Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 1.djvu/473

Rh of the year, to something very near the former average of 21,545,606 dollars.

The progress made since that time it is impossible exactly to define, for, although it would appear by the produce of the Custom-houses to be very considerable, (the receipts of the ten first months of the year 1826, having exceeded those of the whole of 1824, by three millions of dollars,) this may be said to demonstrate an improvement in the system of collecting the duties payable on foreign goods, rather than an increase in the amount of the goods themselves. When combined, however, with the number of vessels employed in the Mexican Trade, it affords a fair standard for regulating our opinions, and, as such, I shall state here the result of my enquiries.

In 1823, the number of vessels which cleared, within the province of Veracruz, was, as follows: