Ill 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Political state of the Provinces of V enezuela. — - 

 Extent of Territory —Population. — Natural 

 Productions.— Exterior Commerce. — Commu- 

 nications between the different Provinces, that 

 compose the Republic of Columbia. 



Before I quit the coasts of Terra Firma, and 

 point out to the reader the political importance 

 of Cuba, the largest of the West India islands, 

 I shall collect into one point of view whatever 

 may lead to a just appreciation of the future 

 relations of commercial Europe with the United 

 Provinces of Venezuela. In publishing, soon 

 after my return to Germany, the Essai Politique 

 sur la Nouvelle-Espagne, I made known at the 

 same time a part of the materials, which I pos- 

 sess on the territorial riches of South America. 

 This comparative view of the population, agri- 

 culture, and commerce, of all the Spanish colo- 

 nies, was formed at a period, when the progress 

 of civilization was shackled by the imperfection 

 of social institutions, the prohibitory system, and 



