...;"¦,:,;..:. ¦'. *.: ' ¦ •', '*'''- ^SiiMaAiillll e> HAMILTON'S Mexican Handbook; A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION of the Republic of Mexico, Its Mineral and Agricultural Resources, Cities and Towns of every State, Factories, Trade, Imports and Exports, how legally to acquire property in Mexico, how to transact business under Mexican laws, Railroads and travelling in the Republic, Tariff Regulations, Duties, &c.,&c. and a Commercial Directory of the Principal Business Men of Mexico; Combining practical information for ready reference by the Merchant, Miner, Real Estate Investor, Railroad Builder, Mining Engineer and Locator, Traveller and Settler. BY LEONIDAS LE CENCI HAMILTON, M.A. Author of the " Border States of Mexico," " Hamilton's Mexican Law," &c ILLUSTRATED. JUntoon : SAMPSON LOW, MAESTON, SEAELE, AND EIVINGTON, CEOWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. 1884. [All rights reserved.'] LONDON : GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, .LIMITED, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. AN ANCIENT AZTEC TEMPLE. SMELTING WORKS OF THE DURANGO MAPIMI MINING COMPANY. (Looking Northeast.) SITUATED IN MAPIMI, STATE OF DURANGO, MEXICO, SMELTING WORKS OF THE DURANGO MAPIMI MINING COMPANY, (Looking South.) SITUATED IN MAPIMI, STATE OF DURANGO, MEXICO, MUNICIPAL PALACE. AN AZTEC IDOL. INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL OF MEXICO. GEN'L PORFIRIO DIAZ, Ex-President of the Republic. GEN'L MANUEL GONZALEZ, President. INTRODUCTION. The favorable reception accorded the publication of the " Border States of Mexico," some four editions having been sold since its first publication in San Francisco in 1881, has induced us to enlarge and revise the work until it has assumed the form herewith presented. We have endeav ored to make the volume useful for reference and informa tion, and entirely impartial, and have had access to Mexican official records and documents, besides many works extant on Mexico in the English and Spanish languages, which we have utilized in collecting the data presented. The details have been carefully collected in many instances from inac cessible reports of mining experts and travellers, and we have sought to give only the facts as we find them without unnecessary embellishment or fanciful description. The principal object of the work has been to give reliable data to those who desire information on the business opportunities of Mexico, whether for investment in real estate, mines, railroads, or any other enterprise, as well as the opportuni ties for trade. With the good opportunities offered by Mexico, we have also attempted to point out the unfavorable features in order to give the facts, and allowing every one to use their own judgment. While Mexico offers great induce ments to foreign capital for legitimate enterprises, it is to be deplored that her great mining industries should be injured by unworthy enterprises fostered by unscrupulous adventur ers, and bad and extravagant management of inexperienced mining men. This will at last be ended and her incalcula ble resources in minerals and agricultural productions will be developed by energetic and prudent capitalists. L l A thorough acquaintance with Mexico and its people is what the business man wants, and no book of travel can sup ply the data necessary. The information must be complete in detail, giving a description of the republic, its resources, its productions, exports and imports, its business rules applica ble to foreigners, its tariff regulations, a list of its principal business men, and the exact status of its trade ; the descrip tion of its cities and towns, and number of their inhabitants, its factories and various industrial establishments; and lastly, a description of its great mineral wealth, which has given the great country of the Moctezumas the foremost rank among the silver-producing regions of the world. While we have not ignored the information necessary for the tourist and traveller, we have attempted to give to the public a book intended for the business man, containing practical business information. Respectfully submitted, Leo:nidas Le Cenci Hamilton. London, March, 1884. CONTENTS. PAdli. Introduction 3 Physical Features op the Republic of Mexico. _.. 7 Political Divisions and Population of Mexico 7 National and State Governments 8 Education, Colleges, Libraries, Museums, Fine Arts, Etc 11 Resources of Mexico. 