IMlENOS AY RES. 



50 



Inenoi Swan skint 

 Ayrrs. Nfgro slavci 



* Hoes 



Tlm-acI 



Silk stockings 



Hats - 



419 



128 pounds. 



8 dozen. 

 84 



Total value in piastres 22,454 



IMPORTS FROM THE COAST OP AFRICA. 



Negro slaves - 1338 



Hoes ... 



Value in piastres 



14-20 

 319,4-17 



"x port s to 

 frica. 



EXPORTS TO THE COAST OF AFRICA. 



Silver in piastres - 120,276 

 Value of goods - 12,738 



Total 133,014- 



AMOUNT OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. 



Amount of 

 Bzports 

 and 

 Imports. 





Balance of 

 trade in fa 

 vour of the 

 Ticeroyal- 



Exports 

 and Im- 

 ports ta 

 1796. 



Stagnation 

 of trade in 

 1798. 



From these statements, it appears that the produc- 

 tions of this extensive and fertile country constitute 

 a very inconsiderable proportion of its articles of ex- 

 portation. They scarcely amount to a third of its 

 imports, the excess being paid in the precious me- 

 tals. It will also appear, however, that, by the pro- 

 duce of its mines, the balance of trade in favour of 

 this viceroyalty, amounts to nearly two millions of 

 piastres. 



Though in the foregoing Tables we have given 

 the mean result of five years, yet we may observe, 

 that, during that period, the trade of the viceroyal- 

 ty had considerably increased. According to Mr 

 Helms, in the last of these years (1796), the ex- 

 ports to Spain, the Havannah, Lima, and Guya- 

 quil, amounted to 5,286,142 piastres ; and the im- 

 ports from the same place to 3,027,660 piastres, be- 

 sides the traffic to the coast of Africa. In the fol- 

 lowing years, however, by the involvement of Spain 

 in hostilities with Britain, the trade of this viceroy- 

 alty had experienced a considerable stagnation. In 

 1798, many kinds of European goods, particularly 

 linens, had risen to a most exorbitant price. Brandy 

 and Spanish wines were not to be procured ; and 

 above three millions of hides were lying in the ware- 

 houses of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video. But 

 from this embarrassment they were much relieved by 

 the contraband trade which they entered into with 



the Americans, and which was found to be to indii- 

 pensiblc to the interests of the colony, that it wa 

 either connived at, or openly encouraged ; and, in- 

 deed, such was the advantage which they derived 

 from this traffic, that their accumulated stock of 

 hides was in a few years reduced to little more than 

 the annual average supply. 



According to M. Humboldt, the exports from 

 this settlement in 1803, to Spain alone, amounted to 

 5,000,000 of piastres in specie, and 2,000,000 in 

 agricultural produce ; and the imports from that 

 country were valued at 3,500,000 piastres. 



In addition to the maritime commerce of this vice- 

 royalty, we may mention the internal traffic which is 

 carried on between its various provinces and the vice- 

 royalties of Chili and Peru. Of thiu traffic, the herb 

 of Paraguay constitutes the most important branch. 

 One hundred thousand arobas of it pass annually in- 

 to Peru, and 40,000 into Chili. It is conveyed in 

 covered waggons drawn by oxen from Santa FC" to 

 Jujui and Mendoza, and from thence is carried on 

 the. backs of mules to Potosi, La Paz, Peru, and 

 Chili. Four piastres per aroba is the common price 

 of this article in Paraguay ; at Potosi, however, it 

 brings from eight to nine piastres, and the price in- 

 creases in proportion as it proceeds. Immense droves 

 of cattle also pass into Peru ; and 60,000 mules 

 of two years old are annually purchased in the 

 viceroyalty for that country. In 1789, Buenos 

 Ayres received from Peru, productions, consist- 

 ing of brandies, wines, grain, sugar, cotton, oil, pi- 

 mento, baize, and other woollen manufactures, &c. 

 to the amount of 2,034,980 piastres ; while her re- 

 turns in mules, sheep, black-cattle, jerked beef, hides, 

 wool, tallow, wax, soap, cocoa, copper, tin, &c. 

 were valued only at 864,790 piastres, being a balance 

 in favour of Peru of 1,170,190 piastres. This ba- 

 lance, however, arises chiefly from the circumstance, 

 that the provinces bordering on Peru are the prin- 

 cipal mine countries, which are more populous and 

 more sterile than the surrounding districts, and con- 

 sequently require a larger quantity of productions 

 than they can give in return. But the augmented 

 importation of European merchandise into the La 

 Plata in succeeding years, tended greatly to reduce 

 this balance, which may now be estimated at four or 

 five hundred thousand piastres. Besides Paraguay 

 tea, Chili draws from Buenos Ayres the greater part 

 of her European merchandise, wax, tallow, mules, 

 cotton, &c. ; and sends in return woollen stuffs, par- 

 ticularly jwnc/ios ready made, wine, brandy, snuff, 

 sugar, copper, and cordage. 



The traffic which the Spaniards carry on with the 

 unsubdued Indians is very considerable, and consists 

 principally in the exchange of European commodi- 

 ties for the different productions of the country. 

 From the tribes that dwell on the confines of the 

 provinces of Paraguay and Buenos Ayres, they de- 

 rive Paraguay tea, and fine furs. Some gold of a 

 very superior quality, which is supposed to be col- 

 lected among the mountains, and upland springs oh 

 the banks of the Uraguay, has lately been brought 

 to Buenos Ayres by those Indians, who contrive to 

 barter it in a contraband way with the Americans or 

 other foreign merchants. From the Pampas Indians 



Trade with 

 Spain in 



Internal 

 traffic. 



Trade witfc 

 1'iru. 



Trade witk 

 Chili. 



Trade witfe 

 the unsub- 

 dued In- 

 diaus. 



