Among the national productions imported at Vera Cruz from Spain, there were 48,785 hogsheads of spirits, the value of which is 1,235,180 piastres; 43,162 hogsheads (value 837,776 piastres) of red and white wine; 20,946 arrobas (value 78,456 piastres) of oil; 19,721 pounds (value 287,057 piastres) of saffron; 79,200 bottles (value 78,456 piastres) of beer; 136,381 reams (value 486,583 piastres) of paper; 73,827 quintals (value 812,707 piastres) of iron; 8108 quintals (value 53,052 piastres) of steel; and silks, woollens, linens, muslins, and hats contained in chests, which the merchants are not obliged to open at the custom-house, to the value of more than six millions of piastres. ..

Among the foreign productions imported from Spain there were silks, cottons, cloths, and other stuffs, to the value of four millions of piastres; 47,236 pounds (value 168,171 piastres) of cinnamon; 28,167 pounds (value 85,952 piastres) of cloves; and .2997 quintals (value 51,477 piastres) of steel.

Among the American productions imported from the other Spanish Colonies at Vera Cruz, there were 27,814 arrobas (value 576,836 piastres) of wax from the Havannah; 1928 arrobas (value 26,068 piastres) of wax from Campeachy; 18,482 fanegas (value 461,845 piastres) of cocoa of Tabasco; 8,141 fanegas (value 2,055 piastres) of cocoa of Caracas;

49,585 quintals (value 100,219 piastres) of Campeachy wood; and 18,496 fanegas (value 37,845 piastres) of salt. Among the indigenous productions exported from Mexico for the Mother Country, there were 381,509 arrobas (value 1,097,505 piastres) of sugar; 11,737 arrobas (value 1,220,193 piastres) of fine cochineal (the result of a very moderate harvest); 867 arrobas (value 24,414 piastres) of granilla; 464 arrobas (value 5,816 piastres) of cochineal in dust; 189,897 pounds (value 367,302 piastres) of indigo; 37,797 quintals (value 77,485 piastres) of Campeachy wood; 1,818 quintals (value 62,411 piastres) of jalap; 7,169 quintals (value 96,734 piastres) of sarsaparilla; 1,014 thousand (value 111,195 piastres) of vanilla; and 3,786 fanegas (value 124,819 piastres) of cocoa of Tabasco. There were besides exported 18,801 fanegas (value 460,585 piastres) of cocoa of Guayaquil. The exportation of coined silver amounted to 16,847,843 piastres. The Havannah received from Vera Cruz, 26,371 trosos (value 417,709 piastres) of Mexican flour. In 1804 there entered Vera Cruz from Spain 107 vessels; from the Spanish Colonies in America. 123. In this state neither the 13,500,000 piastres exported on account of the king of Spain, nor the 20,000 quintals of mercury imported on account of the government, have ‘been included. - +

Commerce of Vera Cruz in 1805:—Importation from Spain in national produce, 1,514,473 piastres (of which in paper alone 60,617 reams, or 582,769 piastres); in foreign produce and goods 574,963 piastres. Importation from America 1,262,907 piastres, (whereof in Havannah wax alone 19,964 arrobas, or 547,304 piastres). Exportation for Spain 10,200 piastres; for America 330,546 piastres. Exportation in neutral vessels 562,048. Total amount of the commerce 4,355,137 piastres. Number of vessels entered at Vera Cruz from Spain, 27, from

America, 77.

Commerce of Vera Cruz in 1806:—Importation from Spain in Spanish productions 1,815,579 piastres; in foreign produce 327,295 piastres. Importation from America 1,499,244 piastres. Importation in neutral vessels 3,485,655 piastres. Exportation for Spain 803,037 piastres; for neutralports 4,101,534 piastres; consequently, total importation 7,137,773 piastres. Total exportation 5,478,762 piastres. Total amount of the commerce, 12,616,535 piastres. There entered Vera Cruz in 1806 from Spain, eight embarcations; from the other Spanish Colonies of America, 90; and from neutral ports, 37.

From this state of commerce, and those which I have already given in this volume p. 33. et seq., it follows that in the three years of peace, 1802, 1803, and 1804, the total importation of Vera Cruz amounted at an average (abstracting the fraudulent commerce) to 20,700,000 piastres; and the exportation, not including the coined or wrought gold and silver, to 6,500,000 piastres.

millions. millions. 1802 Importation - 21% Exportation - 9 1803 - - - 23 - - 5+ 1804 - - , 17%. - - 5

These numbers confirm what we have advanced in the 12th chapter, respecting the general balance of the trade of New Spain (page 111 of this volume). That vast country, in the present state of its civilization and manufactures, requires foreign produce and goods to the value of a hundred, or a hundred and ten millions of francs. Allowing full liberty to the trade of Acapulco and San Blas with (China and India, Mexico may draw cottons, 'silks, paper, and spices, and perhaps even mercury directly from Asia; and this circumstance "will diminish the importations from Europe, more than twenty millions of francs. The more the connections of America with oriental Asia are increased, the smaller will be the sum of

w

gold and silver annually poured by the New Continent into the commerce of Europe. The effects of this revolution in commerce, will be more promptly felt by us, than those produced by the establishment of new manufactures, and the tardy awakening of indigenous industry. For centuries the commerce of Mexico with the Mother Country, had never been so impeded as in 1805. In this year, the value of exports from Vera Cruz for Spain, only amounted to 12,000 piastres, while at an average it amounts to 22 millions of piastres. Hence during the year 1805, the price of paper, iron, and steel, was almost tripled.

1802. 1803. 1804. 1805. 1806.

Piast. Piast. Piast. Piast. Piast. Price of white pa

per per ream - | 84's 8+’s 8+', 94%| 84% Of iron per quintal 9 11| 10 19 24 Of steel per quintal 1815, 18 17. 40. 30

In 1806, a period during which the entry of neutral vessels was permitted at the port of Vera Cruz, Mexico received by these same vessels, according to the Custom-house books, in linens (bretañas, bramantas, caserillos, listados, ruanes, platillas, creas, and estopillas) to the value of 1,079,714 piastres; in cottons and