CHAP. XXV. MINES IN PERU. 249 



made by joint-stock companies in England to work 

 mines of the precious metals in Columbia. They 

 do not appear to have had any effect in increasing 

 the products, nor are the prospects of future 

 operations more cheering than the retrospect of 

 the past transactions. 



The ancient Spanish viceroyalty, now the re- Peru, 

 public of Peru, was highly productive of gold and 

 silver up to the troubles which agitated the country. 

 These commenced in 1810, but were not severely 

 disastrous till 1814, when the mines gradually 

 sunk till 1820. Then a kind of revival was per- 

 ceived, till the operations carried on from Chili 

 under the direction of General San Martin and 

 Lord Cochrane created fresh sufferings. After- 

 wards, the invasion from Columbia by Bolivar 

 seems to have renewed the distress and diminished 

 the products of the mines. Not only the failure 

 of the mines, but the banishment of the most 

 wealthy, active, and intelligent inhabitants, the 

 old Spaniards, contributed to deprive the country 

 of that capital without which mining can be but 

 feebly conducted. 



The banishment of the proprietors was carried 

 to such an extent that, though they were happy 

 to escape with their lives and the wrecks of their 

 property, there was exported from Peru in the 

 six years between 1819 and 1825 double the 

 quantity of gold and silver which the mines had 

 yielded in those years. 



