180 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



the two oceans, will give to the products and manu- 

 factures of the older States of the Union command of 

 the market of California to the exclusion, in a great 

 degree, of those of the west coast. 



"A mint will, therefore, become of the utmost 

 importance, to give such marketable value to silver 

 bullion as to enable the merchants of those countries 

 to keep up and increase the intercourse with our prin- 

 cipal ports on the Pacific. 



" The silver bullion shipped to Europe from the 

 west coast of Mexico amounts to more than ten 

 millions of dollars per annum. From the countries 

 on the west coast of South America, probably an 

 equal quantity. That from Mexico goes to pay for 

 European importations into her ports on the Atlantic 

 side. 



" A market at San Francisco for this bullion will 

 be the means of substituting American and Chinese 

 fabrics for those of European manufacture in all those 

 countries. This will greatly increase the trade between 

 China and California." 



A bill for the establishment of a mint at San 

 Francisco was introduced into Congress, during the 

 present session, (1849-50) and passed both houses ; 

 thus securing to California the advantages mentioned 

 in the above extract, by Mr. King. 



"We have thus given a complete description of 

 California, in respect to population, climate, soil, 

 productions, commercial resources, and metallic and 

 mineral wealth, as accurate and comprehensive as the 

 most authentic sources could furnish, or as could be 

 ascertained at the present time. Although the terri- 

 tory already contains a large population and has pro- 

 duced a great amount of treasure in the short dura- 



