RIO DE JANEIRO

RIO DE JANEIRO, formerly St Sebastian, the capital of the above province and of the Brazilian empire, is situated on the south-western side of the bay or harbour just described, about 4 miles from its entrance; S. Lat. 23. 54., W. Long. 43. 9. It occupies the N.E. part of a tongue of land of an irregularly quadrangular shape, and extending on an inclined plane a short distance into the bay. The site selected for their town by the early settlers is considered the best that could have been chosen, out of many excellent ones that everywhere present themselves. Its most easterly point is the Punta do Calabouco; the most northerly is the Armazem do Sal, opposite to which is the small island of Ilha dos Cobras. The most ancient and important part of the city is built between these two points, lying from N.W. to S.E.; and a beautiful quay, constructed of solid blocks of chiselled granite, stretches along the shore. The houses of Rio are neatly and substantially built, generally of granite, and two storeys high, with little wooden balconies in front. Their lower storeys are commonly occupied by shops and warehouses, and the upper ones by the family apartments. The whole town is disposed in squares, the streets crossing each other at right angles, and, although narrow, they are well paved, and lined at each side by flagged trottoirs. In its style of architecture the old town is in general mean, resembling the old part of Lisbon; but the new town is in a much more handsome style. Although this town has always ranked as the most important in Brazil, or as second only to Bahia at the time when the latter was the seat of government, yet it was only after the imperial residence and the court were fixed here that it assumed the character of a European city. Great improvements took place after that event. The new town has almost wholly sprung up since it occurred. This part of Rio is connected with the south-western quarter, or Bairro de Mato-porcões, by the bridge of St Diogo, thrown over a salt-water inlet. Between the

old and new town is situated a large plain nearly surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains, clothed at their bases with the richest verdure, and terminating by belts of forest-trees of immense growth and of every variety. One of these elevations is called the Corcovado, or Broken Back, an appellation which it acquired from its extraordinary and fantastic shape. The plain thus environed is inclosed with houses so as to form an enormous quadrangle, perhaps the largest square in the world. Here are erected the senate-house, the museum, the camera or town-hall, and other public buildings. One of the most striking features of the Brazilian capital is the number of its churches and monasteries, which not only abound in the city, but are seen crowning almost all the surrounding eminences. Among the former, the most conspicuous are the cathedral of La Gloria, an octagonal building crowning a lofty wooded hill; the majestic church of Candelaria, the largest in the town, and surmounted by the loftiest towers in Brazil; the richly-ornamented church of the Cross; and that of Sao Francisco, with its two round towers. The convent of St Anthony is a large and gorgeous edifice; and that of Sao Bento is so richly adorned as to be one mass of gilding in the interior.

Near the centre of the quay, which has already been mentioned, there is a large square, surrounded on three of its sides with buildings, but having its fourth open to the bay. In this square the palace or imperial residence is situated; but although extensive in its dimensions, and commodious and even splendid in its internal arrangements, there is nothing magnificent or striking in its architecture. The public library occupies a suite of rooms in this quarter. It contains sixty or seventy thousand volumes in all languages, and is considered a very admirable collection. On the quay in front of the square is a very beautiful fountain for supplying water to this part of the city, and to the shipping in the harbour. It is fed by a splendid stone aqueduct leading from the Corcovado Mountain, not more striking for the magnificent singularity of its appearance than important for its utility. This great work, which is called Arcos de Cariaco, extends across a deep valley, resting on a double tier of lofty arches placed one above the other to the height of 90 feet, and the water is conducted to the reservoir by a succession of stone troughs laid on the top of this bridge, under an arched covering of brick-work. Each tier comprises forty-two arches, the upper one extending 280 yards. The following is the provision made for education:—A military academy, a naval academy, a surgical and medical academy; an academy of the fine arts (in connection with which we may mention a national museum), and lastly, two ecclesiastical seminaries, where the ancient and modern languages are taught, as well as divinity and the sciences. Besides these, there are several superior and numerous primary schools. In periodicals and newspapers the city is by no means deficient; and book-printing is carried on, although not extensively. Government has a printing establishment. There is a large botanic garden, well laid out and rich in exotics, at some distance from the town.

The trade of Rio is very great, and rapidly increasing. The export of coffee from this port is equal to that from all the others in the world, amounting in 1856 to 8,683,120 cwt., valued at L.4,788,000. In the same year there were exported 14,338 carats of diamonds and precious stones, L.53,680 worth of timber, L.59,040 worth of calves' leather, L.40,120 worth of spirits, as well as quantities of tapioca, sarsaparilla, ipocacuanu, horns, &c. The principal articles imported in 1854 and 1855 were as follows:—

The value of the exports and imports in 1855, arranged according to the different countries, is exhibited in the following table:—

The number of vessels that entered the port in 1856 was 3620, of which 2250 were from foreign ports; that of those that cleared was 3622.

The manufactures of the town are unimportant, notwithstanding the repeated attempts of the government to foster them. Leather and glass are the only articles produced in any great quantities. The climate is considered as favourable to health, comfort, and even longevity, as that of any other place between the tropics. During the summer months, which may be reckoned as extending from October to April, heavy rains fall; but on the whole few places possess a more beautiful climate than this celebrated city.

The bay of Rio was discovered on the 1st of January 1531 by Martin Alphonso de Souza, a Portuguese navigator. The natives had given to this tranquil basin the significant appellation of Niterohi, that is, "hidden water;" but he, supposing it the estuary of some great river like the Orinoco, called it the Rio de Janeiro, after the day on which it had been discovered. It remained many years unnoticed or unoccupied by the Portuguese, but in the meantime was taken possession of by France, and became an asylum for the persecuted Huguenots. These were subsequently expelled by the Portuguese, who, in 1567 founded the city of Rio. It steadily advanced in riches and importance; so that in the year 1768 Dom Joseph was induced to transfer hither the viceregal residence from Bahia, hitherto the capital of the province of Brazil. In 1808 it became the residence of the Portuguese court; and in 1822 was constituted the capital of the independent empire of Brazil. In 1831 it was the theatre of a revolution, in which 6000 armed citizens were joined by the troops of the line in their opposition to the government, and in consequence of which Dom Pedro abdicated the throne in favour of his son Pedro II. Pop. (1851) 205,906, of whom 77,989 were native white men, 36,329 foreign white men, 10,722 free coloured men, and 78,835 slaves; (1855) 296,136.