13 Lower California _ 10 Climate of the Table Lands of the Northern Part of Mexico 17 Sonora Boundaries and general description; climate and productions 19 Guaymas — location, harbor, streets, public build ings, plaza, principal business men, mint, dis tances, Sonora Railroad, population, importance of Guaymas, commerce, Alamos, Altar, stage connections 27 Hermosillo — Cerro de la Campana, aqeduct, vine yards and orchards, public buildings, hotels, beautiful plaza, ladies celebrated for their beauty and fecundity, Paris fashions, business houses, haciendas, water and wood in abundance, factories, mints leased, stage lines, Sonora Rail road 31 Ures — capital, picturesque environs, alameda, ele gant residences, commercial houses, haciendas, Las Delicias, scorpions 36 Santa Cruz — beautiful valley, haciendas, Santa Cruz River, Spanish explorers, Tumacori, fertile lands 37 Bacuachi — rich, mineral region, climate, etc., Fron teras, Bapispe, Bapepito River, Arispe, hacienda of Las Delicias, Sonora River, Moctezuma, Sa huaripa roads, etc., River Papigochi, Altar mines. 38 Page. Rivers Yaqui and Mayo, course and length; fertile lands, irrigation, high water, flour mills, oyster beds, settlements; Mayo — narrow valley, settle ments; pearl divers, sharks, whales, mantua or blanket fish 42 Indians and presidios, character of the Yaqui Indi ans — Velasco gives them a bad character; Mayos; Ceris, their character, location, pelican-skin dress; Opatas, anecdote ofthe Opatas, Papajos; "Pitaya-syrup" Apaches, warlike, personal ap pearance, habitation; comparative peace 46 Discovert op Gold — A natural phenomenon; gold everywhere 56 Mines of Sonora 57 Mining Districts — Location and description of mines of Sonora 58 Sinaloa 102 Roads of the State 106 Mazatlan — coast, harbor, streets, wholesale and re tail houses, description of houses, streets, gov ernment buildings, composite architecture, pub lic plaza, market place, principal trade, Mazatlan River, rich merchants, hacienda of Piastla, prin cipal business men of Mazatlan, hotels, trade with Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Sau Francisco; iron foundries 108 Rosario — town located in a ravine, Rosario River, excellent roads, distances, the great Tajo mine a source of wealth to the city 114 Culiacan — capital of the State, productions of this locality, cotton factory, stage road, principal business houses, Presidio of Mazatlan, ladies of Culiacan 115 Cosala — flower gardens, mining town, peculiar dis ease, principal business of the State, legend of Estacata mine, a mine lined with ebony, haci enda of La Labor 116 Mining Districts and mines of Sinaloa 117 Chihuahua General description, rivers, deserts, and grazing districts; soil and productions, and grazing; climate 134 Chihuahua — capital, its origin, city well laid out, Plaza Mayor, famous cathedral, Convent of San g Francisco) aqueduct, mint, trade, patriot Hidalgo 138 Las Casas Grandes and its legend ...... 139 From El Paso to the City of Chihuahua .... 142 Los Medanos 145 From Chihuahua to Durango 146 El Paso del Norte 148 Mining Districts and Mines of Chihuahua .... 149 Durango, boundaries, physical features, etc 161 City of Durango, Cerro de Mercado 163 A Grand View 166 The Devil's Backbone 168 Short Route to Mazatlan 169 Rancho de Morteros . . • 170 Iron Mines of Durango 175 Curious Caves of Durango 182 Coahuila de Zaragoza 184 Cities, towns and factories 185 Nuevo Leon 190 Cities and Towns and Mineral Resources . . . 191 Tamaulipas 194 Zona Libre and Regulations therefor 195 Vera Cruz 199 San Luis Potosi 203 Queretaro 207 Guanajuato 210 Zacatecas 213 Mineral Resources 214 Aguas Calientes 218 Jalisco 219 Colima 222 Michoacan 225 Mineral Resources 226 Guerrero 231 Mexico 233 Hidalgo 236 Mineral Resources 237 Morelos 239 Tlaxcala 240 Puebla 241 Oaxaca 243 Chiapas 245 Tabasco 246 Campeche 247 Yucatan 248 Federal District 249 6 City op Mexico 250 Railroads 252 Mexican Taripp and Trade Regulations . . 254 Manner op Acquiring Real Estate 263 Mexican Mining Law 264 Trade with Mexico, Imports and Exports . . 