Cii. X. [SOUTH AMERICA, 107 



CHAP. X. 



Trade and Commerce of Lima. 



^F^ME city of Lima could not have attained to 

 -^ such splendour, if, besides being; the capital of 

 Peru, it had not been also the general staple of the 

 kinirdom. But as it is the residence of the govern- 

 mciit and chief tribunals, so it is also the common 

 factory for commerce of every kind, and the centre 

 of the products and manufactures of the other pro- 

 vinces, together with those of Europe^, brought over 

 in the galleons or register ships; ad from hence 

 they are distributed through the vast extent of these 

 kingdoms, ^v]lose wants are supplied from Lima, as 

 their common moiher. At the head of this commerce 

 is the tribunal del consulado, which appoints com- 

 missaries to reside in the other cities of its dependen- 

 cies, extending through all Peru. 



All the wealth of the southern provinces is 

 brought to Lima, where it is embarked on board 

 the tieet, wliich, at the time of the galleons, sails 

 from Callao to Panama. The proprietors of the 

 treasure commit it to the merchants of Lima, who 

 traffic at the fair with this and their own stock. 

 The same ileet returns to the harbour of Paita, 

 where the European merchandizes of value purciiased 

 at Porto Bello fair are landed, in order to avoid the 

 delay of sailing to Callao, and sent by land to Lima, 

 on di;oves ot" mules ; but those of less value are carried 

 thither by the same ships. 



On the arrival of these commodiiics at Lima, 

 the merchants remit to their corres-pondents suck 

 parts as they had a commission to purchase, reserving 

 the rest in warehouses to dispose of on their own ac- 

 count to trader^-, who at this time resort to Lima, 



Of 



