ordered a mail vessel to be despatched every four months to Spain, touching at Habana to take on board Cuban correspondence.[1] From this time knavish mismanagement kept pace with the increase of public requirement and yielded corresponding profits. The eyes of viceroys, both good and bad, were not closed to this state of affairs, and in 1765 the crown assumed the administration of the mail service,[2] and greatly increased its facilities.[3]
Having presented a general sketch of the external commerce of New Spain, it remains to give some account of the methods of conducting internal traffic. Trade in the interior was facilitated by the establishment of fairs held at certain seasons of the year at various trading centres. Notable among these assemblages for the purposes of traffic were the fairs held at Acapulco, Jalapa, and San Juan de los Lagos.[4] Activity in trade was and still is greatly stimulated
- ↑ These despatch boats were small vessels which had no connection with the annual fleets, and were called 'avisos.' Such barks sailed to and from the Peninsula before the system of fleets was established and were allowed to carry a small quantity of merchandise. At first they were only despatched biennally, but ultimately every month, 'debiendo arrojarla'—i. e. the correspondence—'al agualuego que apareciera un peligro.' Id., 99, 203-4; Lerdo de Tejada, Apunt. Hist., no. v. 301-2.
- ↑ Decrees were issued on the 27th of November and the 21st of December, and put in force on the 1st of July 1706. Mex., Vandos, in Cedulario, i. no. i. 155-6. In the year 1765 the receipts of the post-office were 121,17912 reales de plata, the expenses being 64,460 reales, leaving net proceeds 56,71912 reales or 7,090 pesos. Soc. Mex. Geo., 2a ep. iii. 45. A list of postal towns and their distances will be found in Id., i. 788-94. Times of departure and arrival in Zuñiga y O. Calend., 143-6.
- ↑ Till late in the eighteenth century the arrival of the mail from Spain was the occasion of rejoicing and celebration. The church bells were rung, 'cuyo estruendo es tan grande y molesto, que es menester hablar á voces para entenderse.' On the following day the viceroy and audiencia attended mass and offered thanksgiving in the cathedral. Not even the news of a Spanish monarch's death interrupted the ringing of the bells: 'y concluido este, se empieza á tocar á muerto.' Estalla., xxvi. 297. Mailcarriers were infected with the prevailing weakness, and among other fraudulent practices were addicted to smuggling. They were prohibited from carrying packages or freight. Revilla Gigedo, Bandos, nos. lxi. and lxxi.
- ↑ The latter fair had a religious origin. Multitudes of pilgrims from the year 1623 annually visited the town in order to venerate an image of the virgin. This attracted merchants and traders. In 1797 Cárlos IV. appointed the fair to be held during the first 15 days of December. It is estimated that 100,000 persons collected from all parts of Mexico at this time. Soc. Mex. Geog., vi. 310-11; Disposic. Var., i. 40, 52; Gaz. Mex., x. 230.