266 How to secure Mexican Trade, Business Rules por Foreigners 274 Importance of Matriculation 277 Importance of Securing Patents for Inventions and Improvements in Mexico 277 Treaties between Mexico and the United States 280 In Important Decree 280 Appendix : Commercial Directory of the Principal Merchants i Federal District, City of Mexico vi GEKEKAL DESOEIPTIO_N OP THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO. Physical Features. The Mexican Republic is a land of marvels for the scientist, and, with its grand gorges, deep barrancas, lofty mountain peaks, beautiful valleys, elevated mesas, and ancient cities nestling among unrivaled scenery, will always be an object of interest to the traveler. Within its 1,224,996 square miles of territory, the shores of which are washed by two oceans, may be found a greater variety of scenery, climate, productions in agriculture, and minerals than in any equal area. Its series of mountain chains and elevated plateaus, extending from the northwest to the southeast the entire length of the Republic, have yielded immense mineral wealth, and contain within them deposits of all the known metals. These two great ranges of mountains, one on the eastern and the other on the western boundary, form a continuous chain with the great mesas in the center, and slope gradually down toward the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Mexican Gulf on the other, interrupted by plateaus, on which towns are to be found on the lakes, rivers, and amidst luxuriant vegetation. The vary ing altitudes produce a diversity of climate, ranging from the cold through the temperate to the torrid, and a wonderful variety of fruits and flowers of every description, from tha European apple and rose to the Cuban guava and cactus,- beside other species unknown to any other country. Political Divisions and Population. The present population of the Republic, as near as can be estimated from the work of Antonio Garcia Cubas of the city of Mexico, is somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 9,525,000, in round numbers, taking into account an increase since 1876: divided among the different states, as follows : Sonora 125,000 Oaxaca 680,000 Coahuila 115,000 Chiapas 200,000 Chihuahua 190,000 Durango 185,000 New Leon 200,000 Zacatecas 420,000 Tamaulipas 180,000 Aguas Calientes 100,000 Vera Cruz 550,000 San Luis Potosi 555,000 Tobasco 100,000 Guanajuato 900,000 Campeachy 95,000 Queretaro 170,000 Yucatan 350,000 Hidalgo 430,000 Sinaloa 200,000 Mexico 750,000 Jalisco 980,000 Morelos 150,000 Colima 75,000 Puebla 750,000 Michoacan 620,000 Tlaxcala 130,000 Guerrero 350,000 Total 9,500,000 With the territory of Lower California, which Antonio Garcia Cubas, in his geography of Mexico, places at 23,195, in 1874, the population of the whole republic may be esti mated at about 9,525,000, allowing an increase in Lower California, up to 1880, or about six years, of about 2j000 more. National and State Governments. Under the present Constitution of the Republic, adopted February 5th, 1857, the Government was organized with three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial — Con gress, President and Cabinet, and Supreme and Circuit aud District Courts. The supreme legislative power is vested in the Congress of the Union, composed of a Senate and Chamber of Depu ties. The members are elected by secret ballot, deposited by Electors chosen by the people. One Elector is chosen for every five hundred inhabitants, and one for every fractiou thereof, in each Congressional district. The Senators are elected at the same time as the Deputies — two for each Stato and one for the Federal District and Territory of Lower Cali fornia respectively. A Deputy is chosen for each 40,000 in habitants and one for every fraction over 20,000. Substitute Senators and Deputies are chosen at the same time andiu the same manner. In order to be eligible for the officer of Sen ator it is requisite to be a Mexican citizen in the full exercise 9 of his rights, thirty years of age at the opening of the session, resident ofthe State or Territory he represents, and not to bo an ecclesiastic. The Deputies must be of the age of twenty- five years and possessed of the other qualifications demanded from Senators. Each Chamber of Congress decides with regard to the election of its members,, and determines any doubts that may occur regarding the same. Over one-half the total number constitutes a quorum in the Chamber of Deputies. The quorum of the Senate consists of two-thirds of the members elected. Two ordinary sessions are held each year. The first commences on the 16th of September and terminates on the 15th of December; the second commences ofthe 1st day of April and ends on the last day of May. The President is elected by secret ballot by Electors, in the same manner as Senators and Deputies, taking his seat on the 1st of December, for the period of four years, and he is ineligible to a re-election to a second term without another