RECAPITULATION. 345 



To conclude our brief account of Humboldt's Po- 

 litical Essay on New-Spain, it may be useful to pre- 

 sent a few of the more interesting facts in the form 

 of a recapitulation. 



Physical Aspect. Along the centre of the coun- 

 try runs a chain of mountains, having a direction 

 from south-east to north-west, and afterward from 

 south to north. On the ridge or summit of this 

 chain are extended vast table-lands or platforms, 

 which gradually decline towards the temperate zone, 

 their absolute height within the tropics being from 

 7545 to 7873 feet. The declivities of the cordilleras 

 are wooded, while the central table-land is usually 



the country, the emigration of the old Spaniards, and the withdrawing 

 of the funds which kept the mines in operation. In 1812, according to 

 the same authority, the coinage had fallen to four and a half millions of 

 dollars. It rose successively to six, nine, eleven, and twelve millions, 

 which was the amount in 1819 in the capital alone. In 1820 the revolu- 

 tion in Spain caused a considerable fluctuation, and the coinage fell to 

 10,406,164 dollars. In 1821, when the separation from the mother- 

 country became inevitable, the coinage sank to five millions ; from which 

 it fell to three and a half, and continued in that state during 1823 and 

 1824. In 1825 the foreign capitals invested began to produce some effect ; 

 but in 1826 the total amount of coinage in the five mints of the Mexican 

 republic did not exceed 7,463,300 dollars, or 1,632,594/. 



In 1827, seven English companies, one German, and two American 

 were employed in working mines in different parts of Mexico. 



ENGLISH COMPANIES. 



1. The Real del Monte Company, Captain Vetch director, with an in- 

 vested capital of 400,OOOZ. 



2. The Bolanos Company, Captains Vetch and Lyon directors, with a 

 capital of 150,OOOZ. 



3. Tlalpujahua Company, Mr. De Rivafinola director, with a capital 

 of!80,000/. 



4. Anglo-Mexican Company, Mr. Williamson director : capital 

 800,000*. 



5. United Mexican Company ; directors, Don Lucas Alaman, Mr. 

 Glennie, and Mr. Agassis ; capital 800,OOOJ. 



6. The Mexican Company. 



7. Catorce Company, Mr. Stokes director : invested capital not above 

 60,<XHM. 



At this period nearly three millions sterling of British capital were 

 invested in the Mexican mines, or had been expended in enterprises im- 

 mediately connected with them. The sudden change of feeling with 

 respect to these adventures which took place in England in 1826 had 

 nearly put a stop to the operations commenced with so much energy ; 

 but confidence having been in some measure restored, it may be hoped 

 that the mining companies will yet prove of great advantage both to 

 Britain and to Mexico. 



