219 



nish government, and who gravely took mica 

 and amphibol for metallic substances. If the 

 government have the perseverance to cause the 

 ancient Capitania-general of Caraccas to be 

 examined during a long series of years, and is so 

 fortunate as to choose men as distinguished 

 as MM. Boussingault and Rivero, who are esta- 

 blishing at present a school of mines at Bogota, 

 and who join to a solid knowledge in geognosy 

 and chemistry, the practical habit of mining, 

 the most satisfactory results may be expected. 



Commerce and Public Revenue. — The de- 

 scription we have given above * of the produce 

 tions of Venezuela, and the development of its 

 coast, is sufficient to show the importance of 

 the commerce of that rich country. Even 

 amidst the shackles of the colonial system, the 

 value of the exports of the products of agricul- 

 ture, and of the gold- washings, amount to 11 or 

 12 millions of piastres, in the countries which 

 are at present united under the denomination 

 of the Republic of Columbia. The exports of 

 the Capitania general of Caraccas alone, apart 

 from the precious metals, which are the object 

 of a regular working, was (with the contra- 

 band), from 5 to 6 millions of piastres, at the 

 beginning of the 19th century. Cumana, Bar- 

 celona, La Guayra, Portocabello, and Mara- 



* See above, pp. 181 and 200. 



