# Pictures of life in Mexico/Volume 2/Chapter 38

Contents
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
COMMERCE OF MEXICO.
The commerce of this country has been decreasing for the last twenty years—a result attributable to continual revolutionary disturbances, the decrease of the wealth of the people, and the pecuniary embarrassments to which most of the inhabitants have been subjected, by the non-payment of government loans, and by unfortunate investments.
In 1832 and 1833, the revenue of the custom-house amounted to about 12,000,000 dollars, per annum; in 1839, on account of the French blockade, it fell to nearly 3,000,000 dollars; in 1840, it rose again to 7,000,000 dollars; and ​in the following year fell to little more than 5,000,000, which is about its present average. This sum may be divided among the different ports as follows:—
| | Dollars. |
| Vera Cruz | 3,329,802 |
| Tampico | 883,039 |
| Matamoras | 312,403 |
| Mazatlan | 383,159 |
| Guyamas | 55,814 |
| Monterey | 96,853 |
| Acapulco | 17,182 |
| San Blas | 208,845 |
| | 5,287,097 |
This corresponds to about 12,300,000 dollars' value of importation annually, divided (according to an estimate) in the following manner:—
| | | Dollars. |
| From | England | 4,500,000 |
| " | France | 3,000,000 |
| " | Hamburgh. | 1,500,000 |
| " | China | 1,000,000 |
| " | United States. | 800,000 |
| " | Spain | 500,000 |
| " | Genoa, and other ports. | 1,000,000 |
| | | 12,300,000 |
​These statements are exclusive of the contraband trade from the United States by Santa Fé, and by the English and Americans on the sea-coasts.
The exports from the whole republic (chiefly its own productions) may be rated as follows:—
| Exports. ||||
| Dollars. ||||
| Precious Metals | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | Specie, through Vera Cruz | 4,000,000 |
| Precious Metals | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | Mazatlan and San Blas | 2,500,000 |
| Precious Metals | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | Silver and gold, through other ports | 5,000,000 |
| Precious Metals | $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ | Silver, through Tampico. | 7,000,000 |
| Cochineal, jalap, vanilla, sarsaparilla, and hides | Cochineal, jalap, vanilla, sarsaparilla, and hides | Cochineal, jalap, vanilla, sarsaparilla, and hides | 1,000,000 |
| Sundries | Sundries | Sundries | 500,000 |
| | | Total | 20,000,000 |
The following is an Average Gross Return of British and Foreign Trade, at the Port of Vera Cruz, for one Year:—
arrived.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes in pounds sterling. |
| English | 17 | 2,438 | 124 | 468,200 |
| Mexican | 164 | 11,480 | 984 | Not to be ascertained. |
| American | 35 | 7,315 | 235 | " |
| French | 17 | 3,764 | 204 | " |
| Spanish | 16 | 2,216 | 128 | " |
| Hanseatic | 6 | 1,015 | 62 | " |
| Danish | 6 | 793 | 47 | " |
| Belgians | 3 | 542 | 27 | " |
| Prussians | 2 | 376 | 23 | " |
| Sardinians | 2 | 366 | 24 | " |
| Venezuela | 1 | 110 | 7 | " |
| Total arrived | 268 | 30,416 | 1,865 | |
departed.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Value. |
| English | 18 | 2,676 | 138 | Unknown. |
| Mexican | 163 | 11,573 | 976 | " |
| American | 34 | 7,104 | 226 | " |
| French | 20 | 4,493 | 241 | " |
| Spanish | 15 | 2,107 | 121 | " |
| Hanseatic | 6 | 1,016 | 62 | " |
| Danish | 4 | 612 | 37 | " |
| Belgians | 3 | 542 | 27 | " |
| Prussians | 2 | 376 | 23 | " |
| Sardinians | 5 | 631 | 53 | " |
| Venezuela | 1 | 110 | 7 | " |
| Total demanded | 271 | 31,229 | 1,911 | |
Gross Return of British and Foreign Trade at the Port of Tampico, for one Year:—
arrived.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes. |
| | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 9 | 923 | 70 | 198,000 |
| French | 14 | 1,582 | 135 | 84,000 |
| Spanish | | | | |
| American | 15 | 1,626 | 104 | 21,000 |
| Bremen | 1 | 160 | 10 | 5,000 |
| Total arrived | 39 | 4,291 | 319 | 208,000 |
departed.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes. |
| | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 8 | 829 | 70 | 2,910 |
| French | 14 | 1,582 | 135 | 25,000 |
| Spanish | | | | |
| American | 15 | 1,362 | 99 | 24,000 |
| Bremen | 1 | 160 | 10 | 500 |
