20 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[South Amertca, 



brought hack to Calcutta, for want of sale, in 1821-22. Coffee was largely 

 in demand. The exports to Great Britain in 1S2I, amounted to ,£32,421, 

 chiefly almonds, bark, cocoa, copper, hides, skins, tin, &c. 



Regtlatiows. — By a Chilian proclamation in 1820, it is declared that 

 Valparaiso is established as a general intermediate port of the Pacific; so 

 that vessels trading with countries between Chili and California, may freely 

 enter, anchor, and depart, repair damages, or obtain necessaries, under 

 protection of the Government. Goods may be landed and deposited in the 

 Government stores, without specification of contents, and a receipt given 

 for them by the magistrate, on presentation of which, and payment of two 

 reals per package, weighing two quintals, (for G months), the goods will be 

 delivered for re-embarkation. If they be intended, either wholly or in part, 

 for consumption in the country, they will be liable to duty on landing. 



Duties. — These arc continually varying, through the necessities of the 

 Government In 1S18 they were generally 34* per cent upon the selling 

 prices, and on some articles 100. In 1821 the duty on Indian piece-goods 

 was 33 per cent, on the sale price. The duty on bullion is high to foreigners; 

 but it is said that the miners may ship copper and other produce of the mines, 

 duty free, and import foreign goods, purchased therewith, also duty free. 



Port Charges amounted, in 1819, on a ship of GOO tons, to 72 

 dollars. 



COQUIMBO, in latitude 2<T 56' S., longitude 71° 15' W., and 

 COPIAPO, in latitude 27° 19 S., longitude 70° 50' W., are ports to the 

 N. of Valparaiso. The town of Copiapo was destroyed by an earthquake 

 about four years since, and another is now built, about 10 leagues from it, 

 near the Cordilleras. The country about Copiapo and Huasco, another 

 |>ort on the mine coast, in latitude 28 n 27' S., longitude 71° 9' W., is 

 extremely barren. The harbours in this part of the coast are generally small 

 bays, under high land, which shelters shipping from S. E. winds tliat blow 

 on all the coast constantly from 10 A. M. to sunset Ships lie close to the 

 shore very safe, except when a N. wind sets in, which is rare. 



Trade. — The W. ports of South-America have furnished a large 

 supply of copper to India, in part payment of the exports thither ; the other 

 part is paid in bullion. There are many hundred mines of copper wrought 

 in Chili. The annual produce has lately risen to upwards of 60,000 quintals. 

 The greatest part goes to Calcutta; a small quantity to China; the rest to 

 Europe and America. It is said that about 230.000 pieces of cotton goods 

 are annually consumed in Chili, and that 200,000 pieces would meet a ready 

 sale; but the market has been glutted with English as well as India goods. 

 Few other descriptions of India commodities are calculated for the Chili 



