The result of this table is, that the net profit of the shareholders has been latterly at an average of 139,3727. In 1802 circumstances were extremely unfavourable. The greater part of the ores were very poor, and their extraction attended with great expense; and besides this, the produce was sold at very low prices, because the want of mercury impeded the amalgamation, and all the mines were incumbered with ores. The year 1803 promised greater advantages to the proprietors, and they reckoned on a net profit of more than 109,3837. I saw them sell weekly at Valenciana, silver ores to the amount of more than 5,850., the expenses of which amounted to 3,6837. At Rayas the profit of the proprietor was greater, though the produce was less; for this mine furnished more than 3,2507. worth of ores weekly, while the expense of working only amounted to 8667. This was the effect of the richness of the ores, their concentration in the vein, the inconsiderable depth of the mine, and consequently a less expensive draught. To form an idea of the enormous advances required in working the mine of Valenciana, it is sufficient here to mention, that in its present state there must be laid out annually, NUMBER OF WORKMEN. 247 The consumption of powder alone has amounted to 16,6687., and that of steel to 6,2507.: the number of workmen who labour in the interior of the mine of Valenciana amounts to 1,800. Adding1,300 individuals (men, women, and children) who labour at the whims, in the carriage of ores to the places where they are tried, we shall find 3,100 individuals are employed in the different operations of the mine. The direction of the mine is entrusted to an administrator with a salary of 2,500l., through whose hands upwards of 240,000l. annually pass. This administrator, who is under the controul of no one, has under his orders an overseer (obersteiger, minero), the under overseers (untersteiger, sottomineros), and nine master miners (mandones). These head people daily visit the subterraneous operations, carried by men who have a sort of saddle fastened on their backs, and who go by the name of little horses (cavallitos). We shall conclude this account of the mine of Valenciana, with a comparative Table of the state of this Mexican work, and of that of the celebrated mine of Himmelsfürst in the district of Freiberg. I flatter myself that this Table will fix the attention of those who consider the study of the management of mines as an important object in political economy. Comparative Table of the Mines of America and Europe. America. Europe. Mine of Valenciana, Mine of Himmelsfürst, Average year at the the richest of the the richest of the Saxon end of the eighteenth Mexican mines. mines. At the surface, 9280| At the surface, 1638 feet above the level of feet above the level of the sea. the sea. 221,538lbs. troy of 6,154lbs. troy of silsilver 250,000l. sterling 120,000l. sterling 80 ounces 3,100 Indians and From 3s. 6d. to 5s. -} Sver. A vein frequent-7 extent (in clay 9,6001. sterling. 3,600. sterling. From 120 to 140 ounces silver. 700 miners, of whom 550 are in the interior of the mine. 1 s. 6d. 1,0801. sterling 700 tons. Five principal veins, from 60 to 90 feet extent (in gneiss). Eight cubic feet per minute. Two hydraulic wheels. 178 fathoms. MEAN CONTENTS OF ORES. 249 They reckoned in 1803, in the whole district of mines of Guanaxuato, 5000 miners and workmen employed in picking the ores, in smelting and amalgamating; 1896 arastres, or machines for reducing the ores into powder; and 14,618 mules destined to move the whims, and to tread for amalgamation the pulverized ores mixed with mercury. The arastres of the town of Guanaxuato bray, when there is an abundance of mercury, 568 tons of ores per day. If we recollect that the produce in silver is annually from 300,000 to 400,000lbs. troy, we shall find by this datum, that the mean contents of the ores are extremely small. |