New Spain consisting chiefly of raw silk, colored cotton fabrics, wax, and Chinese earthern ware. By 1794, however, the trade had so greatly decreased that in 1792 and 1793 no fair had been held at Acapulco owing to lack of attendance, and in the following year the fleet did not arrive.[1] The trade afterward revived considerably, since Humboldt states that the amount of bullion annually shipped averaged 1,000,000 pesos, and often reached 1,300,000.[2]
Besides the Philippine trade at Acapulco some commerce was also carried on between New Spain and Peru at the same port, but the restrictions put upon it reduced it to a very limited scale. Only two vessels of two hundred tons burden each were permitted annually to visit Acapulco, and the goods they took away paid an export duty of two and a half per cent. But even these niggardly conditions were regarded as too liberal, and the conde de Montesclaros, viceroy of Peru, expressed his opinion to the king that only one ship a year should be allowed to sail to Acapulco, and that the export duty at that port and the import duty at Callao should be made excessive.[3] Thus the clamp was tightened for the benefit of the Seville merchants, and both Peru and New Spain protested against restrictions which virtually precluded all trade between them. Even the sorry con-
- ↑ 'Se noticia que iba á salir, y no se puede atribuir su falta, sino á una desgracia.' Revilla Gigedo, Instruc., 104. Viceroy Linares attributed the decadence to the depreciation of prices caused by the progress made in the manufacture of fabrics in Europe, and also to the extensive operations of the Compañia de las Filipinas, which introduced into New Spain great quantities of Asiatic goods via Vera Cruz. Id., 104-5.
- ↑ Numerous passengers, among whom were many monks, always sailed with the fleet. In 1804 75 monks left Acapulco on the galleon which the Mexicans humorously described as being freighted with 'plata y frayles.' Essai Polit., ii. 718-20.
- ↑ 'Cargando mucho los derechos de la salida de Acapulco y de la entrada del Callao.' Montesclaros complains in 1612, that in spite of prohibitions four or five ships had arrived that year from Acapulco under various pretexts, such as stress of weather, conveyance of despatches from the government of New Spain, and like excuses. Pacheco and Cardenas, Col. Doc., vi. 342-4 and 304.
and the Philippine Islands. It was, however, prohibited from interfering with the internal commerce of the islands, and that with China and Acapulco. Reales Ordenes, vi. 88-116; ix. 137-40.
