No. 311.
Mr. Francis to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Lisbon, March 5, 1884.
(Received March 24.)
No. 117.]Sir: I have the honor to submit the following résumé of the condition of Portuguese finances and of
the “ordinary budget” for the year 1884–’85, which was presented by Senhor
Hihtz Ribeiro, minister
[Page 444]
of
finance, to the Cortes, on the 5th of January last, together with the
estimates of public receipts and expenditures for that period:
| Department. |
Expenditures. |
|
Millreis. |
Dollars. |
| Junta of public credit |
13,093,678 |
14,191,172 00 |
| Ministry of finance |
2,206,160 |
2,382,652 00 |
| Ministry of interior |
2,201,574 |
2,377,699 00 |
| Ministry of justice |
639,814 |
690,999 00 |
| Ministry of war |
4,588,000 |
4,955,040 00 |
| Ministry of marine and colonies |
1,776,000 |
1,918,080 00 |
| Ministry of public works |
2,831,000 |
3,057,480 00 |
| Ministry of foreign affairs |
330,000 |
356,400 00 |
|
|
34,524,537 00 |
| Source. |
Receipts. |
|
Millreis. |
Dollars. |
| Direct taxes |
6,280,890 |
6,783,361 00 |
| Stamps and registration |
3,248,600 |
3,508,488 00 |
| Indirect taxes and customs |
16,171,210 |
17,464,906 00 |
| Additional tax |
1,057,000 |
1,141,560 00 |
| Sale of national domain and
miscellaneous receipts |
3,336,520 |
3,603,441 00 |
| Repayment and sundries |
1,100,817 |
1,188,882 00 |
|
|
33,690,639 96 |
| Deficit |
|
833,897 16 |
|
|
34,524,537 12 |
A statement of the expenditures as estimated in detail, together with the
most important items of anticipated revenue accompanies this dispatch. The
latter is especially interesting as illustrating the extent and resources of
taxation in this Kingdom.
From a report laid before the Cortes by the minister of finance on the 16th
February ultimo it appears that the ordinary and extraordinary expenses of
the Kingdom during the year 1883–’84 exceeded the estimates by the sum of
1,716,000 ($1,853.28 millreis), while the revenue was $259,200 less.
It appears from an official statement recently made to the Cortes by the
minister of finance that the funded debt of this Kingdom was as follows:
| June 30, 1883 |
|
$465,320,494 |
| Floating debt |
$12,380,000 |
|
| Charges thereon, interest. &c |
1,209,297 |
|
| Extraordinary expenses |
4,414,120 |
|
|
18,005,417 |
|
| Loans already made (sanction for which is asked of the
Cortes) to liquidate floating debt, &c. ($18,005,417), and to
defray other expenses |
38,880,000 |
| Total debt of Portugal |
|
504,200,494 |
During the last decade the increase of the public debt of this Kingdom has
been fully $180,000,000. It should be stated in extenuation, however, that
railroad and other important public improvements completed by the Government
within the period named represent a larger sum than this augmented public
indebtedness.
Notwithstanding the annual deficits in the budgets of the Kingdom and the
steady increase of the public indebtedness—now quite as large, per capita,
as is that of Great Britain—it is a fact that the public credit of Portugal
is quite steadily sustained. Its 3 per cent, securities at the ruling rates
stand about 52, showing an interest of considerably less
[Page 445]
than 6 per cent, which the Government has to
pay upon its loans, the latter, however, bringing to the treasury little
more than 50 per cent, of the amount of debt incurred.
It is conceded by prudent statesmen and thoughtful business men here that the
debt of Portugal is now quite as heavy as can be borne by this people and
that any material increase of the burden would involve grave peril to the
public credit—already sufficiently strained—and to the business interests of
the country.
The minister of finance makes a recommendation to the Cortes that the tax on
salt consumed in the Kingdom be reduced from 8 to 3 reis a litre, and that
the tax on imported alcohol be reduced from $2.16 a decalitre (2 1/5
gallons) to $1.29.
An export duty of 1 per cent. is now imposed upon gold and silver coin. A
proposition to suspend this duty at the discretion of the Government has
been unanimously accepted in the House of Deputies, and will no doubt be
enacted into law.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 117.]
Statement of January 5, 1884, showing the estimated sources of the most important items of
revenue, and the detailed expenditure for the financial year
1884–’85, as stated in the “ordinary budget” presented
to the Portuguese Cortes by the minister of finance.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES AS ESTIMATED.
junta of public credit.
| Charges on debt held in Portugal: |
Millreis. |
|
Pay to members of the Junta and employés |
33,830 |
|
Interest on obligations of the Government in
circulation |
6,208,688 |
|
Interest on obligations in the treasury |
65,459 |
|
Sinking fund |
3,670 |
|
Various charges |
9,600 |
| Charges on debt held abroad: |
|
|
Expenses of the financial agency in London |
16,244 |
|
Interest on obligations of the Government in
circulation |
5,799,414 |
|
Interest on obligations in possession of treasury |
98,967 |
|
Various charges |
19,000 |
|
Administration of the Junta |
38,804 |
|
|
$14,191,172 |
foreign affairs.
|
Millreis. |
| Department expenses |
21,700 |
| Diplomatic corps |
118,000 |
| Consular corps |
69,000 |
| Eventual expenses (secret service) |
101,000 |
| Decorations |
2,000 |
|
$356,400 |
ministry of justice and public
worship.
