Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/453

Rh He there states, that the cotton and wool produced in these Provinces, were exported, and returned, at the end of the year, from Qŭerētărŏ and San Luis, rudely made up, indeed, but charged with all the additional costs of double carriage, and of three or four Ălcăvālăs, in proportion to the number of hands, through which they had passed.

With regard to European goods, he demonstrates the disadvantage to be still greater. They were bought in Cadiz of the second hand, (there being but few articles imported into Mexico of boná fide Spanish produce;) in Veracruz, of the third; in Mexico, Qŭerētărŏ, or Zăcătēcăs, (the principal inland depôts) of the fourth; at the great fair of Saltillo, (where the retail dealers of the Eastern Provinces purchased their yearly provision,) of the fifth, and in each of these Provinces, of the sixth hand.

Before they arrived there, they paid a duty on entering Cadiz, and another on leaving it made up for the American market; a duty on entering Veracruz; Ălcăvālă, on the sale there; Ălcăvālă, on the second transfer at Mexico, or Qŭerētărŏ, where the Saltillo trader made his purchases; Alcavala, at Saltillo, and Alcavala again in each of the Provincial towns, where the goods were ultimately retailed. The original manufacturer had his profit; the Cadiz merchant his; the merchants of Veracruz, and Mexico, or Queretaro, theirs; the Saltillo trader his; the retail dealers theirs again; while the whole of these