Following Napoleon’s invasion of Portugal in 1807, the entire Portuguese Court, government and judiciary fled the country escorted by four British ships and moved the capital from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. In January 1808, the Portuguese regent, Dom João (known in English as Dom John, later John VI of Portugal and Brazil) passed a law, Abertura dos Portos, opening Brazilian ports to trade with British merchant vessels. While British ships had been able to dock in Brazilian ports en route to India and the Pacific, commerce between the nations was forbidden, all Brazilian trade having to pass through Portuguese ports. The opening of the ports resulted in the development of industry and increasing foreign investment in Brazil. However, the boom in the Brazilian economy also saw an increased demand for enslaved labour to work sugar and coffee plantations. Brazil did not abolish enslavement until 1888.
This 1809 account of Brazil was published for the use of British merchants in South America. It describes each of the country’s provinces, main cities, resources, trade goods and industry as well as an appendix containing advice for Europeans wishing to emigrate. In his advertisement for the work, the author, Andrew Grant, declared he hoped his work would prove to be ‘highly interesting to every one engaged in commercial speculations’ in Brazil.