ledge of local circumstances. Europe would be inundated with precious metals, if they were to work at the same time, and with all the means afforded by the improvements in the art of mining, the mineral depositories of Bolaños, Batopilas, Sombrerete, Sombrerete, Rosario, Pachuca, Moran, Zultepec, Chihuahua, and so many others which have been long and justly celebrated. I am not ignorant, that in thus expressing myself, I am in direct contradiction with the authors of a great number of works of Poli tical Economy, in which it is affirmed that the mines of America are partly exhausted, and partly too deep ever to be worked with any advantage. It is true no doubt, that the expences

of the mine of Valenciana have doubled in the space of ten years, but the profits of the proprietors have still remained the same; and this increase of expence is much more to be attributed to the injudicious direction of the operations than to the depth of the pits. They forget that in Peru, the famous mines of Yauricocha or Pasco, which annually supply more than 200,000 marcs of silver, are yet only from thirty to forty metres in depth *. It appears to me superfluous to refute opinions which are at variance with the numerous facts brought forward by me in this chapter; and we are not to be astonished at

*From 98 to 131 feet. Trans.

the extreme levity with which we judge in Europe of the state of the mines of the New World, when we consider how little accuracy is displayed by the most celebrated politicians in their investigations regarding the state of the mines of their own country.

But what is the proportion between the produce of the Mexican mines, and the produce of the other Spanish colonies? We shall successively examine the wealth of Peru, Chili, the kingdom of Buenos Ayres, and New Grenada. It is known that the other great political divisions, namely, the four capitanias generales of Guatimala, the Havannah, Portorico, and Caracas, contain no mines which are wrought. I shall not follow the vague and imperfect data to be found in several very recent works, but shall discuss only what I have been able to procure from official papers communicated

to me.

I. There has been given into the mint at Lima,

marcs of silver. marcs of gold: From 1754 to 1772-6,102,139 and 129,080

1772 1791-8,478,367

80,846

The value of the gold and silver* amounted in the first of these periods to 68,944,522

Unanue, Guia politica del Peru, 1790, p. 45.

piastres*, and in the second to 85,434,849

piastrest, which on

an annual average of

gold and silver is

From 1754 to 1772-3,830,000 piastres. 1772-1791-4,496,000§.

The produce of gold has diminished while that of silver has increased. In 1790, the produce of the mines of Peru|| amounted to 534,000 marcs of silver and 6,380 marcs of gold. Between 1797 and 1801 there was coined at Lima gold and silver to the amount of 26,032,653 piastres. The following table points out the produce of the mines year after year**.

* 14,478,349 Sterling. Trans.

** Razon de lo que se ha acuñado en la reat casa de moneda de Lima. (MS.)

26,032,653

Total in 5 years 2,322,667 23,709,986

In the five preceding years the produce amounted to 30 millions; so that we may consider six millions of piastrés as the mean, term for one year, the produce of gold and silver having declined in 1800 and 1801 on account of the maritime war which impeded the importation of mercury as well as iron and steel from Europe. We shall adopt however a smaller sum, viz. 3,450 marcs of gold, and 570,000 marcs of silver, the value of which amounts altogether to 5,300,000 piastres*.

The places in Peru most celebrated for their metallic wealth, or the magnitude of the works are in following the chain of the Andes from north to south in the province of Caxamarca, the Cerro de Gualgayoc, near Micuipampa, Fuentestiana, and Pilancones; in the province

1,113,000 Sterling. Trans.

of Chachapoyas, S. Thomas, Las Playas de Balzas, and the Pampas del Sacramento, between the Rio Guallaga and l'Ucajale; in the Province of Guamachuco, the town of Guamachuco (with the Reales de San Francisco, d'Angasmarca, and de la Mina Hedionda), Sogon, Sanagoran, San Jose, and Santiago de Chucu; in the province of Pataz, the town of Partaz, Vuldivuyo, Tayabamba, Soledad, and Chilia; in the province of Conchucos, the town of Conchucos, Siguas, Tambillo, Pomapamba, Chacas, Guari, Chavin, Guanta, and Ruriquinchay; in the province of Huamalies, Guallanca; in the province of Caxatambo, Chanca, and the town of Caxatambo; in the province of Tarma, the Cerro de Yauricocha (two leagues to the north of Pasco) Chaupimarca, Arenillapata, Santa Cathalina, Caya grande, Yanacanche, Santa Rosa, and the Cerro de Colquisirca; in the province of Huarochiri*, Conchapata; in the province of Huancavelica, San Juan de Lucanas; and lastly in the confines of the desert of Atacama, Huantajaya.

I have followed in this long enumeration the old division of Peru into provinces; but since

*The mountains of Huarochiri and Canta contain excellent coal; but on account of the high price of car riage, they cannot be used at Lima. Cobalt and Antimony have also been discovered at Huarochiri.