Other relaxations of the system of restraint soon followed. In 1774, a free intercourse was opened between geveral of the American provin ces ; and, in 1778, seven • or the principal Spanish ports, to which, in 1788, five others were added, were permitted to engafge in a free trade with Buenos Ayres, and with the ports of the South Sea. These regulations, together with the erection of Buenos Ayres into an independent viceroyalty in 1778, gave it importance and stability ; And, from this period, its imports and exports have progres sively increased. Previous to the year 1778, not more than 12 or 15 registered vessels were engaged in the colonial trade of South America, and these seldom performed more than one voyage in three years. But, in that year, their number increased to 170 vessels, the value of whose cargoes amounted to L.1,958,676. For the further encouragement of the trade of Buenos Ayres, salted meat and tallow were allowed, in the year 1798, to be exported duty-free ; and, by this and other regulations, the trade and population of the adjacent provinces was consider ably increased. Aram gives the following annual average estimate of the trade and shipping of Buenos Ayres, taking the average of the years between 1792 And 1796.
In the year 1797, hostilities commenced between Spain and Great Britain; and, is consequence of this event, the trade between the mother country and her South American colonise was necessarily ex posed to the imaritime hostility of Britain. So effec tually was this hostility carried on by the British cruisers, that, in 1798, the trade of the Spanish 'settlements was at a stand ; and it was calculat ed that above 'three millions of hides were lying at the warehouses of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video fur which no vent could be found. European good; were totally wanting, or had risen to excessive prices. Linen was not to be bad, and the cotton stir& of the country, er those which came from Peru, were substituted in lieu of it, and for bawdy and Spanish wines, these Cuyo were used. This stagnation of trade was at length relieved by the in. tervention of the neutral, vessels of the Americans, which 'brought European goods to the colonies, and took away their surplus produce in return ; and this contraband found so indispensable to the trade of these countries, that it was either connived at or openly encouraged.
A very extensive trade is carried on between the lower and upper provinces of this viceroyalty, sail also with Peru and Chili. The herb of Paraguay, known by the name of Paraguay tea, and the and mules of the provinces of Buenos Ayres and Tucuman, form the staples of this commerce. The herb of Paraguay is in such demand, that the crop on the ground is generally sold before it is gathered. The quantity exported to Peru is estimated at t,500,0001ibs., and about 1,000,0000 hits. are an nually sent to Chili. The remainder is consumed in Paraguay, Tucuman, and the other provinces.
There is a continual 4entand for mules in Peru and Potosi to carry on the work of the mines ; and it is calculated that about 60,000 of these animals are annually purchased for Peru and Potosi at the price of between three and four piastres a-head. These are driven into the interior by easy journeys to Salts, where they are taken great care of during the winter, and when in good condition, they are con ducted to Potosi, where they sell for eight, nine, or ten piastres a-hud ; and such as are carried to Peru sell for higher prices, some for 40 and even 50 piastres. Peru and Potosi, and the mountainous districts where the mines are situated, are also sup plied with large droves of cattle from the provinces of Buenos Ayres and Tucuman. These are either caught wild, or they are purchased from the •m mense pasture lands which extend over a great part of the province of Buenos Ares, and are con veyed by easy journeys into the interior. A great trade is also carried on, more especially when the usual intercourse with Europe is interrupted by war, between Peru and Potosi, and the other pro vinces which were annexed to Booms Ayres in the year 1778. These provinces being the princi pal mining countries, are on this account populous, while, owing to their elevated situation, the climate is bleak, and the soil barren. Supplies therefore, both of subsistence and of manufactures, must be drawn from more fertile regions ; and the trade in conaists accordingly in exchanging the produce of the' adjoining provinces for the precious metals which form the great staple of the mining districts. Peru, Chili, and the provinces to the east, receive from the mining countries supplies of gold and silver, in exchange for which they send maize, wheat-flour, cotton, oil, pimento, sugar, hides, wax, soap, tallow, &c. liaise, woollen mantillicttires, and articles for the use df the mines, &c.
Estella, the compiler of a voluminous collectimt, which contains much valuable information on South America, called Viagero Universal, -estimates the population of this viceroyalty at 1,000,000 of Spa niards and Creoles, Indians. He estimates the population of the city of Buenos Ayres at about 40,000, of whom one half are whites or Spaniards. Though reckoned the capital of the viceroyalty, it is not so populous as Potosi, which, according to Helms, contains a population of 100,000 ; an. amount which so greatly exceeds all preceding no counts, as to render the accuracy of his information extremely doubtful. M. Humboldt, in his general table of the population of South America, which, however, he does not give as pretending to accu racy, estimates the Spanish and Creole population of this viceroyalty at 1,100,000; which exceeds Estalla's estimate by 100,000. Azara states the population of the province of Paraguay-at 97,500, and that of the province of Buenos Ayres at 170,900.