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and its demands for mechanical transport
TBE object of this article is to set forth as concisely as possible the present position of road transport in Brazil and to endeavour to indicate the probability of an everincreasing demand for commercial vehicles in that country.
It will probably be within the knowledge of most producers and exporters of commercial vehicles that Brazil already possesses a larger fleet of commercial vehicles than does any other of the South American Republics. This pre-eminence, however, applies only to commercial vehicles and not to private ears, this notwithstanding the fact that Brazil in the aggregate possesses better highways outside the large cities than does, for example, its southern neighbour, the Argentine, where the ratio of private cars to commercial vehicles is roughly 5 to 1; in Brazil it is 2 to 1.
It would appear, therefore, that Brazil attaches more importance to commercial vehicles as a business pro position and as a means for the development of the resources of the country.
The subsequent paragraphs will serve to illustrate the potentialities of this market, when studied from the point of view of commercial-vehicle manufacturers.
Last year the importation of commercial vehicles fell to such an extent that the number of vehicles imported may be described as insignificant. During the years 1927, 1928 and 1929 the United States supplied to Brazil an average of roughly 17,000 motor lorries per annum. Britain's annual average contribution was about 140 vehicles.
The figures for last year (according to the statistics published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., for these two countries' exports to Brazil) are 575 and 28 respectively.
822 The Brazilian tariff is now being revised and the amended tariff is to be published early next year. In anticipation of this the following extract from the British Export Gazette for July, 1931, is illuminating:— "It is officially estimated that during 1930 only 1,940 vehicles entered the country, as compared with 53,928 vehicles in the previous year. This alarming decline has caused the Government of Brazil to reconsider the customs duties thereon and it may be expected that measures will shortly be taken to arrest the decline and to stimulate a renewed demand."
It is a remarkable fact that in spite of the world-wide depression and'the incidence of a revolution Brazil's exports actually reveal an increase in volume of roughly 15 per cent, when compared with the figures for 1929.
Brazil has begun to realize that the country can no longer depend solely on the export of coffee, but that its very existence, in a commercial sense, must ultimately depend on the fostering of its numerous other agricultural products with a view to the development of its overseas trade.
In this connection it is gratifying to note that substantial increases occurred last year in the exports of lard, meat, wool, cotton, rice, sugar, cocoa, bran, fruits, tobacco, mate, maize, vegetable oil, whilst, curiously enough, the volume of coffee exported also showed an increase.
The exports of bananas to Great Britain have increased from 885,000 bunches in 1928 to 1,410,000 bunches in 1930. A similarly illuminating increase is shown in Great Britain's purchases of .oranges from Brazil during those years.
This favourable tendency naturally calls for more transport and, in the outcome, it must result in a better adjustment ofAngle-Brazilian trade, because our home market is essentially one for tea and not coffee. British business interests may view this present Brazilian trade development with sympathy and expectation. Brazilian industries are many and varied. The principal industrial centre is the town of Sao Paulo, the capital of the similarly named State. The city's population is now calculated to be about a million.
During the war, Brazil, to a great extent, was thrown on its own resources and in the course of those years its manufacturing capacity, already partially developed, was further expanded and this expansion has since continued.
With the probability of the stabilization of the milreis at a relatively low figure, local industry will be further stimulated and the tendency will be for foreign manufacturers to erect their own branches in Brazil, with a view to counteracting the formidable tariffs —tariffs which would become still more formidable should a further decline in the value of the milreis eventually supervene.
Incidentally, it may be stated that 60 per cent, of all duties has to be paid in gold, the gold milreis having a value of 27d. The present value of the paper milreis is approximately 4d.
The population of Brazil, according to the census of 1930, is now over 40,000,000. The census taken during 1920 showed a popnlation of some 80,600,000. It has been estimated by the Brazilian Government Statistics Department that, in 1950, the total population will approximate 76,000,000, and in 1990 240,000,000!
The population of the cities of Sao Paulo and of Rio de Janeiro, estimated by the same authority, will, in 1940, reach the 2,000,000 mark, whilst the cities of Para, Pernambuco, Bahia and Porto Alegre will all have populations of over 500,000.
The traffic problems in the large cities are as difficult to solve as they n28 are in this country. It is reasonable to suppose that, to some extent, tramcart may be further supplanted by buses.
