PRODUCE OF SILVER. 395 
The veins of Tasco, Sultepec, Tlapujahua, and 
Pachuca, were first wrought by the Spaniards. 
Those of Zacatecas were next commenced, and that 
of San Barnabe was begun in 1548. The prin- 
cipal one in Guanaxuato was discovered in 1558. 
As the total produce of all in Mexico, until the 
beginning of the eighteenth century, never exceed- 
ed 369,844 troy pounds of gold and silver yearly, 
it must be concluded, that during the sixteenth 
little energy was employed in drawing forth their 
stores. 
The silver extracted in the thirty-seven districts 
was deposited in the provincial treasuries estab- 
lished in the chief places of the intendancies; and 
from the reports of these offices the quantity fur- 
nished by the different parts of the country may be 
determined. The following is an account of the 
receipts of eleven of these boards from the year 
1785 to 1789 :— 
Marks of Silver. 
22 5409, 
malt Onis Potosi,................. 1,515,000 
PACA SCASy ooh eo 2... .oases.sseees- 1,205,000 
wt (ee 1,055,000 
_- LD Ee een 922,000 
122) ER Ae ese re 668,000 
J 2S) 509,000 
pin ee 455,000 
2 2S eS ene ees 264,000 
i (aac ae 320,000 
2 ee 248,000 
Sum for five years, 9,730,000—5,997,633 troy pounds. 
‘The mean produce of the mines of New Spain, 
including the northern part of New Biscay and those 
of Oaxaca, is estimated at above 1,541,015 troy 
pounds of silver,—a quantity equal to two-thirds 
of what is annually extracted from the whole globe, 
