CHAP. XXV. OF VARIOUS MINES. 231 



country, which is exhibited between that period 

 and the preceding one of the same number of 

 years. 



The greatest contrast was between the years 

 1809 and 1812, In the first of these, the money 

 coined at the mint of Mexico was twenty-six 

 million one hundred and seventy-two thousand 

 nine hundred and eighty-two dollars in gold and 

 silver ; and in the second only four million four 

 hundred and nine thousand two hundred and 

 sixty-six. In the latter years, indeed, other 

 mints were established one in Durango, which 

 coined eight hundred and eight thousand seven 

 hundred and ninety-two; and another in Zacca- 

 tecas, which furnished nearly one million five 

 hundred thousand. 



Besides the destruction of the works, which 

 was considerable, the withdrawment of the capital 

 employed in mining had a most injurious effect. 

 The capitalists, whether engaged in mining, in 

 commerce, or in agriculture upon a large scale, 

 were disposed to fly from a country liable to the 

 plunder and oppression of riotous and destroying 

 mobs. We learn from Mr. Ward's work, that, 

 though, after the suppression of the insurgents in 

 1815, some small Spanish capitalists prosecuted 

 successfully some works at Catorce, Zaccatecas, 

 and Sombrerete, yet, on the declaration of in- 

 dependence in 1821, most of them withdrew 

 their capitals and returned to Spain or France, 