|
Millreis. |
| Department expenses |
38,000 |
| Bishoprics |
134,000 |
| Court of cassation |
37,000 |
| Court of appeals |
70,000 |
| Tribunals |
77,000 |
| Prisons |
129,000 |
| Subsidies to nuns |
2,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
10,000 |
| Pensions |
31,000 |
|
$690,99 |
[Page 446]
ministry of war.
|
Millreis. |
| Department expenses |
39,000 |
| Staff |
91,000 |
| Army |
2,956,000 |
| Fortifications |
27,000 |
| Military tribunals |
497,000 |
| Various commissions |
45,000 |
| Half-pay officers |
12,000 |
| Retired officers |
651,000 |
| Veterans and invalids |
16,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
247,000 |
|
$4,955,040 |
marine and colonies.
|
Millreis, |
| Department expenses and auxiliary offices |
74,000 |
| Fleet |
909,000 |
| Tribunals |
97,000 |
| Navy-yard |
392,000 |
| Employés in the colonies, supernumeraries, &c |
112,000 |
| Various charges |
94,000 |
| Colonial expenses paid in Lisbon |
96,000 |
|
$1,918,080 |
public works.
|
Millreis. |
| Department expenses |
49,000 |
| Engineer corps |
299,000 |
| Repairs of roads |
300,000 |
| Railways |
691,000 |
| Post, light-houses and telegraphs |
708,000 |
| Various works |
374,000 |
| Scientific schools |
187,000 |
| National forests |
45,000 |
| Geodetic, hydrographic |
66,000 |
| Pensions and allowances |
119,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
32,000 |
|
$3,057,480 |
ministry of the interior.
|
Millreis. |
| Department expenses |
41,000 |
| Administrative tribunal |
25,000 |
| Governor, civil |
108,000 |
| Municipality |
289,000 |
| Police |
454,000 |
| Public health |
64,000 |
| Public instruction |
870,000 |
| Public charity |
2,000 |
| Pensions |
3,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
71,000 |
|
$2,377,699 |
ministry of finance.
|
Millreis. |
| Civil list, royal family |
571,000 |
| Cortes |
118,000 |
| Sundry redemptions and interest |
2,691,000 |
| Bureaus, miscellaneous, unemployed persons |
647,000 |
| Expenses of Treasury Department |
175,000 |
| Administration of the custom-house |
964,000 |
| Mint |
60,000 |
| General expenses of treasury other than in Lisbon |
745,000 |
| Pensions |
153,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
89,000 |
|
$2,382,652 |
[Page 447]
PRINCIPAL ITEMS OF ESTIMATED
RECEIPTS.
|
Millreis. |
| Tax upon real estate |
3,152,000 |
| Tax upon manufactures |
1,125,000 |
| Sumptuary taxes |
104,000 |
| Tax upon interest |
304,000 |
| Tax upon rents |
400,000 |
| Tax upon banks |
165,000 |
| Income tax |
400,000 |
| Licenses (tobacco) |
53,000 |
| Tax upon mines |
32,000 |
| Registration fees |
1,925,000 |
| Stamps |
1,323,000 |
| City duties Lisbon, (a portion thereof) |
1,401,000 |
| Exportation duties (domestic) |
216,400 |
| Re-exportation (foreign) |
30,500 |
| Import duties (grain and tobacco excepted) |
7,252,000 |
| Import duties (tobacco) |
3,233,000 |
| Import duties (grain) |
1,292,000 |
| Tonnage dues |
102,100 |
| Sanitary and quarantine fees |
49,000 |
| Railway traffic tax |
101,000 |
| On certain wines exported, 2% |
208,000 |
| Tax on distillation |
74,000 |
| Tax on fisheries |
113,000 |
| Tax, special, on commerce, to be applied to improvement of
ports |
110,000 |
| Tax on production of salt |
270,000 |
| Tax on licenses for retail of wines and spirits |
964,000 |
| Tax, additional, percentage on custom house duties |
542,000 |
| Sundry miscellaneous receipts |
175,000 |
| Consular fees |
90,000 |
| Fees of secretaries of state, &c |
68,000 |
| Custom-house fees, Lisbon and Oporto |
137,000 |
| Fees upon decorations accorded |
185,000 |
| Fees of the ministries |
56,450 |
| Road tax |
40,000 |
| Interest on deferred taxes |
37,000 |
| Matriculation fees |
84,000 |
| General fees, custom-house at Oporto and Lisbon |
137,000 |
| Special tax on wine entering Oporto and Villa Nova de
Siae |
65,300 |
| Additional tax, law April 27, 1880 |
1,057,000 |
| Powder manufactory |
65,000 |
| Minho and Douro Railway |
807,900 |
| South and Southwest Railway |
452,000 |
| Mint |
78,000 |
| Post-office, telegraphs, and light-houses |
800,000 |
| Government journal |
198,000 |
| Woods and forests |
43,000 |
| Inheritances unclaimed |
49,000 |
| Income from property of suppressed convents |
150,000 |
| Interest on canceled bonds deposited with the Bank of
England |
71,000 |
| Interest on Government bonds deposited with the
custom-house |
891,000 |
| Contribution of the districts for support of prisons |
64,000 |
| Tax on common roads |
40,000 |
