1828.] " Mexico ;" and ( ' Mexican Illustrations" 595 



insolence take, but too soon, the place of those qualities by which our working 

 classes are distinguished at home ; and, as their prejudices are not less strong 

 than those which they have to encounter on the part of the natives, the result, 

 in all cases where mutual assistance is required, cannot be favourable." 



Again of the miners of Cornwall peculiarly : 



" For the credit of England it must be hoped, that those who sought their 

 fortune in Mexico are not to be regarded as a fair specimen of the population 

 of that part of the British dominions. There were some good and useful men 

 amongst them, who have continued in the service of the Association, and are 

 now amongst its most efficient agents j but the generality of the Cornish have 

 left behind them a character for ignorance, low debauchery, insubordination, 

 and insolence, which has very materially diminished the respect which the 

 Mexicans were inclined to entertain for the supposed superiority in intellectual 

 acquirements of the inhabitants of the Old World. 



This little fact (as the labourers in question were paid at an extrava- 

 gant rate of wages at least double that which they could have gained 

 at home) is worthy the consideration of those " criminal law" theorists, 

 who refer all our crime in this country to " the pressure of poverty/' 



Next came the crowd of evils necessarily consequent upon working at 

 an enormous distance from our resources ; and upon ground too this 

 was the worst part of the affair with the peculiarities of which we were 

 wholly unacquainted. Ponderous machines were sent out, in some 

 instances, intended for places at which from the physical structure of 

 the country, it was impossible that they ever should arrive. Other 

 engines arrived in a mutilated state, or in want of some slight additions, 

 or with some trifle about them forgotten, which a voyage of six months 

 to the United States (as the nearest market) was necessary to supply* 

 In other cases, when steam engines had arrived, and were ready to work 

 the discovery was made there was no fuel : or fuel only to be got 

 at such a price as that to work with it was to give gold for silver. But 

 the most signal instances of the valuelessness of theories, without attention 

 to local circumstances, was in the pearl adventure to the Gulf of Cali- 

 fornia ; because that was a case in which though the failure was total 

 failure, by the most cautious speculators, could hardly have been 

 suspected. 



In the year 1825, it being known that pearl oyster-beds existed in 

 the Gulf of California, it was conceived, by an English company, that 

 if mere Indian divers could get pearls up out of the sea with their 

 hands, with the assistance of a diving-bell, they (the company) might 

 absolutely sweep the bottom. Two vessels were accordingly fitted out 

 expressly for this enterprize, with diving-bells, and every supposed 

 requisite. The conduct of the adventure was entrusted to an active and 

 experienced naval officer ; and an arrangement was entered into with the 

 Mexican government (after great difficulties) for the equitable division 

 of profits. Unfortunately, it turned out, that " the heat and the rocky 

 bottom together," prevented the diving-bell from acting at any thing 

 like the depth to which the native divers. were accustomed to descend. 

 " One damaged pearl was the result of a first cruize of six weeks : and, 

 after a second attempt, equally long and unsuccessful, the scheme was 

 abandoned as hopeless!" Notwithstanding all the losses, however, that 

 have been incurred by hasty or ill-informed adventurers, Mr. Ward 

 remains of opinion that profit is to be made by mining in Mexico ; and 

 his arguments on that point are well entitled to consideration. 



4G 2 



