Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

The real income arising to the Spanish Treasury from their possessions in South America, have long been kept a profound secret. Abbé Raynal was the first to investigate the matter, and estimate those revenues one year with another, at 17,739,448 livres, but it is well known by the several increases they have received, that they far exceed that sum, as will appear by the following estimate. From Mexico 54,000,000, Peru 27,000,000; Guatemala, Chili and Paraguay 9,100,000: in all 90,100,000 livres, between four and five millions sterling. Government expenses in those provinces, amount to 55,700,000 livres, the net residue coming into the Exchequer is therefore 34,400,000 to which sum must be added 20,584,400 for goods imported to, and exported from the Colonies. But the whole does not find its way into the Royal coffers of the mother country; a considerable part of it is laid out in paying the various members of administration, building ships and purchasing tobacco.