intervening. To be eligible to this office he must be a native citizen, thirty-five years of age at time of election, and not to belong to the ecclesiastical stale, and a resident ofthe Repulic. The Cabinet i3 appointed by the President, and consists oi Secretaries of Foreign Relations, Treasury, War and Navy, Interior and Public Works. Eligibility to these offices re quire the candidate to be a native citizen and twenty-five years of age. The President and Cabinet constitute the Executive branch of the Government. The Judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court and Cir cuit and District Courts. The Supreme Court is composed of eleven Judges Proprietary, four Supernumeraries, one At torney-General and one Solicitor-General. The term of office is for six years. This body is also chosen by Electors. To be eligible it is necessary to be a native citizen, " instructed in the science of law in the opinion of the Electors," aud over thirty-five years of age. The Judicial Circuits are eight in number, presided over by Circuit Judges, appointed by the Executive at the request of the Supreme Court. These Circuit Courts convene at the following cities: Mexico, Mazatlan, Celaya, Durango, Guadalajara, Monterey, Merida, and Puebla. There are thirty-one District Judges, dis tributed as follows: Two in Mexico, two in Tamaulipa3, and one in each of the other States and Territory, appointed in the same manner as the Circuit Judges. The District-At torneys of each District and Circuit are appointed by the Executive, also. The State Governments are divided into three parts — the 10 Executive (Governor), Legislature, and Judiciary." The The Governor and Legislature are elected by the people and the Judiciary is appointed. The State Judiciary consists of a Supreme Tribunal and Courts of the First Instance and Municipal Courts; the latter are presided over in some cities by Prefects aud Sub-Prefects, and in others by Alcaldes and Justices ofthe Peace. In relation to religious belief, Article 123 roads as follows: "It belongs exclusively to the Federal power to exercise in matters of religious belief and discipline the intervention which may be prescribed by the laws." The Constitution, laws of Congress, aud treaties are, by the Constitution, de clared to be the supreme law of all the Union. It will thus be seen that much ofthe Mexican Constitution is modeled after our Federal Constitution, and even, in some instances, contains improvements on the same. Nominally all religions are tolerated in the Republic, al though the Roman Catholic predominates for the most part. In the large cities some ofthe Protestant denominations have obtained a foothold. On the overthrow of the Church party all the real estate held by the Church was confiscated, and by the Constitution of 1857 this class of property was forbid den to ecclesiastical corporations. Each State of the Feder ation is declared sovereign, and all the powers not expressly delegated to the General Government by the Constitution was reserved to the States, respectively. The Federal dis trict and Lower California are, however subject to the Gen eral Government, and controled entirely by Federal laws. The Codes originally adopted by the Federal Congress for the Federal District and Lower California have since, with 6ome slight modifications, been adopted by most of the sev eral States, and the laws may therefore be said to bo uniform in their main features throughout the Republic. The Republic was declared independent February 24t 1821; established as an Empire, under Iturbide, in 1822, an proclaimed a Republic December 2d, 1822, by Santa Anna. Iturbide abdicated March 20th, 1823. The Republic con tains 27 States, 1 Territory, and 1 Federal District. The present Constitution was adopted February 5th, 1857. 11 Education. The principle of obligatory education is now in force iu the greater part of the states of the republic, penalties hav ing been decreed for those who contravene the law, and re wards for those who voluntarily observe the same. Primary instruction in the schools of the republic consists of the fol lowing branches: Reading, writing, Spanish grammar, arith metic, tables of weights and measures, morality, and good manners; and moreover, in the girls' schools, needlework and other useful labors. In some of the states the study of geography, national history, and drawing are also obligatory; whilst, in the schools that are not supported by the govern ment, a knowledge of algebra and geometry