483
PAPERS OF MIR.ABE.AU BUON.AP.ARTE LAMAR
cargoes inspected by it; and on their return, must report their im- portations to the same. These privileges were enjoyed by Seville until 1720, when she was compelled to resign them to her rival Cadiz.- And how was this commerce conducted? On the principle of equal benefit to the Merchant and the Customer? No certainly. Notwith- standing the power of unlimited extortion which the regulations with the Seville Merchants conferred, the monopolists were not required to consult, in the least degree, the interests, wishes or convenience of the Colonists. Instead of supplying them, from time to time, with such commodities and articles as were necessary to their comfort and con- genial to their tastes and habits, they were visited annually only, by two mercantile fleets, called the Galeons, and the Flota, which brought · the entire supplies for that year. The Galeons sailed for Portobello and the Flota for Veracruz-the two points to which the commerce of Peru and )Texico was confined, and to which the productions of those extensive countries, designed for exportation, had to be brought, chiefly by land, at vast expense. The Cargoes from Seville and Cadiz, usually consisted of the miserable fabrics of Spanish manufacture, and such unsaleable refuse as the Spanish merchants found on their hands after the year's transactions. And even of these, there was seldom a suffi- ciency for the demand; for it was the mistaken policy of Spain, to stint the market in order to raise the prices, instead of endeavoring to to [ sic J enlarge the trafic, by increasing the consumption. This method of annual communication was continued for a long period, until it was interrupted by the War of Succession.- During the contest between the Austrian and Bourbon competitors for the throne of Spain-called the war of Succession-the Colonies experienced a temporary respite from the burthens of the Commercial prohibitions ahd restrictions; for during that period the mother coun- try being too much occupied with the struggle to bestow her accustomed attention to the affairs of her colonies, other nations of maratime force, opened with the New-World, an active and profitable commerce, which resulted in twofold benifit to the Colonies, by relieving them from the extortions of the Cadiz Merchants and at the same time imparting to them, useful knowledge with respect to the character, habits, laws in- stitutions and conditions of other countries, from which they had hitherto been effec[t]ually shut out. Goods were now furnished them in great abundance, adapted to their wants and on reasonable terms. These advantages, however, terminated with the treaty of Utrecht, which put an end to the war, as well as to the illicit commerce.- As soon as the successful Bourbon was placed on the throne of Spain as Philip the Fifth, the first object of his attention was to reestablish the old System of Spanish monopoly and exclusion; and for this pur- pose he fitted out and despatched to various points on the coast, a formidable armament, called Guard,a Costa; but inspite o-f all his en- deavors, his American income was still diminished by a Sett of contra- band dealers known as Buccaneers, who were willing to fight their way, rather than forego a commerce which they had enjoyed for some time without interruption. After a long perseverence in the most vigerous efforts to clear the seas of these fearless intruders, or interlopers as they were termed, the Spanish Monarch was at length convinced of the impracticability o-f guarding a maratime frontier so extensive as
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