hing I am certain, and that is, that there are few people in the British
Isles who realize the actual size of the great Brazilian Republic.

Brazil is 8,524,778 square kilometres--with the territory of the Acre
newly acquired from Bolivia, 8,715,778 sq. kil. in extent; that is to
say, it covers an area larger than the United States of North America,
Germany, Portugal, Greece and Montenegro taken together.

Some of the States of the Republic are larger than some of the largest
countries in Europe: such as the State of the Amazonas with 1,894,724 sq.
kil.; the State of Matto Grosso with 1,378,784 sq. kil.; the State of
Para with an area of 1,149,712 sq. kil.; the State of Goyaz with 747,311
sq. kil.; the State of Minas Geraes with 574,855 sq. kil.; the Acre
territory, 191,000 sq. kil.

There are fewer people still who seriously appreciate the great
importance of that beautiful country--with no exception the richest, the
most wonderful in the world; to my mind undoubtedly the continent of the
future.

Incalculable is the richness of Brazil in mineral wealth. Magnificent
yellow diamonds are to be found in various regions, those of Minas Geraes
and Matto Grosso being famous for their purity and extraordinary
brilliancy; agates, moonstones, amethysts, emeralds, sapphires, rubies,
topazes, and all kinds of beautiful rock crystals are plentiful. Gold
exists in many regions on the central plateau--but particularly in Minas
Geraes and Matto Grosso; and platinum in the States of Sao Paulo, Minas
Geraes, Sta. Catharina and Espirito Santo; silver, mercury, lead, tin,
salicylated and natural copper are found in many places, as well as
graphite, iron, magnetic iron, oxide of copper, antimony, argentiferous
galena, malachite, manganese oxide, alum, bituminous schist, anthracite,
phosphate of lime, sulphate of sodium, haematite, monazitic sands (the
latter in large quantities), nitrate of potassium, yellow, rose-coloured,
and opalescent quartz, sulphate of iron, sulphate of magnesia, potash,
kaolin. Coal and lignite of poor quality have been discovered in some
regions, and also petroleum, but not in large quantities.

[Illustration: Rio de Janeiro, showing the beautiful Avenida Central.]

Springs of thermal and mineral waters are numerous--particularly those of
which the waters are sulphurous or ferruginous; others contain arsenic
and magnesia.

Most beautiful marble of various colours is to be found, and also
enormous quantities