is taught, with the elements of general and natural history, ornamental and lineal drawing, and the French language. The number of primary schools in the whole of the republic reaches 8,103. Of the number referred to, according to the work of Seiior Diaz Covarrubias, 603 are supported by the state gov ernments, 5,240 by the municipal authorities, 378 by private corporations or individuals, 117 by the Catholic clergy, be sides 1,581 private establishments that are not gratuitous, and 184 not classified. These schools are attended by schol ars of both sexes. Secondary instruction, as well as profes sional education, are under the charge of the state, with subjection to the programmes established by the law, which prescribes as a mandate the liberty of education and profes sions. . In the republic there are 105 establishments of secondary and professional instruction. These embrace preparatory schools, civil colleges of jurisprudence, schools of medicine and pharmacy,(no oue can practice medicine or keep a drug store without a diploma from the government) schools for en gineers, naval schools, commercial schools, academies of arts and sciences, agricultural schools, academies of fine arts, con servatories of music and oratory, military colleges, concilia tory seminaries supported by the Catholic clergy, blind school, deaf and dumb school, and secondary schools for girls. In these latter, mathematics, cosmography, geography, domestic medicine, history and chronology, book-keeping, domestic economy, and duties of women in society, natural, figured, and ornamented drawing, manual labors, horticulture and gardening, music, the French and Italian languages — eer- 12 tainly, a young lady who graduates in these schools may ba said to be accomplished, and our female seminaries might find some suggestions in a finished education. The whole number of educational establishments is 8,208, with 364,809 pupils. Besides these are eight model schools; 285,509 males aud 79,300 females receive instruction, and this does not include the education under private tutors. There are 20 public libraries in the state, containing, in the whole, 236,000 volumes; and private libraries, containing from 1,000 to 8,000 works, are innumerable; and there are some with as many as 20,000, and collections of manuscripts and books upon history and travels, literature, law, biography, elo quence, encyclopedias, classic authors, mathematics, phys ical sciences, and antiquities, relating to America, Asia, Egypt and Nubia. The most remarkable museums of the Republic are those of antiquities in Mexico, Campeche, Puebla and Merida; those of paintings in Mexico, Oaxaca and Puebla; those of natural history in Guadalajara and Mexico. The Na tional Museum of Mexico, to which is annexed that of Natural History, contaius a rich collection of Mexican antiq uities, hieroglyphics, manuscripts, arms, utensils, idols, jewels, and every species of ornaments. The Museum of Natural History at the Mining College, now the School of Engineers, is composed of two cabinets. In the first, there is a well classified collection of geological specimens, and another of zoology, which contains a large assortment. In the second, are found two collections of minerals from Europe and Mexico, arranged according to the chemical mineralogical system of Berzelius. The Academy of San Carlos, named in honor of Carlo3 the Third, of Spain, is one of the most notable institutions of the City of Mexico. It contains several galleries, where nu merous original and valuable old Spanish and Italian paint ings are to be seen. Among others, are works of Leonardo de Vinci, Murillo, Vernet, Coglietti, Canova, Van Dyck, Cor- tona, Perugino, Ingres, Decaen, Reui Marko, and other works of Podesti and Silvagni, and several of the Flemish and Dutch schools. Iu the other saloons are to be seen the paintings of some of the most proficient students of the Academy; also, many remarkable paintings of ancient Mexican artiits, as Cobreza, Aguilero, the Juarez family, Ybarra, Arteaga, Vallejo, Echave, and others. In the republic there exist 73 institutions dedicated to 13 the cultivation of arts and sciences, of which 29 are scien tific, 21 literary, 20 artistical, and three of a mixed char acter. Resources of Mexico. There are now being established, in the greater part of the states of Mexico, cotton, woolen, silk, earthenware, glass, and paper factories, which will add to her present prosper ity. If all this great territory were populated, even