Hence it results
that daily fewer trading ships arc sent from these kingdoms than
formerly, and than would be sent if the said trade with China were to
cease. That is the reason why the Spanish silks and other merchandise
are so seldom demanded or consumed in the Indias. That, with the low
prices at which they are sold, and the numerous duties which are paid,
and the trade so ruined, makes the exporters and merchants derive so
little gain from their investments that they do not care to increase
or to continue their trade, and cease to attend to it. On that account,
the said Indias do not depend, as it is right that they should depend,
on these kingdoms; while, as there and in these kingdoms is consumed
the merchandise of China, which is only bought with standard reals of
eight, an enormous amount of coin is taken there in exchange for the
merchandise, and thus is not sent to these kingdoms to be invested
here, in order to return them to the said Indias. [If that were
done], the duties thereon (together with the great cargoes and the
increase of business in all directions) would increase very greatly,
as would be clearly and quickly seen in the increase of the royal
revenues. The prohibition of the said merchandise of China is of much
greater advantage to the royal revenues than the permission; besides,
it is the universal remedy [for the troubles] of these kingdoms
and of the said Indias, that the said merchandise be not exported
to either the former or the latter. [There is a parallel to this in
our domestic trade], for in place of the wheat (because of the lack
of it that is generally experienced in the maritime towns of this
kingdom), foreigners are continually carrying away from us so great
an amount of money through the permissions given to them for export,
and with what they demand besides, for the wheat, and in exchange for
the copper coins that they force on us, and other articles that they
bring to us, which they have in plenty--but which we do not need, as
we have all of them in our Espana. Thus they weaken our resources and
strengthen their own; but this would be avoided if we did not need the
wheat, and they were not permitted to bring the other things. Just so,
not having need (as there is none) of the wares from China, because
we have so many of them in these kingdoms (which moreover are known
to be so much better in quality), we should cease this trade, which
only carries to China that great treasure whic