The only money current in Chili is of
gold and silver, which is considerably embarrassing to internal
commerce, as the smallest silver coin is the sixteenth of a dollar, or
4-1/4d. The weights and measures are the same with those of Madrid.

"Of the two great sources of commerce, agriculture and manufacturing
industry, the former alone hitherto animates the internal trade of
Chili, or even the commercial intercourse between that country and
Peru[107]. The working of mines also occupies the attention of many of
the colonists, especially in the provinces of Copaipo, Coquimbo, and
Quillota. Manufacturing industry is hitherto so trifling as not to
deserve notice. Notwithstanding the abundance of raw materials for this
purpose, such as flax, wool, hemp, skins, and metals, which might give
employment to a flourishing manufacturing industry, it is still in a
languid condition. The inhabitants however manufacture _ponchos_,
stockings, carpets, blankets, skin-coats, saddles, hats, and other small
articles, chiefly for the use of the poorer people, as those used by the
middle and higher ranks are from the manufactures of Europe. These
enumerated articles, with the sale of hides and leather, grain and
wine, form the whole internal commerce of Chili. The external commerce
is principally with the ports of Peru, and particulary with that of
Callao, the port of Lima. To the amount of about 700,000 dollars is
yearly sent to Peru in the productions of Chili, serving not only to
counterbalance the importations from that country, but leaving an annual
balance of 200,000 dollars in favour of Chili. The trade between Chili
and Buenos Ayres is on the contrary in favour of the latter, as Chili
has to pay about 300,000 dollars yearly in cash for the herb _Paraguay_
alone. The other articles received from Buenos Ayres are probably paid
for by those which are sent to that place. In the trade with Spain, the
productions of Chili go but a short way in payment of the European goods
which are annually imported to the value of more than a million of
dollars. Gold, silver, and copper, form the whole of the articles sent
from Chili to Spain, as the hides and Vicugna wool are of too little
importance to be considered."

[Footnote 107: These observations on the trade of Chili, distinguished
by inverted commas, are inserted into the text from a long note in this
part of the work of Molina--E.]

"Gold to the extent of 5200 marks[108], and as the amounts