in pro portion to Guanajato and its territory, the census of the republic would reach 58,000,000 to 60,000,000, instead of only 9,000,000 to 10,000,000. This scarcity of population is the one great cause of the uudevelopment of the vast agricultural resources of Mexico; and when they are fully developed, they will constitute an element of enormous wealth. Within the territory of the republic, there are more than 5700 haciendas, (landed estates) and 13,800 farms, (ranchos) and not a few other locations, of immense extent. The value assigned to landed property, based simply on its valu ation for taxes, is $161,397,311. The real value may be said to be double that amount, or about $323,000,000. The maize which is grown all over the territory, the wheat in the upper table-lands, the rice in the warm and damp sec tions, the coffee, vanilla, tobacco, sugar, and cotton in the hot countries, and many other articles, among which may bo mentioned the "agave Mexicano," with its abundant returns, constitute the principal branches of national agri culture, and the annual products may be safely estimated at $100,000,000. If colonies were settled in this vast territory, employing their activity and intelligence in making such rich and extensive lands productive, under the influence of the varieties of climate, the benefits derived to Mexico are almost incalculable. The rich and varied mineral productions of the republic have placed its mines in the niche of fame; and were it not for the scarcity of population before mentioned, they would produce a revenue tbat has never been dreamed of, in the imaginations of their Spanish conquerors. The mines Gf Guanajato, which have been the most worked, and yielded enormously, still present immense wealth, with no signs of their being exhausted. The soil of Guerrero has been pronounced, by a Spanish mineralogist as one extensive crust of silver and gold. This seems like exaggeration, yet it has in a measure proved to be true in 14 the immense deposits there found. In Sinaloa the watei, have submerged rich treasures, some of which have boeu rediscovered. The states of Zacatecas, Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, Mexico, and Michoacan contain with in their mountain ranges veins of gold and silver in inex haustible riches. Although the best portion of the mineral district lies in the northern states of the republic, yet throughout its whole territory metaliferous deposits are found. Silver and gold are mostly worked, while the other metals and mineral substauces, such as copper, iron, zinc, lead, magistral, antimony, arsenic, cobalt, amianthus, and copperas are almost neglected. The mountain of Popocata petl is said to be one vast pile of sulphur. Salt mines are found at Peilon Blanco, in San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and in the islands of the Gulf of California. The Lake of Texcoco and its adja- cent lands possess an extensive supply of carbonate of soda. In every state there exist quarries of white and colored mar ble. The alabaster of Tecali, in the state of Puebla, has at tracted great attention, and the extensive coal-fields, platina, and quicksilver mines all add to the wealth of this great ter ritory. Precious stones are not unknown; the opal with as varied aud beautiful hues as those of Hungary, the turquoise, garnet, topaz, agate, and amethyst besides, are found exten sively in many places. Building stone of a great variety is plentiful, from which magnificent structures may be built. Aside from the amount of ores that are worked outside of the republic on account of the law permitting free exporta tion of mineral ores, the annual coinage in gold, silver, and copper is on an average of $20,500,000, and the whole amount of coinage since the establishment of the mints up to 1875 being $3,001,237,281.62. In the colonia] period (1537 to 1821): Silver, $2,082,260,657.44; gold, $68,778,- 411; copper, $542,893.37— total, $2,151,581,961.81. Since the independence, or establishment of the republic (1822 to 1875): Silver, $797,055,080.71; gold, $47,327,383.11; cop per, $5,272,855.93 — total, $849,655,319.84. Total silver $2,879,315,738.21; gold, $116,105,794.11; copper, $5,815,1 740.30. Grand total, $3,001,237,281.62. Within the last five years, since the investment of addition al foreign capital, the amount additional, on the average of twenty and one-half millions a year as the lowest estimate would reach $102,500,000 more, which would make the' sum total in 1880, $3,103,737,281.62 as the amount coined by the republic of Mexico. 