534 SPAIN. 



able article of commerce, is barilla, a species of pot-ash, procured by 

 burning a great variety of plants almost peculiar to the kingdoms of 

 Valencia and Murcia, such as soza, algazal, suzon, sayennes-, salicornia y 

 ■with barilla. It is used for making soap, for bleaching, and for glass. 

 All the nations in Europe, by the combustion of various vegetable sub- 

 stances, make some kind of pot-ash ; but the superior excellence of 

 the barilla has hitherto secured the preference. The country produc- 

 ing it is about sixty leagues in length, and eight in breadth, on the 

 borders of the Mediterranean. The quantity exported annually from 

 Spain (according to the testimonies of both Mr. Townsend and M.de 

 Bourgoanne) is about a hundred and fifty quintals, most of which are 

 sent to France and England, and a small quantity to Genoa and Ve- 

 nice. 



Spain is one of the richest countries in Europe in salt-petre, a most 

 important article of commerce. The account of this surprising ma- 

 nufacture we shall abridge from Mr. Townsend : " I observed," says 

 he, "a large enclosure, with a number of mounts of about twenty feet 

 high, at regular distances from each other. These were collected 

 from the rubbish of the city of Madrid, and the scrapings of the high- 

 ways. They had remained all the winter piled up in the manner in 

 which I found them. At this time men were employed in wheeling 

 them away, and spreading abroad the earth to the thickness of about 

 one foot, whilst others were turning what had been previously expo- 

 sed to the influence of the sun and air. The preceding summer these 

 heaps had been washed, and being thus exposed, would yield the same 

 quantity of salt again : and, as far as appears, the produce would ne- 

 ver fail : but, after having been washed, no salt-petre can be obtained 

 without a subsequent exposure. Some of this earth they can lixiviate 

 once a year, some they have washed twenty times in the last seven 

 years, and some they have subjected to this operation fifteen times in 

 one year, judging always by their eye when they may wash it to ad- 

 vantage, and by their taste, if it has yielded a lixivium of a proper 

 strength ; from which, by evaporating the water in boiling, they obtain 

 the salt-petre." 



There are flourishing manufactures of coarse linens at Escary, in 

 Biscay ; at Grazalema in Andalusia, and at several places in Val- 

 encia. The manufactures of lace have of late arrived at such perfec- 

 tion, that there is scarcely any distinction observable between the 

 laces of France and Spain. 



The other manufactures of Spain are chiefly wool, copper, and 

 hardware. Great efforts have been made by the government, to 

 prevent the other European nations from reaping the chief advantage 

 of the American commerce ; but these never can be successful, till 

 a spirit of industry is awakened among the natives, so as to enable 

 them to supply their American possessions with their own com- 

 modities and merchandise. Meanwhile, the good faith and facility 

 with which the English, French, Dutch, and other nations, carry on 

 this contraband trade, render them greater gainers by it than the 

 Spaniards themselves are, the clear profits seldom amounting to less 

 than twenty per cent. This evidently makes it an important con- 

 cern, that those immense riches should belong to the Spaniards, rather 

 than any active European nation : but of this subject there will be 

 occasion to speak in the account of America. 



Constitution and government. ...Spain, from being the most 

 free, is now the most despotic kingdom in Europe ; and the poverty 