| Total departed | 38 | 3,933 | 314 | 52,410 |
Gross Return of the Trade of the Port of Matamoras, for one Year:—
arrived.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes in pounds sterling. |
| Mexican | 18 | 933 | 104 | 13,264 |
| French | 1 | 110 | 8 | 5,400 |
| Hanseatic | 1 | 83 | 7 | 6,000 |
| United States | 13 | 928 | 84 | 40,650 |
| Total arrived | 33 | 2,054 | 203 | 65,314 |
departed.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes in pounds sterling. |
| Mexican | 17 | 835 | 95 | 10,915 |
| French | 1 | 110 | 8 | 3,380 |
| Hanseatic | 1 | 83 | 7 | Unknown |
| United States | 11 | 849 | 77 | 46,675 |
| Total departed | 30 | 1,877 | 187 | 63,970 |
Gross Return of the British and Foreign Trade OF the Port of San Blas, for one Year:—
arrived.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargo. |
| | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 4 | 1,125 | 59 | Unknown |
| Danish | 1 | 101 | 8 | 135,000 |
| Peruvian | 1 | 61 | 8 | Unknown |
| American | 1 | 382 | 8 | 110,000 |
| Total arrived | 7 | 1,669 | 83 | 245,000 |
departed.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargo. |
| | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 4 | 1,125 | 59 | 44,000 |
| Danish | 1 | 101 | 8 | 8,000 |
| Peruvian | 1 | 61 | 8 | Unknown |
| American | 1 | 382 | 8 | 7,000 |
| Total departed | 7 | 1,669 | 83 | 59,000 |
Gross Return of the British and Foreign Trade AT the Port of Mazatlan, for one Year:—
arrived.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes. |
| | | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 4 | 4 | 1,115 | 59 | 274,000 |
| Hamburg | 4 | 4 | 940 | 51 | 118,000 |
| American | 1 | 1 | 175 | 11 | Unknown |
| Chilian | 4 | 4 | 500 | 37 | 72,500 |
| Bremen | 2 | 2 | 390 | 24 | 123,000 |
| Danish | 1 | 1 | 220 | 12 | 60,000 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 1 | 206 | 14 | 24,000 |
| Spanish | 1 | 1 | 225 | 14 | 30,000 |
| Peruvian | 1 | 1 | 210 | 16 | Unknown |
| Swedish | 2 | 2 | 700 | 32 | 202,000 |
| French | 1 | 1 | 210 | 14 | 40,000 |
| Total arrived including the neighbouring port of San Blas | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 29 | 6,560 | 367 | 1,188,500 |
departed.
| Nations. | Vessels. | Vessels. | Tons. | Crews. | Invoice value of cargoes. |
| | | | | | Dollars. |
| British | 4 | 4 | 1,165 | 68 | 381,500 |
| Hamburg | 5 | 5 | 1,310 | 69 | 160,600 |
| American | 2 | 2 | 421 | 22 | 250,000 |
| Chilian | 1 | 1 | 128 | 9 | 3,000 |
| Bremen | 2 | 2 | 390 | 24 | 84,000 |
| Danish | 1 | 1 | 220 | 12 | 34,500 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 1 | 206 | 14 | 300,000 |
| Spanish | 1 | 1 | 225 | 14 | Unknown. |
| Peruvian | 1 | 1 | 210 | 16 | " |
| Swedish | 2 | 2 | 700 | 32 | 50,000 |
| French | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Total departed including the neighbouring port of San Blas | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 27 | 6,644 | 363 | 1,323,100 |
Statement of all Port Dues and other Charges on Foreign Shipping at the Principal Ports of the Mexican Republic:—
Example of Charges on British Shipping by the Authorities of Tampico: Brig, 125 tons register.
| PILOTAGE. | PILOTAGE. | Dollars. | Cents. | s. | £ | s. | d. |
| 125 tons at 1 dollar | 125 tons at 1 dollar | 125 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Drafts, 9 feet at 2 dollars | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 18 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 0 |
| To the pilot | To the pilot | 6 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Voucher given | Voucher given | 149 | 50 | | 29 | 18 | 0 |
| tonnage duty. | tonnage duty. | | | | | | |
| 135 tons, Mexican measurement, no voucher given at 1½ collar | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 202 | 50 | 4 | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| bill of health. | bill of health. | | | | | | |
| Report in the bill | Report in the bill | 10 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Captain of the port fees, no voucher | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 10 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Stamps | Stamps | 8 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 380 | 50 | | 76 | 2 | 0 |
* ↑ Chiefly specie.
* ↑ Including ditto.