Antonio do rio Madeira, que exporta actualmente para o commercio mundial, +via Pará e Manáos, cerca de 2 milhões de kilos de borracha, passará a +exportar dentro de poucos annos, sobretudo com a immigração que todos os +factores nos levam esperar, de 10 a 15 milhões. + + * * * * * + +O auctor d’este exposto pede indulgencia para as lacunas que nelle forem +encontradas:—foi escripto nos raros momentos livres ao trabalho fatigante +de organisar a exposição das amostras de borracha até o respectivo +embarque em Manáos para New-York. + +As amostras da borracha de Matto-Grosso que figuram no recinto da +Exposição, são expostas por ordem do Governo, pela benemerita Associação +Commercial do Amazonas. + + +ESTADO DE MATTO GROSSO + +DELEGACIA FISCAL DO NORTE + +QUADRO DEMONSTRATIVO DA PRODUCÇÃO DA BORRACHA DOS VALLES DO MADEIRA +E ALTO TAPAJÓZ NOS ANNOS de 1907 a 1912, EM COMPARAÇÃO COM A MESMA +PRODUCÇÃO NO PRIMEIRO SEMESTRE DE 1912. + + Procedencia 1907 1908 1909 + + Machado e Jamary 1.092454 1.252194 910982 + Jacy Paraná Alto Madeira e Moré 98464 152713 150759 + Alto Tapajóz 156034 167841 + -------- -------- -------- + 1.190918 1.560941 1.229582 + + Procedencia 1910 1911 1912 + só o lo. + semestre + Machado e Jamary 1.295605 1.317917 1.315995 + Jacy Paraná Alto Madeira e Moré 142458 201562 259612 + Alto Tapajóz 107458 73688 113453 + -------- -------- -------- + 1.545521 1.593167 1.689060 + +[Illustration: LAST CAMP IN CONSTRUCTION OF MADEIRA MAMORÉ RAILWAY.] + +[Illustration: PORTO VELHO.] + + + + +STATE OF BAHIA + + + + +EXHIBITS OF THE STATE OF BAHIA AT THE INTERNATIONAL RUBBER EXHIBITION IN +NEW YORK, 1912 + + +STATE OF BAHIA. + +1 bale of 100 kilos of superior maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of 100 kilos of first quality maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of 100 kilos of second quality maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of 50 kilos of superior mangabeira rubber. + +1 bale of 50 kilos of first quality of mangabeira rubber. + +1 package of 20 kilos of caucho rubber. + +Various statistical tables, photographs, diagrams and a panoramic view of +the City of Bahia. + +Books and pamphlets concerning the natural resources of the state. + + +BY S. HESS & COMPANY. + +Samples of the various kinds of native rubber of Bahia. + +Two sacks of the seed of the maniçoba rubber tree cultivated in Bahia. + +Specimens of the maniçoba tree. + + +BY F. STEVENSON & COMPANY, LTD. + +1 bale of 100 kilos of superior maniçoba rubber from Jequié. + + +BY M. ULMANN & COMPANY. + +1 bale of 50 kilos of superior maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of 50 kilos of first quality maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of superior mangabeira rubber. + +1 package of caucho rubber from the State of Bahia. + + +BY VON DER LINDE & COMPANY. + +Specimens of the various kinds of rubber, from the State of Bahia, in a +glass case. + + +BY MORAES & COMPANY. + +1 bale of 100 kilos of superior maniçoba rubber. + + +By JOSÉ C. DA COSTA SANTOS. + +1 bale of superior maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of first quality maniçoba rubber. + +1 bale of second quality maniçoba rubber. + +Specimens of the various kinds of rubber of Bahia. + + +STATE OF ALAGOAS. + +Specimens of various kinds of rubber. + +Specimens of the rubber grown in JARAGUA. + +These specimens were sent by Mr. Americo Mello, representative of the +Commercial Museum of Rio de Janeiro, in the State of Alagoas. + + +STATE OF PERNAMBUCO. + +Two large packages of the various kinds of rubber grown in the State. +These were sent by Dr. Antonio Valenca, representative of the Commercial +Museum of Rio de Janeiro, in the State of Pernambuco. + + + + +STATE OF MINAS GERAES + + + + +STATE OF MINAS GERAES—PROVISIONAL NOTE + + +EXHIBITS + +1. Wild Manisoba (Manihot) Rubber in the raw and cleaned market condition. + +2. Planted Manisoba Rubber, viz.: (a) Fine; (b) Seconds; (c) Scrap. + +3. Photographs taken on the San Francisco River, the rubber region of the +“Highlands of Brazil.” + +4. Photographs of Rubber Trees, viz.: (a) Manihot Glaziovii; (b) Manihot +Heptaphylla; (c) Manihot Piauhyensis. + +5. Photographs of Bello Horisonte, capital of the State of Minas Geraes, +and of other localities of importance and general interest. Maps of the +State and Climatological Charts. + + + + +BRAZIL DAY + +Saturday, September 28 + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75473 *** |