ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [South America, 



Spanish Ca&lle of St. Juan de Uloa, and 27$ to the town. A dollar per 

 package is charged for the hospital, and Ijj dollars per ton on the ship. 

 The charge for water is 3 reals per ion ; 8 dollars are paid to the Captain 

 of the Port ; and 32 dollars per trip are charged for the use of large boats, 

 for landing the cargo. Porterage is extremely expensive. — The aforegoing 

 are the chief expences at the Port, to which the removal of goods to Mexico 

 adds much, as they pay a further duty of about 12 per cent on their arrival ; 

 and the carriage of every horse or mule load, of 2 to 3 cwt.,is from 18 to 22 

 dollars. The goods sold in Mexico pay again another duty on being re* 

 moved to the provinces ; but if they are designed, when landed, for the 

 cities beyond Mexico, an arrangement to save cxpence may he made at il it- 

 Port Custom House. The harbour dues at Alvarado are 20 reals per ton ; 

 pilotage and other charges in proportion. 



Trade. — This was one of the most considerable " ports for Spanish 

 American trade, it being the natural centre of the treasure, and the maga- 

 zine of merchandize between New Spain and Europe. A very convenient 

 commercial report is annually published here, alphabetically arranged, and 

 the average market juice affixed to each article. There were no goods ex- 

 ported or imported between Vera Cruz and Great Britain in the year 1821, 

 according to the official hooks. This place is resorted to by Indian mer- 

 chants, for the sake of bullion. The produce of this article has diminished, 

 though it is now increasing again ; the annual coinage of silver and gold, 

 which was formerly 28 millions of dollars, was, in 1810, 12 millions only. 



Coiks* — The accounts are kept in Spanish America generally in pesos, 

 or dollars, of 8 reals, each real divided into half and quarter, or into 

 16 parts, and sometimes into 31 niaravedis of Mexican plate. The gold 

 coins are doubloons of 8 escudos d"oro, worth 16 pesos, (with a premium 

 of about 8 per cent.) ; halves, quarters, &c. in proportion. The quarters 

 are called in Spain, Pccctas Mexicanas. There are also eighths, or reals, 

 valued in Spain at 21 J quartos. 



To express the fineness of gold, the Castellano is divided into 21 carats 

 or quilatas, each of 4- grains, each grain into 4 parts. In silver the mark 

 is divided into 12 dineros, each into 21 grains. 



Weights. — The Spanish commercial weights are thus divided : — The 

 pound consists of 2 marks, or 16* ounces; each ounce is divided into 8 drams, 

 16 adarmes, or 57G grains. The quintal of 1 arobas is equal to 101.44 lbs. 

 avoirdupois. 



Measures. — The dry measure is the cahiz of 12 fanegas ; the fanega 

 contains 12 celemins, and is equal to 1.599 English bushel, and 5 nearly 

 equal 1 quarter. Of liquid measures, the moyo of wine contains 16 arobas, 

 or canlaras, each S uzumbras, or 32 quartillos. The aroba of wine con- 



