LETTER XXIX. 
TERRITORY. POPTTLATION AND DEPARTMENTS. RATIO OF CASTES AND EDTT- 
CATION. SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. PERIODICALS. 
According to the best authorities, the territory of the Mexican Republic 
contains an area of 1,650,000 square miles, and the United States of 
■America, 2,300,000. If we allow, as is calculated, that the square mile 
will maintain, under ordinary careful cultivation, a population of 200 per- 
sons, we shall have the sum of 330,000,000 for the total ultimate capa- 
bility of the Mexican soil, and 460,000,000 for the United States, — or, 
130,000,000 less in Mexico than in our Union. 
It may be well for us to continue this comparative statement somewhat 
further. In the year — 
1753 OUR Population was estimated at ... . 1,051,000 
1790 
1800 
1810 
1820 
1830 
1840 
3,929,827 
5,305,925 
7,239,814 
9,638,131 
12,854,880 
17,069,453 
I regret that there are not equally correct data for the statistics of popu- 
lation in Mexico. The census has been carelessly made at several peri- 
ods, and I will endeavor to present j'ou with what are deemed the most 
accurate estimates. 
In 1793, according to the report made to the King of Spain by the Conde 
de Revellagigedo, the population of New Spain, exclusive of the Intend- 
encies of Vera Cruz and Guadalaxara, was as follows : 
Indians ... 2,319,74] 
Europeans, ........ 7 904 
White Creoles, ......... 677 458 
Different castes, ....... 1,478,426 
4,483,529 
To which add the population of Vera Cruz and Guadalaxara, 
according to the estimate of 1803, . - . . 786,500 
Total population in 1793, . . - - . 5,270,029 
