No. 536.
Mr. Christiancy to Mr. Evarts.
Lima, Peru, May 9, 1880. (Received June 5.)
Sir: Premising that on the 12th of April last, the Supreme Chief of this republic had issued a decree prohibiting the sale of articles of the first necessity at prices higher than those at which they were sold on the 8th April, when the blockade of Callao was notified, that this means that they should not be sold at higher prices in paper soles, the only currency [Page 846] in circulation, that these soles were on the 8th April worth in exchange on London about 8¾ pence sterling, and that they are worth, to day, only about 5¾ pence, the following decree of the prefect of Lima of the 4th instant will be understood:
prices of the necessaries of life.
His honor, the prefect of Lima, has issued a decree regulating the prices of daily necessities, of which the following is a translation:
Considering,
- 1st.
- That by the supreme decree of the 12th ultimo it is prohibited to sell articles of first necessity at higher prices than those at which they were sold on the 8th of same month;
- 2d.
- That such prices, in conformity with the said supreme decree, having been determined on by the municipality of this capital:
I decree—
Article 1. The articles of first necessity and the highest prices at which they shall be sold are to be as follows:
Rice, first class, of the country, sack of 190 pounds 34 soles, 1 pound 20 cents; East Indian, sack of 190 pounds 33 soles, 1 pound 19 cents.
White sugar 100 pounds 25 soles, 1 pound 35 cents.
Brown sugar, 100 pounds 21 soles, I pound 24 cents.
Fresh beef, first class, 2 pounds 70 cents, 1 pound 50 cents; second class, 2 pounds 54 cents, 1 pound 40 cents; third class, 2 pounds 36 cents, 1 pound 30 cents.
Pork, 60 cents per pound.
Mutton, first class, 2 pounds 78 cents, 1 pound 60 cents; second class, 2 pounds 54 cents, 1 pound 50 cents.
Sweet-potatoes (camotes), per sack 4 soles, per pound 5 cents.
Arrowroot, 100 pounds 17 soles, 1 pound 20 cents.
Beans, white and brown, 182 pounds 15 soles, 1 pound 13 cents.
Biscuit, ordinary, 100 pounds 36 soles, 1 pound 40 cents.
Pease, 182 pounds 18 soles, 1 pound 20 cents.
Flour, 100 pounds 21 soles 50 cents, 1 pound 25 cents.
Corn flour, 100 pounds 8 soles, 1 pound 15 cents.
Lentils (pease), 182 pounds 20 soles, 1 pound 18 cents.
Wood, for kindling fires, 100 pounds 2 soles.
Lard, foreign, 100 pounds 63 soles, 1 pound 70 cents; native, 100 pounds 55 soles, 1 pound 60 cents.
Corn, 156 pounds 9 soles, 1 pound 7 cents.
Potatoes, per load 25 soles, 1 pound 7 cents.
Beans, large, 156 pounds 15 soles, 1 pound 20 cents.
Bread, 140 to 180 grams, 10 cents each.
Soap, 300 in a box, 52 soles 20 cents; each piece 20 cents; native soap, large, 1 piece 10 cents.
Quinine, 24 soles per ounce.
Rum, per block 2 soles, 1 bottle 40 cents.
Salt, per block 3 soles, 1 pound 5 cents.
Candles, per box of 25 packets 23 soles, 1 packet 1 sole.
Yuca, per sack 21 soles, 1 pound 5 cents.
Kerosene, per box, containing 2 tins, 16 soles 75 cents; 1 gallon, 2 soles.
Art. 2. The sub-prefects, commissioners, and governors, in their respective jurisdictions, and the municipalities and the municipal agents in the groceries, markets, and slaughter-houses, exercising the most active vigilance so as to discover all infractions, are encharged with the punctual fulfillment of this decree, applying to all who contravene the same arbitrarily and immediately, the proportioned penalties to the gravity of the offense.
Art. 3. The authorities of the police will lend to the aforesaid municipalities the aid and assistance of the armed force, so that the above resolution be duly carried into effect.
Given at the prefecture in Lima the 4th day of May, 1830.
JUAN MARTIN ECHENIQUE.
The effect of this decree, as might have been anticipated, has been to drive many of the dealers in such articles to shut up their shops and refuse to sell the articles at all. Such has been the fact, especially among the shop-keepers of neutral nations doing business here, though the smaller native dealers profess to comply with the decree, and in many cases do, but many of them continue to supply inferior articles for the same price at which a superior article was sold before.
[Page 847]It must be acknowledged that this decree is an extreme measure.* * * But it was expected to have a temporary effect in keeping up the value of the paper currency, and I think it has had and still has this effect to some extent.
There being no other currency to be had, the people must use this or nothing, and I fear the latter alternative will soon occur. What, then, is to happen I cannot foresee, as Peru does not appear to have any present available resources on which she can contract loans or obtain a coin currency.
I am, &c.,