tions were made to foster the development of certain mines. This liberality of the crown was somewhat counteracted by limiting the distribution in Mexico, and also by the tribunal officials in granting preferences and more substantial favors to those who paid for them.
The government monopoly extended over the quicksilver mines of New Spain. In 1609 a law was issued, promising rewards to discoverers of such deposits, but when found they were not allowed to be worked[1] lest they should affect the interests of the crown. This fostered a belief that no cinnabar existed in New Spain, while in reality it was most abundant, especially between latitudes 19° and 22°.[2] In the beginning of the eighteenth century fresh discoveries in Zacatecas and near Cuernavaca[3] roused such clamor against the existing restrictions that finally a commission was sent from Spain in 1778 to investigate the prospects for working the vein. The result proved a failure. After expending about 160,000 pesos it was declared to be unprofitable to the crown; yet certain private persons duly authorized continued to work mines with varying success.[4]
It is not my purpose in the present chapter to enter fully into the geological features of New Spain, but merely to present a brief outline for the better understanding of the subject. It is astonishing how
- ↑ The first discovery in Michoacan occurred under the rule of viceroy Salvatiena, who granted the right of their exploitation for the term of 10 years to Alcalde Luis de Berrio. ^Vhen assayed the ores yielded 10 ounces per quintal. Guijo, Diario, 34-5, 499.
- ↑ And in the intendencias of Guanajuato and Mexico, at San Juan de la Chica, San Felipe, Rincon del Centeno, Durasno, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Humboldt, Essai Pol., ii. 583-5.
- ↑ The exploitation was suspended by cédulas of July 5, 1718, and Nov. 24, 1730. Reales Cidulas, MS., i. 35-9; Fonseca and Urrutía, Hist. Real Hacienda, i. 324-5.
- ↑ In the beginning of this century, during the war between Spain and France, a temporary activity set in.
was reduced to 60 ducats a quintal. In the Recop. de Ind., ii. 577, the same fact is recorded for 1679. See also Revilla Gigedo, Instruc., 248-9; Beleña, Recop., i. pt. iii. 107; Fabri, Segunda Demostracion, MS., 1 et seq.
