VI PREFACE. 



had already taken place, seemed to Mr. Huskisson 

 an interesting subject for investigation. 



My own attention had been early directed to the 

 transatlantic possessions of Spain. By the desire of 

 Mr. Pitt, during the short administration which 

 preceded the death of that eminent statesman, and 

 during the administrations which followed till the 

 time when Spain was at peace with England, I 

 had means furnished to me of acquiring some 

 knowledge of those countries. My correspond- 

 ence and conversation with Mr. Huskisson thus 

 naturally and frequently fell into that channel, and 

 nourished the feelings of interest on the subject 

 which had been created twenty years before. 



About ten years ago the expected return to 

 specie payments by the bank made the collection 

 of any information respecting the produce of the 

 mines a consideration of some importance. An 

 intimation, from one to whose friendship I felt 

 most highly indebted, had the force of a command; 

 and I then, at Mr. Huskisson's suggestion, framed 

 a comparison between the actual produce of the 

 mines of Spanish America from the years 1800 to 

 1810, and from 1810 to 1820. It was delivered 

 to Lord Liverpool, and also communicated to 

 Mr. (now Sir Robert) Peel, and to Mr. David 

 Ricardo. 



