96 



COMMERCE. 



for this trade, or, in other words, for the navigation of the 

 south sea, including Goatemala, and Panama. The balance 

 is invariably, in a greater or less degree, against the viceroy- 

 alty of Lima, a certain portion of the specie circulating in 

 which, is absorbed by this intercourse. 



It is principally maintained with the kingdom of Chile, by 

 its three ports of Conception, Valparaiso, and Coquimbo. 

 The articles exported from Lima, consist chiefly of cloths, ei- 

 ther of the manufa6ture of the country, or of Quito ; sugars ; 

 salt; and rice. In return, that viceroyalty receives an abun- 

 dant supply of corn ; together with tallow ; copper ; hides ; 

 cordage, &c. The exports amounted, in 1 789, to four hundred 

 and fifty-eight thousand three hundred and seventeen piastres ; 

 and the imports to six hundred and twenty-nine thousand eight 

 hundred piastres; leaving a balance in favour of Quito, of a 

 hundred and seventy-one thousand four hundred and eighty- 

 three piastres. 



The cause of so very considerable an advantage to that go- 

 vernment, may be traced to the sterility produced in the val- 

 iies adjacent to Lima, by the dreadful earthquake which oc- 

 curred towards the close of the seventeenth century. For se- 

 veral succeeding years the crops failed ; and the plains having 

 been rendered utterly unfit for the cultivation of wheat, its 



850 ; Begona, of 750 ; and a new ship, of 900. — Merchant frigates: Baldiviano, 

 of 650 tons ; Rosario, of 600 ; Socorro, of 600 ; Sacramento, of 500 ; Carmen, 

 of 500; Dolores, of 400 ; Cordelera, of 400 ; Rosalia, of 350 ; Barca, of 35O ; 

 Belencito, of 350 ; and Ventiirita, of 300. — Packet boats : Rosa, of 400 tons ; 

 Perlita, of 3C0 ; Santa Teresa, of 300 ; Africa, of 300; Copacavano, of 250 ; 

 Aurorita, of 200 ; Carmen, of 200 ; Rosarito, of 150 ; Nepomucenito, of 150 ; 

 Ccntella, of 175 ; Pena, of 175 ; Ester, of 150 ; Venturoso, of 15O; and San An- 

 tonito, of 125. Total amount of tonnage, 16,375 tons. 



