No. 361.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Mexico, August 2, 1879.
(Received August 26.)
No. 1008.]
Sir: Upon receipt of your dispatch No. 629 of May
23 last, I sent a note to the minister of foreign affairs soliciting the
information desired by the Secretary of the Treasury. On yesterday I
received from the minister the reply which I inclose herewith, which he
states contains all the reliable information attainable. It will be seen
that the statistics furnished contain (1st) the amount of coinage of silver
and gold for the past ten years, and (2d) the amount of the metals exported
in three years, from 1872 to 1875. To the official figures of exportation, a
considerable sum is to be added to cover the silver illicitly sent out of
the country to avoid the government duty of 5 per cent.
There are no data existing whereupon to make any estimate of the amount of
silver and paper currency in circulation in this country. Gold has ceased
altogether for a few years past to circulate as currency, and the amount in
the country is too small to be estimated. Owing to the depreciated price of
silver, which is an unlimited legal tender, gold is exported as fast as
produced from the mines.
There is no general banking law, and no banks in the republic existing under
government charters. Only one of the private banks of this city issues
circulating notes and they are confined to the city, so that the paper
currency is hardly to be considered in the general estimate of the
republic.
I have to express regret that the statistics furnished are so imperfect, but
they are the best attainable.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in
1008.—Translation.]
Mr. Ruelas to Mr.
Foster.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Mexico, July 26,
1879.
Mr. Minister: As I had the honor to say to your
excellency in my note of June 12 last past, I asked of the department of
public works the data which the Government
[Page 823]
of the United States desires referring to the
amount of gold and silver coined and in bullion, as also of paper money
in circulation in Mexico. The said department has sent me to-day the
communication which in copy I have the satisfaction to transmit to your
excellency as well as the original tables which are mentioned in it,
that department noting that these are the only reliable data which it
can give in answer to the questions contained in your excellency’s note
dated on the 9th of June last.
This occasion is agreeable to me to renew to your excellency the
assurances of my very distinguished consideration.
Mr. Fernandez to
Mr. Ruelas.
mexican republic, department of public
works, colonization, industry and commerce, Mexico.—Section 2,
No. 639.
I have the honor to send you two tables which show, the first the coinage
had in the mints of the republic in the last ten years, and the second
the exportation of gold and silver, both bullion and coined, in the
fiscal years from 1872 to 1875, which are those which are complete and
worthy of confidence.
The data which these tables set forth are the only ones which can be
given by this department in reply to the inquiries which the minister of
the United States made to that of your worthy charge in the note which,
under date of the 11th ultimo, you were pleased to transmit to me.
Liberty and the constitution.
Mexico, July 26,
1879.
M. FERNANDEZ,
Chief
Clerk.
[Translation.]
No. 1.
Statement of the amount of gold and
silver in the mints of the republic during the period from
July, 1869, to June, 1879.
| Fiscal
years. |
Gold. |
Silver. |
Total. |
| 1869–’70 |
$1,182,628
00 |
$19,813,821
10 |
$20,996,449 10 |
| 1870–’71 |
1,150,512
00 |
21,823,644
65 |
22,974,156 65 |
| 1871–’72 |
1,113,007
00 |
20,570,662
69 |
21,683,669 69 |
| 1872–’73 |
813,415 00 |
19,680,811
55 |
20,494,226 55 |
| 1873–’74 |
866,743 50 |
18,846,067
65 |
19,712,811 15 |
| 1874–’75 |
866,619 00 |
19,386,958
50 |
20,249,577 50 |
| 1875–’76 |
806,417 50 |
19,460,562
59 |
20,266,980 09 |
| 1876–’77 |
625,890 00 |
21,795,113
00 |
22,421,003 00 |
| 1877–’78 |
689,688 00 |
22,112,680
50 |
22,802,368 50 |
| 1878–79, first six months |
345,681 00 |
10,476,377 15 |
10,822,058
15 |
| Total |
8,456,601 00 |
193,966,699 38 |
202,423,300
38 |
| Annual average |
|
|
21,306,716
00 |
Notes.—In the coinage of the fiscal year there
are wanting reports for five months from the mints of Alamos, Oaxaca,
Culiacan, and Hemosillo. To supply them an average is taken of the
coinage for the year.
In the fiscal year 1878 to 1879 the coinage of the first six months only
is given, as the reports from all the mints are not yet received.
Mexico, July 26,
1879.
For the chief of the section:
M. OROSCA,
First Clerk.
[Page 824]
[Translation.]
No. 2.
A table showing the amount of silver and
gold, coined and in bullion, which has been exported from the
Mexican Republic during the fiscal years stated, as
follows:
| Fiscal year— |
Silver. |
| Coined. |
Worked. |
Bullion. |
| 1872–’73 |
$22,626,064
57 |
$8,715 61 |
$1,459,426 38 |
| 1873–’74 |
17,021,404
91 |
1,359 31 |
1,217,853 14 |
| 1874–’75 |
14,190,771 85 |
3,920 42 |
1,843,522
95 |
| Totals |
53,838,241 33 |
13,995 34 |
4,520,802
37 |
| Fiscal year— |
Gold. |
Total silver. |
Total gold. |
General
total. |
| Coined. |
Bullion. |
| 1872–’73 |
$636,737
96 |
$286,791
50 |
$24,094,206
46 |
$923,529
46 |
$25,017,735 92 |
| 1873–’74 |
2,081,949
20 |
487,192 19 |
18,240,617
36 |
2,569,141
39 |
20,809,758 75 |
| 1874–’75 |
2,701,478 00 |
194,387 00 |
16,038,215 22 |
2,895,865 00 |
18,934,080
22 |
| Totals |
5,420,165 16 |
968,370 69 |
58,373,039 04 |
6,388,535 85 |
64,761,574
89 |
Mexico, July 26,
1879.
For the chief of the
section:
M. OROSCA,
First
Clerk.
