inquiries respecting this regiment, when he expressed his desire to see them reviewed, which the commanding officer acceded to. Boats were furnished to convey them up the bay to the Campo of St. Christovao, where they went through their evolutions with such precision that the royal family, and nearly the whole population of Rio and its vicinity, assembled upon the spot, were much gratified, and spoke highly of their fine military appearance. Since the removal of the court to the Brazil, a bank has been established in this city, which commenced upon the plausible plan of affording great facility to commerce, by discounting bills at the rate of six per cent.; but this banking company soon curtailed these accommodations, on finding that, through private channels and agents, they could obtain ten, twelve, and fifteen per cent. by making loans, and advancing their notes upon securities not of the first character and validity. In order to provide against this sort of traffic, and acquire an unfair advantage over the public, they had the address to convince the King that they were entitled to have a prior claim over the property of an insolvent before other creditors, and, in consequence, his Majesty, (then Prince Regent,) passed laws, of the 24th September, 1814, and the 16th February, 1816, conceding to them certain preferences; and, by a decree of the 29th November, 1818, he granted them the full privilege of a first and distinct claim, before all other creditors, which is tantamount to the important public right the British government, by virtue of extents, have over the national property in the hands of any individual, and which every state can, with equal justice, practise for the security of its revenue. But that such a preference should be allowed to a body of merchants, trading for gain, over other claimants precisely in the same circumstances, is an innovation upon the laws of commerce not founded in justice. In most instances, our own countrymen will be found to be the greatest sufferers, their liberal accommodations being too often unfairly taken advantage of. The bank declared a dividend of twenty per cent. last year; and, notwithstanding the profitable operations which afforded such a result, it was very recently involved in a temporary embarrassment, arising principally from the want of a competent knowledge of those financial arrangements, foresight, and ingenuity, so important and essential in the direction of a banking concern. In this dilemma, the directors received effectual pecuniary aid from the English house of Messrs. Samuels, Phillips, and Co. established here, with the same promptitude which marks the financial transactions of its connexions in Europe.