The following Tables, given by Azara, present a state ment of the maritime commerce of the Rio de la Plata, taking the mean result of five years from 1792 to 1796. The valuations are according to the tarifs of the custom houses in these colonies.
From these statements, it appears that the produc tions of this extensive and fertile country constitute a very inconsiderable proportion of its articles of expor tation. They scarcely amount to a third of its imports, the excess being paid in the precious metals. It will also appear, however, that, by the produce of its mines, the balance of trade in favour of this viceroyalty, amounts to nearly two millions of piastres.
Though in the foregoing Tables we have given the mean result of five years, yet we may observe, that, during that period, the trade of the viceroyalty had con siderably increased. According to Mr Helms, in the last of these years (1796,) the exports to Spain, the Havannah, Lima, and Guyaquil, amounted to 5,286,142 piastres; and the imports from the same place to 3,027,660 piastres, besides the traffic to the coast of _Africa. In the following years,.however, by the in volvement of Spain in hostilities with Britain, the trade of this viceroyalty had experienced a considerable stag nation. In 1798, many kinds of European goods, parti cularly linens, had risen to a most exorbitant price. Brandy and Spanish wines were not to be procured ; and above three millions of hides were lying in the ware houses of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video. But from this embarrassment they were much relieved by the contraband trade which they entered into with the Ame ricans, and which was found to be so indispensible to the interests of the colony, that it was either connived at, or openly encouraged ; and, indeed, such was the advantage which they derived from this traffic, that their accumulated stock of hides was in a few years reduced to little more than the annual average supply.
According to M. Humboldt, the exports from this settlement in 1803, to Spain alone, amounted to 5,000,000 of piastres in specie, and 2,000,000 in agricultural pro duce ; and the imports from that country were valued at 3,500,000 piastres.
In addition to the maritime commerce of this vice royalty, we may mention the internal traffic which is carried on between its various provinces and the vice royalties of Chili and Peru. Of this traffic, the herb of Paraguay constitutes the most important branch. One hundred thousand arobas of it pass annually into Peru, and 40,000 into Chili. It is conveyed in covered wag gons drawn by oxen from Santa Fe to Jujui and Men doza, and from thence is carried on the backs of mules to Potosi, La Paz, Peru, and Chili. Four piastres per aroba is the common price of this article in Paraguay ; at Potosi, however, it brings from eight to nine piastres, and the price increases in proportion as it proceeds. Immense droves of cattle also pass into Peru ; and 60,000 mules of two years old are annually purchased in the viceroyalty for that country. In 1789, Buenos Ayres received from Peru, productions, consisting of brandies, wines, grain, sugar, cotton, oil, pimento, baize, and other woollen manufactures, &c. to the amount of 2,034,980 piastres; while her returns in mules, sheep, black-cat tle, jerked beef, hides, wool, tallow, wax, soap, cocoa, copper, tin, &c. were valued only at 864,790 piastres, being a balance in favour of Peru of 1,170,190 piastres. This balance, however, arises chiefly from the circum stance, that the provinces bordering on Peru arc the principal mine countries, which are more populous and more sterile than the surrounding districts, and conse quently require a larger quantity of productions than they can give in return. But the augmented importa tion of European merchandise into the La Plata in sue cet ing years, tended greatly to reduce this balance, whit I may now he estimated at four or five hundred thousand piastres. Besides Paraguay tea, Chili draws from Buenos Ayres the greater part of her European merchandise, wax, tallow, mules, cotton, S:c.; and sends in return woollen stnlia, pat ticularlyponchoa ready made, wine, brandy, snuff, sugar, copper, and cordage.