Such was the course of events in Brasil, while it con tinued a subordinate part of the Portuguese empire. Recent events, by transferring to it the residence of the court, have raised it to a higher importance. The con nection of Portugal with England, which had long been a source of security, ceased to afford her protection, when the power of France became predominant over the continent. On this very account, the present ruler of France, as soon as he had obtained a respite from warfare in the east of Europe, selected Portugal as his first victim. Measures had been repeatedly taken to expel the Prince Regent from his European territories, though they were suspended, first by the peace of 1801, and afterwards by the war with the northern powers. But when Prussia and Russia had successively sunk under the French arms, Buonaparte no longer hesitated to put his long-meditated design into immediate execu tion. In the autumn of 1807, he began his operations, by issuing to the Prince Regent a mandate, that the English and their commerce should be entirely excluded. The prince, though extremely unwilling to renounce so long and faithful an alliance, yet, overawed by the French power, determined to yield. The British mer chants were accordingly warned to leave the kingdom, with all their effects ; with which they lost no time in complying. The prince, however, was soon given to understand, that he must not only exclude the English from the kingdom, but must seize the persons and pro perty of all of that nation who could be found within it. Sir Sidney Smith, on the contrary, who commanded an English squadron at the mouth of the Tagus, declared that his government would not found any hostile mea sures upon the exclusion of British commerce, but that, if the regent proceeded a step farther, he would imme diately declare Lisbon under a state of blockade. The prince, however, under the alarm of impending dan ger, had the weakness to consent to the conditions re quired by Buonaparte, and to issue orders for confisca ting all that remained of British merchandize. He soon found, however, that this humiliation would avail him nothing. Junot, with 40,000 men, was marching with incredible rapidity upon Lisbon, and had arrived at Abrantes before the Portuguese government were aware of his having entered the country. Three days after, on the 29th November, the vanguard of the French ar my appeared on the heights above Lisbon. By this time, however, the determination of the prince had been formed. Seeing fully that no concession could save him, he determined upon emigration to Brasil. Every thing of value, which could be transported, was hastily put on board the fleet, which set sail on the 29th ; sap that the French troops arrived just in time to witness its departure. They entered Lisbon on the following day.
The prince, after a prosperous voyage, arrived, on the 25th January 1808, at Bahia in Brasil. He spent a month there, visited the most remarkable places in its neighbourhood, and was received with enthusiastic expressions of joy. He then sailed to Rio Janeiro, where he established his residence.
Since that time, no political events of importance have occurred, unless in the European dominions of this prince, which, of course, fall to be related under another head. Soon after his arrival, however, at Rio Janeiro, a treaty of commerce was concluded, which contains many important provisions. The ports of Bra sil, formerly shut against British commodities, were now laid open, upon the payment of a duty of 15 per cent. Gold and silver, however, according to the old commercial prejudices, were excepted, and continued still to be prohibited. The island of St Catherine's was declared a free port. At the same time, unlimited per
mission was granted to build ships for the use of the British navy, and to employ the noble forests of Brasil in their construction.
In consequence of these arrangements, Brasil has become extremely interesting to this country, in a na val and commercial point of view. It may be proper, therefore, to give, at some length, a view of its extent, productions, and of the different provinces which stretch along its coast.
The most northern government is that of Para, situa ted immediately upon the river of the Amazons. It comprehends even that part of Guiana which belongs to Portugal ; and the part of this government which lies south of the great river, and which properly belongs to Brasil, extends to the frontiers of the province of Ma ragnan. It is of considerable fertility, though little cul tivated. The foundation of the town of Para, or Belem, was laid in 1615. The trade was for some time con fined to vanilla, sarsaparilla, and cotton, the spontaneous produce of the ground, which were collected by the In dians, and brought to the capital. But when the labour of negroes was introduced, some cultivation took place, and the different West India products were raised, though not in very great abundance. The progress of this settlement was, in the middle of the last century, severely checked by the exclusive company, established by the Marquis of Pombal; though it may probably have availed itself of the removal of this restraint, which took place about twenty years after. The ap proach to the harbour is difficult, on account of the currents ; but, within, the anchorage is good. The po pulation of this province is stated at 4128 whites, 9910 negroes or mulattoes, and 34,800 Indians.
The next province is that of Maragnan, which ex tends along the coast, from the frontiers of Para, to a range of mountains, which separate it from Fernambuco. The Portuguese first established themselves in it about the year 1600. In the year 1611, some French gentle men, Devaux and La Ravardiere, established themselves in the isle of Maragnan, and built on it a fort, which they called St Louis. They were driven from it, however, a few years after by the Portuguese, under the command of Albuquerque. About the year 1640, the Dutch ex tended their conquests .to this province, but lost it again, along with the rest of Brasil. The first production drawn from this country was ambergris, which was af forded in considerable quantities; but this article being exhausted, the inhabitants betook themselves to the cultivation of the common tropical productions. It was soon found that the cotton of Maragnan surpassed in va lue every other species produced in the new world ; and a copious source of wealth was thus opened. Different species of dyes, particularly that called Rocou, are co piously produced ; and the plains behind are filled with horned cattle, which obtain a ready sale in the more po pulous provinces adjoining. The first and still the best inhabited part is the isle of Maragnan, or St Louis, which is separated from the continent only by a river. It is seven leagues in length, four in breadth, and of ex uberant fertility. All the commerce of the province is carried on by the port of St Louis, no other part of the coast being accessible, on account of the shallows and hills of sand, with which it is bordered. This harbour, too, possesses merit only by comparison ; for it is beset with rocks and islets, which render the passage extreme ly dangerous. Only two entrances have been discover ed, one on each side of the island of St Anne. The po pulation of this province is calculated at 9000 whites, 18,000 negroes and mulattoes, and 39,00Q Indians.