Page images
PDF
EPUB

the gross revenue* with the number of inha bitants to conclude, from this comparison, that the Hindoos support smaller burdens than the Americans. We must not forget that the price of labour in Mexico, is five times greater than in Bengal, or to use a word consecrated by a celebrated mant, in Hindostan, the same quantity of money, commands five times more labour than in Ame rica,

When we turn to the budget of expences of state, we find with surprise, that in New Spain, which has hardly any other neighbours to fear but a few warlike tribes of Indians, the military defence of the country consumes nearly a fourth part of the whole revenue. It is true the number of troops of the line, only amounts to nine or ten thousand; but when we add the militias called provinciales and urbanas, we find an army of 32,000 men distributed over an extent of country, of six hundred leagues in length. We shall here examine a few of those states annually presented to the court of Madrid, since the Counts de Galvez and Revillagigedo, and the Marquis de Branciforte thought proper to in

* Revenue of British India(in the year 1801) £9,742,937 sterling; charges, 8,961,180; net revenue, 781,757. Playfair stat. Breviary. p. 59,

Adam Smith.

crease the militia corps. The following table explains in the greatest detail, the heterogeneous elements, of which the military of Mexico, and the provincias internas is composed.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

2. In the provincias internas administered by the Viceroy of Mexico

3. In the provincias internas administered by commandant ge

595

nerals

3,099

9,919

II. Militia (cuerpos de milicias)

22,277

Men.

1. Provincial militia (provinciales) 21,218 In the Viceroyalty 18,631

Viz. In the provincias in

ternas

2. Militia of towns (urbanas)

2587

1059

22,277

Total in a time of peace not inclu

dingthe peninsula of Yucatan and 32,196

Guatimala

II. Table exhibiting in detail the distribution of the regular troops.

[blocks in formation]

Guard of the Viceroy, created in

1588 (alabarderos)

Four regiments: Fixo de la Corona, Nueva España, Mexico, and Puebla: the three latter raised in 1788 and 1789: the whole are composed of 14 companies: in each

25

[blocks in formation]

Artillery corps of three companies

of 125 men each

Engineer corps eight officers

Volontarios de Cataluña, two com-
panies created in 1762
Company of Acapulco, created in

1773

Company of the Presidio of the

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

100

Isla del Carmen, created in 1773 Company of San Blas created in 1788 105

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Four squadrons of Dragones de
España, created in 1764

Four squadrons of Dragones de
Mexico created in 1765

Dragoons of the Presidio del
Carmen

B. Regular troops contained in the the Provincias internas

part of

under the administration of the Viceroy of Mexico, (compañias presidiales

y volantes)

a. In old and new California

Presidio de Nuestra Señora de

Loreto, formed in 1720

of San Carlos de Monterey

formed in 1770

461

461

43

6225

[ocr errors]

47

[ocr errors][merged small]

of San Diego formed in 1770 59
of San Francisco formed

in 1776

of the channel of Santa Bar

595

38

bara formed in 1788

65

Carried forward

270 6820

Continuation of Table II.

Denomination of Corps

Brought over

Men.

270 6,820

b. In the kingdom of Leon Military post (presidio) of San Juan Bautista de la Punta de Lampazos established in 1781

b. In the province (colonia) of New Santander

Three companies of Volantes formed in 1783

C. Regular Troops distributed in the part of the provincios internas which is administered by two commandant generals

Total of Regular Troops

100

225

3099

9919

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »