Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/537

Rh Pueblo and Hidalgo; petroleum in Puerto Ángel of Oajaca; naphtha in Guadalupe Hidalgo of the federal district.

The government, with a view of obtaining full as well as reliable information on the hitherto hidden wealth of the country, appointed exploring commissions, and increased their number as far as the condition of the public treasury permitted it. Among the commissions a number were instructed to study the mining branch, two being sent to Michoacan, one to Guerrero, one to the states of Oajaca and Puebla, and one to the Huastecas. The special object of the last two was to survey and make a study of the carboniferous deposits. Some of the commissions rendered their reports between 1878 and 1882.

The rapid increase of mining products, and the great distance of the mines from the mint at Mexico,