512 



MEXICO. 



As the result of the Study of the debt ques- Carried forward.. $25,138,752 



tion by the special committee appointed there- Orchiiif at ' 6t( 



for (see President's message hereafter), the Sugar..'.'.'.'!.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.';.'.';;;;;.'.'; 270.479 



officially recognized amount of the nation's in- wood's 346,133 



debtedrnent on June 30, 1880, was: principal, Mahogany 879365 



$98,621,789.584 ; interest, $46,431,996 ; total, Cedar ^"^\\\\\"\"]\"'.'.'.'.'. 357,340 



<fe1 AA. Q*Q T8* *31 Campeche, etc 174,893 



1144,958,785.58*. Mulberry (called moral in commerce 



As to the foreign commerce of Mexico, we asin Mexico) 549.654 



have here again to repeat, what has been stated 



in our volumes since 1873, namely, that in the Total.. $28777508 



?52!OT cal 8 Accordin ^ British official statistics, 'the Mex. 



cutteTfrom custom tuse^eS Ire' ofa f ? m * W *> Great f^n 



mean annual value of $30,000,000, and the im- fo^he^^^Tl^ * **** 



ports $27,000,000. But such is the prevalence . 



of systematic smuggling that these returns can YEARS. Exports. import.. 



never be regarded as correct ; indeed, the whole 



of the figures therein representing the imports, }g' ' ^I'SStfO 



and those standing for bullion in the exports, 1872 .'!!!!!!!.'.'"!.'.' .'.'.' .' .' wnlm 4215480 



may safely be doubled. }j>73 2,497,660 



Among the commodities most extensively im'.'.'.'. \\\:\::'.'.'.'.:\'.'.'. IJol'ji ^IJoi 



exported are silver and gold coin, silver and 1876 8,'3io,Vio 2',5i 1^120 



copper ore, cochineal, mdigo and other dye- S;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; gBg ISS 



stuns, cotree, sugar, vanilla-beans, hides, tim- 1879 2,913,795 3'465!ei5 



ber, cabi net- woods, Sisal hemp (henequeri), ixtle, ' 



etc., and the chief imports are linen, cotton, The figures here given, however, represent the 

 woolen, and silk fabrics, iron wrought and un- values of Mexican exports for British markets 

 wrought, machinery, hardware, provisions, etc. an d of imports of British and Irish produce 

 The Minister of the Interior, in his report to i n ^ Mexico. But large shipments are fre- 

 Congress on May 1, 1880, took special pains quently made to Great Britain of commodities 

 to refute the statement, made by "prominent f or distribution am ongother European markets; 

 persons," that the annual imports from Euro- an d, conversely, extensive quantities of Con- 

 pean countries into Mexico were of the value tinental products are transshipped or shipped 

 of $70,000,000, and to demonstrate, with the last in British ports. Thus in the official sta- 

 aid of "European official returns, having no tistios of Mexican trade for the year 1875, the 

 trustworthy Mexican data at hand," that the total exports to Great Britain were of the 

 total imports from all countries did not reach value of $13,481,000, and the total value of 

 one half that sum. It would appear from the the imports from Great Britain $12,523,000. 

 Minister's report that the mean invoice value Hence, considerably more than one third of the 

 of the imports for each of the years 1877-'78 Mexican exports are shipped directly to Great 

 and 1878-'79 is $19,576,500. This invoice Britain, either for consumption there or for 

 value, formerly increased 50 per cent, by the distribution among other European markets; 

 Mexican officials, to give the market value, has and Dv far tne largest share of the imports are 

 of late been increased 60 per cent. "It is very directly from England. The exports to and 

 plain, however," observes the United States tne imports from the United States in 1879 

 consul at Matamoros, "that the only proper were f tne values of $6,090,574 and $5,671,- 

 basis for computation is the original invoice 134 respectively, against $12,820.000 and $7,- 

 value. In this connection it must be noted 133,000 in 1875. The balance of trade in favor 

 that the invoice values are in Mexican eagle of Mexico and against the United States in the 

 dollars, and that these dollars have a declared first of these two years was consequently $419,- 

 value in the United States of 90'9 cents. If 440, and in the second $5,687,000. The Unit- 

 we reduce the $19,576,500 to United States e ^ States consul at Vera Cruz, in a report to 

 gold, we find it amounts to only $17,896,038. tne State Department of Washington under 

 But, while this computation is on the basis of date ^ October 30, 1880, speaks of the pro- 

 90'9 cents, the actual local market value of gressive popularity in Mexico of articles man- 

 eagle dollars has been known for some years ufactured in this country. He says : 

 not to exceed 85 cents, which would give an We can hold the ground we have, and extend the 

 icttial value in United States gold of $16,640,- field of occupation if our artisans and manufacturers 

 025." The following table exhibits the various continue to excel in the superior quality of articles 

 commodities exported in the year endino- June the y,P roduce : Our machinery, tools, cutlery, clocks, 

 o -10*70 0W i .] i J 7- cuul "e> <" watches, sewing-machines, arms, wooden-wares, hard- 

 80, 1878, and their value respectively : ware , brooms, and woven fabrics are justly more pop- 

 Coffee ^ ular and more eagerly sought for than the same arti- 

 Sisal hemp' (he^equen^ ixtYe," etc'. '. '. 1 259 238 ? le ?. from - E" ? 6 - ^ orae ot< these articles are being 



Gold ]. I2(55'l99 imitated in Europe, and are finding their way here. 



Silver, coined and bullion. ...[....'....'. 20',493'l29 The tendency of tnis nefarious trade is in two ways to 



Ores, unreduced 267,'sil depress and injure our good name and intentions: 



les li7RS22 first, by destroying our well-earned reputation by 





