REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. 495
years for the spread of education, it is still in a very backward state, and the public schools were frequented in 1868 by only 107,483 pupils.
The department of scientific instruction is represented by two faculties of law and two faculties of medicine, maintained at the charge of the Government.
Besides these establishments there are, regimental schools for the army, several preparatory schools, an academy of arts, a central college ; a naval academy, and a practical school of artillery. The whole of the schools of the empire are under the supervision of the Minister of the Interior, and the control of the General Assembly.
Revenue and Expenditure.
The revenue of the empire is raised by a system of direct and in- direct taxation ; all government monopolies, except the Post Office, have been abolished. The direct taxes are principally imposed on landed property, house-rent, trades and occupations, and transfer of property, while the indirect taxes consist of duties on imports and exports, and on some articles of consumption.
The revenue has largely increased during the last few years, and continues to progress, an important reform of the system of taxation having been effected in 1867. The total revenue of the country during the years 1826 to 1860 was, in pounds sterling : * —
Years &
1826 464.320
1829-30 1,248,754
1834-35 1,278,752
1839-40 1,827,252
1844-45 2,401,053
1849-50 2,669,644
1854-55 3.561,544
1859-60 4,731,096
The total revenue of Brazil during the six years, ending June, 1865 to 1870, Avas as follows: —
Years, ending June
&
1864-65
. 6,105.841
1865-66
. 6,338.062
1866-67
. 6,675,643
1867-68
. 7,453,068
1868-09
. 8.693,700
1869-70 (estimated)
. 9,100,000
The ordinary expenditure during the years 1865-70 was, according to official returns, as follows : —
- The exchange being fluctuating, 10,000 reis, or 10 niilreis, are reckoned
equal to £1 sterling in all the subjoined tables.