This remark applies especially to the city of Sao Paulo, where the streets in the centre of the town are relatively narrow and where the institution of one-way traffic has not succeeded in reducing the congestion.
Chances for Municipal Equipment.
The fire brigades in the large towns are most efficient and are worthy of consideration on the part of British manufacturers of fire-engines. This comment applies with equal force to the necessary outfits for the municipalcleansing departments.
Some of the railways are feeling the competition from road transport, which fact was emphasized at the past annual meeting of the Great Western Railway of Brazil. In another direction, too, competition has been making itself felt in connection with the Sao Paulo Railway, but in this case a scheme is on foot for the co-ordination of both types of services.
In the Federal District, which embraces the city of Rio de Janeiro, a considerable reduction has recently been made in the formerly onerous motor-licence fees. An important effect on the sale of motor vehicles of all descriptions is expected to result in that region of Brazil, and, indeed, throughout Barzil, if the reduction be adopted by the other States of the Union, The annual registration fee, which in 1930 amounted to $544) (equivalent at the time to about £12) on a mediumsize private car, has been reduced to $150 (at the• present rate about f2).
_ Taxicabs will now pay $60 (15s.), as against $700 (£15 during 1930). Motor lorries and motorcycles will now have to pay purely nominal rates. To make goad these reductions a further tax on petrol has been instituted.
Road-making Proceeding Apace.
As regards motor roads in Brazil, much could be written, but it hardly comes within the scope of this article to go deeply into that matter. A point which needs emphasizing is that good motor roads do exist and form connecting links throughout the country.
Perhaps the most famous road in Brazil is the one connecting Sao Paulo with the port of Santos. The distance between these two towns is roughly 50 miles. The first few miles from the coast consist of a at stretch of road which runs across a swamp, parallel with the railway.
Suddenly the hills composing the tableland on which Sao Paulo stands rise precipitously to an altitude of 2,700 ft. This abrupt elevation is negotiated within the distance of a few miles by means of a stretch of road concreted throughout and with gradients reaching, in certain parts, a maximum of 1 ia 7.
What used to be a hazardous journey for motor traffic can now be undertaken by drivers of but little experience. The summit having been reached, \the road resumes its normal surface and continues to Sao Paulo. There is a project to concrete this road throughout.
The prosperous and thickly populated south-eastern States of Brazil possess better highways than do the other States composing the .Union, although some of the north-eastern States are making rapid progress in road-making.
The section including the States of Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, the Federal District, hlinas Geraes, Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catharine. and Rio Grande do Sul have approximately 2,852 miles of good motor roads, about 5,872 miles of additional roads passable for =tor traffic in practically all seaSons of the year, and 36,711 miles passable only in the dry season (eight to nine months).
The roads comprised in this area represent 65 per cent. of all the roads in Brazil, suitable for motor traffic; 90 per cent. of the good motor highways ; 65 per cent. of the roads passable for vehicles in all seasons, and 63 per cent. of those passable only in the dry season.
The eastern and northern coast States possess about 336 miles, or 11 per cent. of the country's good motor
roads; 35 per cent of the roads, approximately 3,135 miles, -passable all the year round, and 26 per cent., or 14,913 miles, of roads passable only in the dry season. This makes a total of 18,384 miles, or roughly 26 per cent. of the motor roads in Brazil.
The interior States of Goyaz, Amazonas and Matto Grosso, sparsely settled and dominated by the great rivers, have approximately only 6,587 miles of motor roads, or 9 per cent, of the total. Moreover, few of these roads can be classed as good. Several of the States are co-ordinating their road-construction programmes.
One may assume that the officials of most concerns having dealings with Brazil will have read the voluminous report on that country, recently elaborated by Sir Otto Niemeyer. It is an interesting and informative report.
• For the benefit of those who, however, may not have had Sir Otto Niemeyer's report brought to their notice, it is worth while quoting the closing words. They arc as follow:— " Brazil is not alone in facing financial difficulties at the present moment: in many respects her difficulties are less than those of other countries, and she may justly challenge comparison.
"No country would better repay sound financial administration or is more worth every attempt to keep, even in difficult times, to high financial tradition ; and no country is likely to profit more by the effort, if successfully made."