15 To show the increase of production, from the records of the mints, we herewith give the amount coined up to 1865, to compare with the amount coined in 1875, from official records, the first being taken from "El Minero Mexicano" of December 2nd, 1880, and the second or latter from Cubas' valuable work, which he claims to have obtained from the records at the mints. Amount of Money Coined in the Republic of Mexico from 1772 to 1865. In the Mints of 8ilver. Gold. Total. $2,163,836,764 1,321,54E 15,626,40012,795,60585,294,58128,288,333 164,591,216 48,745,584 910,927 204,234,941 2,063,958 1,651,249 959,116 $77,753,472 1,286,095 4,735,283 8,139,889 754,487 15,094,529 236,120 550,008 2,311,104 203,534 $2,241,590,237 1,321 ,545 16,912,495 17,630,791 38,434,470 29,042,820 179,685,745 48,745,584 1,147,046 204,784,949 4,375,062 1,551,2491,162,660 $2,680,220,119 $106,064,534 $2,786,284,654 1875 — Total amount coined from 1772. 1865 — " " deducted .$3,001,237,281 62 . 2,786,284,654 00 Increase in 10 years $214,952,627 62 (or about $21,495,262.76 cents annnally.) The average annual production of the mines of Sonora, from 1835 to 1842, was given by Francisco Velasco at a rough estimate of $1,500,000 annually, or $10,500,000 during the period of seven years. In 1828, Don Juan M. Eiesago estimated the annual production at $2,000,000. The laws. originally demanded that all bullion should be brought to Mexico to be coined, and the cost of carrying was so great that the rich mines in these border States be came almost neglected by capitalists, and the poorer ones nearest to Mexico City were mostly worked. This resulted in the smuggling of bullion out of the mines in the northern Btates of the republic, and no record could be kept at the mints, of those mines — in fact, there are no reliable records that give any account of the exports of bullion either from Mazatlan or Guaymas, although some records exist covering 1G the last few years; while it is well known that the mines in those States have been extensively worked in certain locali ties for over a century. Lower California. This embraces a territory or peninsula, washed on its western shores by the Pacific Ocean, and east by the Gulf of California. Its area is over 60,000 square miles. Its capital is La Paz, which is the principal town. The whole of the center is traversed by a volcanic range of mouutains of the Sierra Nevada. It is bounded on the north by California and north-east by the Colorado Kiver, di viding it from Sonora. The soil is generally not productive, though, at the base of the mountains and in small valleys, where the decompo sition of lava has been going on for ages, it possesses an in credible fecundity. The formation of the whole State is volcanic, and the coast subject to storms. The scarcity of rivers bars much of its prosperity. The productions are maize, manioc, wheat, beans, etc. ; grapes, from which wine of a very rich flavor is produced; oranges, limes, lemons, citrons, prunes, dates, figs, pine apples, bananas, plantains, and other tropical fruits; stock of various kinds graze in the valleys, consisting of horses, sheep, cattle, goats and hogs. Fish, in its waters, abound to a great extent, such as halibut, salmon, turbot, skate, pilchard, large oysters, thornback, mackerel, cod, lobsters, etc., and pearl oysters. The pearl fishery is much pursued at La Paz. In this region, a gold mine has been worked to some extent. There are about £0 towns in the state, six bays on the east coaBt and ten on the west, twelve islands in the gulf, and eight west of the coast. The territory of Lower California is divided into eight municipalities — La Paz, San Jose de Comondu, Mulege, Santo Tomas, San Antonio, Todos Santos, Santiago, San Jos6 del Cabo. Population, 25,000. La Paz, the capital, has about 3,000 inhabitants This territory is about to be colonized, as we learn from the " Diario Official ' that a contract has been signed by the Acting Secretary of Public Works, in virtue whereof, Messrs. J. Kelly & Co., of Mazat'an, engage themselves to colonize 36 000 hectares of public lands in Lower Cali- foruia. 