Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/658

638 ocean, great improvements of the highways have been effected. Under the administrations of the viceroys Bucareli, Re villa Gigedo, and Iturrigaray,the most important lines of traffic were placed in tolerable condition and stage lines established. The exertions of the latter ruler were particularly successful, and to him are the Mexicans indebted for the splendid Jalapa highway to Vera Cruz, the construction of which had cost nearly 3,000,000 pesos in 1812.

Although the physical formation generally is unfavorable to river and canal navigation, such is not the case in the valley of Mexico, and thousands of canoes yearly conveyed grain into the capital by the lakes Tezcuco and San Cristóbal, which were connected by a narrow canal, or rather dike. Communication with Lake Chalco, and throughout the extent of the valley, might have been easily effected at an early date, and freight charges greatly reduced, but the government opposed all such projects until the time of Iturrigaray, who ordered the opening of the Tezcuco canal.