Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/281

Rh may be recognized from the fact that the duties paid on the treasure and merchandise amounted to four hundred and twelve thousand pesos.

The command of the seas by the French, English, and Dutch had not only a depressing effect on commerce, but on all the industries of the country, and especially that of mining. Quicksilver was so scarce this year that the quintal rose from eighty-four pesos to three hundred, and the viceroy addressed the governor of the Philippines on the matter, requesting him to procure. a quantity of the metal in China and ship it to Acapulco. News, however, arrived in 1698 that a treaty of peace had been concluded. Great was the joy at this intelligence; and for a time commerce and industries revived. The rejoicing was short-lived however, for in May 1701 despatches were received from Spain ordering the authorities to put their ports in a state of defence against invasion by the English and Dutch; and though in the following month these instructions were countermanded, in August two sloops arrived from the Habana with intelligence that war had not been averted.

Meanwhile the death of a Spanish monarch had caused the celebration of royal obsequies to be held in the city of Mexico, and in all the principal towns of New Spain, with the solemnity observed on such occasions. Cárlos II. died on the 1st of November 1700, and intelligence reached the capital the 7th of !March of the following jmar. A courier clad in black, and bearing a banner of the same color, brought the tidings. Each half hour of his journey he fired off his piece as a salute in honor of the dead king. The