17 The Climate of the Table Lands of the Northern Part of Mexico. The altitude of the table lands of Mexico has a marked effect upon the climate. In the summer the thermometer records a mean temperature of 85 degrees at El Paso, 3800 feet above the sea. It sometimes reaches 105 degrees in July. The constant breezes, however, make the heat more bearable. In December — the middle ofthe winter season — the mean temperature is about 48 degrees, the mercury fall ing sometimes to 5 degrees below zero. Snow falls some times two feet in depth, and ice forms a solid sheet ou the Rio Grande, andthe streams are sometimes frozen to a con siderable depth, strong enough to bear a heavy mule team and loaded wagon. The frosts are severe, therefore, and grapevines at El Paso and other points have to be protected by burying in the earth from eighteen inches to two feet beneath the surface. The Eio Grande generally freezes so as to make the fording an impossibility during the coldest weather. The whole of the table lands is subject to ex tremely cold weather, and travelers not only often suffer se verely but actually perish from the cold when not carefully protected. In the mining region of Jesus Maria, in Chihua hua, the ice frequently forms to a considerable thickness in the houses. The rainfall reaches from six to fourteen and fifteen inches, and when accompanied by sleet and snow makes traveling anything but pleasant in the face of some of the winter storms that sweep over the elevated plains. Travelers recount some very disagreeable experiences in midwinter traveling. Mr. Ruxton speaks of riding through one of these storms when his blanket, used as a protection against the storm, froze stiff and hard as a board while he he was in the midst of a storm of sleet and rain. His feet were frozen, and he came near perishing. Stopping and squatting upon the ground, having lost his way in the night, he drew his blanket around him as best he could, and re mained till near morning in that position, with his blanket over his head. He says that before morning he was com pletely snowed in, the snow being over his head on a level. From this we should judge that the climate of these table lands may be said to be somewhat similar to the climate of the Mississippi Valley, boixlering Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. The statement, therefore, that the climate of Mexico is trop ical will not apply to these table lands. In most of the min ing regions of this portion of Mexico snow falls and ice forms. 18 All the mines of any value or located in the mountains or cold regions. Durango, Coahuila and part of New Leon and Tamaulipas have about the same climate as in Chihuahua, with a less proportion of snow in New Leon and Tamaulipas. The table lands are healthy, and the air is pure and bracing. The altitude produces every variety of climate on the plateaus until the low lands or plains are reached, when tropical features alone prevail. The low, marshy regions are to be avoided not only on account of the " vomito" — the scourge of those regions — but also the malarial fevers which make such localities dangerous for the settler. The climate of Chihuahua City is about the same as at El Paso, with perhaps more cold weather, since the altitude is higher, and the mouutains adjacent reaching several thou sand feet above the level ofthe plain, and in the winter time are perpetually covered with snow. The peak of Jesus Ma ria, in the southwestern portion of the State, is 8456 feet above the sea, and La Tarumara 8340. The city of Durango, Humboldt says, is about 6845 feet above the sea, and the Cerro de Mercado, or Iron Mountain, adjacent is 8220 feet, making the climate, consequently, from the altitude and sur roundings, cold in the winter season, with considerable snow and ice prevailing. In the mountainous part of Sinaloa the same may be said, though the altitude of the whole State is much lower, since the highest peaks, viz., La Bayona and Cabeza de Caballo, make only 5614 and 4365 feet respectively above the sea. In New Leon, El de la Silla and Sierra de Gomez are 7800 and 6602 feet respectively above the sea level. The State of Tamaulipas has the highest mountain peaks ot any of the Northern States of Mexico. Los Gallitos is the highest, being 9633 feet, while Orcasitas is 7562 and El Me- tate 7144 feet above the sea. Sr. Don Perez Hernandez, in his work published in 1862, gives much valuable information, from which we extract the above figures. Euxton says. "The City of Mexico is 7470 feet above the sea level, and La Villa de Leon 6020, thus showing that the table land of Mexico does not decline so suddenly as is imag ined. Indeed, excepting in the plains of Salamanca and Silao, there is no perceptible difference in the temperature, and, I beheve, in reality but little in elevation in the vast re