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. 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 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. 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 на muslins (acolchados, cambray, musolinas, mahones, zaragas, and pañuelos de Bayaja y Madras,) to the value of 1,554,647 piastres; and in woollens, to the value of 164,989 piastres. Notwithstanding the rise in the price of iron, the working of the mines has been continued with the same activity, as before the commencement of the last war. There has been coined at the mint of Mexico in gold and silver: In 1804, 24,007,789 piastres; in 1805, 27,165,888 piastres; in 1806, 24,736,020 piastres. Of the 24,007,789 piastres coined in 1804, 23,513,079 piastres or 2,756,657 mares were 'silver, and 494,710 piastres or 3,633 marcs were gold. The coinage of the year 1805 having even exceeded that of 1796, (Vol. iii. p. 290.) it may be proper to specify here the quantities coined each month, (Vol. iii. p. 481, and Vol. iv. p. 258. et seq.) Quantity of Gold and Silver coined at Mexico, from the 1st of January, to the 1st December, 1805. Silver Gold Months Piastres. Piastres. Reals. Piastres. (Reals. 860,026 53 860,02 53 1,891,492 4 1,891,49 2,234,021 4 2,234,02 371,766 2,106,236 0 2,478,002 236,304 2,489,358 464,768 2,555,402 1 3,020,170 Total 1,359,814 25,806,074 2,110,793 5 2,110,793 286,976 2,995,520 0 3,282,496 5층 56 5 3127,165,888 34 On this sum, the duties of coinage and signiorage amounted to 2,073,753 piastres. Now the price of the labour, and the expence of coinage, having only been 462,318 piastres, it follows that in 1806, the net profit of the mint of Mexico, with that of the house of separation (casa del apartado), was 1,611,434 piastres (See p. 209 of this volume). According to a note drawn up up by M. Campo Marin, there was coined at Mexico, from the 1st January, 1772, to the 31st December, 1803, gold and silver to the value of 648,535,219 piastres; viz.: 623,404,405 piastres, or 73,104,242 marcs of silver, and 25,150,814 piastres, or 184,581 marcs of gold. In these estimates, the gold is only calculated at 136 piastres per marc, and the silver at the fineness of piastres, as is customary at the mint of Mexico, Vol. iii. p. 291, 296 and Vol, iv. p. 261 et seq. The coinage was at an ave rage during the thirty last years preceding 1803, 20,266,725 piastres.. The road from Vera Cruz to Xalapa, and from thence to Perote, begun in the month of February, 1803, (p. 6. of this volume) has been continued with great activity. It was executed in 1806, between las Vigas, and la Rinconada, for a length of 79,228 varas, or 60,551 metres*. As the work was executed by a great number of condemned criminals, an hospital was established at la Rinconada, capable of receiving 1700 patients. The arches of the bridge of the Rio de la Antigua, begun near the Ventilla, were ruined in the extraordinary swell which took place in 1806. The Consulado of Vera Cruz did not hesitate * 198,601 feet. Trans. |