167 
On the Mines (^'Mexico, 
little by the seizure of machinery, or of ore ; and if specie, in a 
refined state, present a more tempting prize, it is apparent, first, 
that the quantity kept on hand needs not, at any time, be large ; 
and, next, that so long as a government can at all stand its 
ground, it will extend protection to property in bullion as readi- 
ly as to property in land, houses or merchandise. Our ores,” 
it is said in an official report to the Mexican Congress, in No- 
vember 1823, require for their manufacture a great stock of 
machinery, and a large quantity of what are called mining 
stores.” The owner of mines distributes capital, employs la- 
bourers and artisans ; in short, the prosperity of many classes in 
the community depends on the impulse given to them, by activity 
at the mines : hence the expediency of the late reduction of duty 
on our bullion, and of encouraging the exportation of machinery 
from Europe.” To this we may add, that the letters lately re- 
ceived from our countrymen, in the different mining districts in 
Mexico, express great satisfaction at the friendly disposition of 
the inhabitants. 
On the protection of the Government, our countrymen may, 
we believe, confidently depend : their real difficulties in mining 
operations lie, in our opinion, in expence, in particular, in the 
length of land-carriage and the cost of fuel. How far can means 
be devised for lessening these heavy charges ? The country has 
few navigable rivers, and the formation of canals is probably re- 
mote ; but the roads may soon be improved by the application 
of British capital. Next, as to fuel ; Mexico, different from the 
uncultivated provinces of the United States, being in general 
bare of timber, how, it may be asked, can steam be called in to 
aid the labours of the miner ? Is the geological structure of the 
mining districts such as to afford a hope of finding peat, coal, or 
any mineral combustible ? Failing these, is the climate such as 
to favour the growth of particular kinds of wood, which, when 
cultivated with an almost unlimited command of territorial sur- 
face, might supply the requisite fuel ? On these points infor- 
mation is, we understand, at present, very anxiously expected. 
Of wood, the stock is, in some parts, abundant, in others scanty ; 
but, supposing the application of steam-machinery to be at pre- 
sent only partial, a great point will be gained by merely bring- 
ing British capital in aid of the mine-owners, whom the late 
