270 EFFECT OF EUROPEAN WARS ON COLONIAL TRADE 



and confidence of the colonists. Besides this, the early measures 

 of his administration were exceedingly wise. He dissolved the 

 various military encampments, established and maintained at 

 enormous cost, by his predecessor in the neighborhood of the 

 eastern coasts. This heavy charge on the treasury was dis- 

 tasteful to the people, while so large an assemblage of colonial 

 troops necessarily withdrew multitudes from agricultural and com- 

 mercial pursuits, and greatly interfered with the business of New 

 Spain. Anxious, however, to protect the important post of Vera 

 Cruz, the viceroy formed a less numerous encampment in its 

 neighborhood ; but the greater portion of its officers and men 

 perished in that unhealthy climate. 



The war with England was not altogether disadvantageous to 

 Mexico, for although the royal order of the 18th of November, 

 1797, was repeated on the 20th of April, 1799, by which a com- 

 merce in neutral vessels had been permitted with the colony's ports, 

 yet, as the seas were filled with enemy's cruisers, the Spanish 

 trade in national vessels was narrowed chiefly to exports from the 

 mother country. This course of commerce resulted in retaining 

 the specie of Mexico within her territory, for the precious metals 

 had hitherto been the principal article of export to Spain in return 

 for merchandise despatched from Cadiz. The internal trade 

 of Mexico was, accordingly, fostered and beneficially sustained by 

 the continuance of its large annual metallic products within the 

 viceroyalty until peace permitted their safe transmission abroad. 

 The beneficial retention of silver and gold in the country was not 

 only manifested in the activity of domestic trade, but in the im- 

 provement of its towns and cities, and in the encouragement of 

 manufactures of silk, cotton and wool. In Oaxaca, Guadalaxara, 

 Valladolid, Puebla, Cuautitlan, San Juan Teotihuacan, Zempoala, 

 Metepec, Ixtlahuaca, Tulancingo, the number of looms increased 

 rapidly between 1796 and 1800. In Oaxaca thirty were added ; in 

 San Juan Teotihuacan thirty-three ; in Queretaro, three thousand 

 four hundred persons were employed ; while, in the town of Cade- 

 reita, there existed more than two hundred looms, giving employ- 

 ment to more than five hundred individuals. 



In attending wisely and justly to the civil administration of New 

 Spain, and in fostering the internal trade and industry, Azanza 

 bestirred himself whilst the war continued. There were but few 

 actions between the combatants, but as the contest between the 

 nations sealed the ports in a great degree, Mexico was made 

 chiefly dependent on herself for the first time since her national 



