¹ Levene, R., Vida y Escritos de Victorián tic Villava (Buenos Aires, 1946), p. xcvi.Google Scholar

² On the work of these societies, see Serrailh, J., L'Espagne éclairée de la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siécle (Paris, 1954),Google Scholar and Shafer, R. J., The Economic Societies in the Spanish World (1763–1821) (Syracuse, 1958).Google Scholar

³ de, G. M.Jovellanos, y Ramírez, ‘Discurso pronunciado en la Sociedad de Amigos del País, sobre la necesidad de cultivar en el Principado el estudio de las Ciencias Naturales’ in Biblioteca de Autores Espaūoles, xlvi (Madrid, 1858), p. 303.Google Scholar

⁴ Ibid.. pp. 303–4.

⁵ See Alzola, A. Gálvez Cañero y, Apuntes Biográficos de D. Fausto de Elhuyar y de Zubice (Madrid, 1933), pp. 39–40,Google Scholar and Whitaker, A. P., ‘The Elhuyar Mining Mission and the Enlightenment’, Hispanic American Historical Review, 31 (1951), pp.558–83.Google Scholar

⁶ See Gálvez, Cañero y Alzola, op. cit., plate facing p. 60,Google Scholar Elhuyar to the President of the Sociedad Vascongada, 25 09. 1785.

⁷ See de Elhuyar, F., ‘Mémoire sur la méthode d'amalgamer proposéc et executée par de Born, M. ’ in Congress of Glashötte, Ist: es vortcilhafter die silberhaitigen Erzc und Schmclzhlöttenproduktc anzuquicken als sie zu schmelzen ? (Leipzig and Vienna,1787), p. 35.Google Scholar

⁸ Archivo General de India, (referred to hereafter as AGI), Indiferente General 1798, Elhuyar to Gálvez, 14 dec. 1787.

⁹ Ibid.. Nordenflicht to Elhuyar, 8 03 1787.

¹⁰ AGI, Indiferente General 1798,Google ScholarNordenflicht, to Elhuyar, , 8 03 1787. Nordcnflicht was at that time thirty years old.Google Scholar

¹¹ Ibid.Elhuyar, to Valdés, , 15 08. 1787.Google Scholar

¹² See Ibid. ‘ Razòn de lo que corresponde a los Mineralogistas de primera clase por sus respectivos sueldos …’: Nordenflicht was allotted a salary of 45,000, Weber of 30,000 and Helms of 22,000 reales de vellòn per annum. They were given 15,176 reales (Nordenflicht) and 10,000 reales (Weber and Helms) for equipment and instruments. See Ibid.. ‘ Razòn de las cantidades destinadas para equipamento…’

¹³ Ibid.. Elhuyar to Gálvez, 20 04 1787.

¹⁴ Ibid.. Elhuyar to Valdés, 15 08. 1787.

¹⁵ AGI, Indiferente General 1798, Onís, to Valdés, Dresden, 7 11. 1787.Google Scholar

¹⁶ See Ibid.. Bishop, of Jaen, to Valdés, Madrid, 16 05 1788. To their credit, the Spanish authorities thereafter consistently honoured their promise to accord the Germans full religious freedom. The books were returned.Google Scholar

¹⁷ Helms and Nordenflicht came directly from Glashötte near Chemnitz, where they had gone to inspect the machinery invented by Born.

¹⁸ See André, M., ‘Le Baron de Nordenflicht, Conseiller intime de S.M. le Roi de Pologne et les Mineurs Allemands au Pérou’, in Révue de l'Amérique Latine, 8 (1924), p. 295.Google Scholar

¹⁹ As the workers refused to board the ship in question, the entire expedition ended up travelling overland. See Archivo General de Ia Naciòn (Buenos Aires) (referred to hereafter as AGN), Licencias y Pasaportes, Libro 3 (B), 9–12−8−2, f. 106, ‘ Nota de los Mineralògicos, mineros y demás personas qe. hacen ci viaje hasta Lima …’, 25 Oct. 1788.

²⁰ See AGI, Charcas 439, Sanz, to Croix, , 15 02. 1789.Google Scholar

²¹ See Helms's account of the journey in Helms, A. Z., Tagebuch einer Reise von Buenos Aires an dem grossen Plateflusse öber Potosl nach Lima, der Haupstadt des Königreiches Peru (Dresden, 1798), passim.Google Scholar

²² AGI, Charcas 439, Manrique, to Porlier, , 16 08. 1788.Google Scholar

²³ Arzáns, B.de, Orsúa y Vela, Historia de Ia Villa Imperial de Potosl (3 vols., Providence, 1965), i, p. 108. The eighteenth-century chronicler's ‘History’ is invaluable to the student who wishes to catch the ‘flavour ’ of life in colonial Potosí.Google Scholar

²⁴ See Pedro Vicente Cañete's account of hacienda life and country outings in Archivo Nacional de Bolivia (hereafter ANB), Audiencia de Charcas, Minas 41, No. 228, Caūete to Castro, 10 Sec. 1792.

²⁵ The population figures for Potosí range from 25,000 to 100,000 inhabitants. The latter figure is Helms's. See Helms, , op. cit., p. 121.Google Scholar

²⁶ Thaddeus Haenke to his parents, Potosí 28 May 1795, in Köhnel, J., Thaddeus Haenke. Leben and Wirken eines Forschers (Munich, 1960), p. 231.Google Scholar

²⁷ One shudders to think of stone and brick houses in the freezing climate of Potosí.

²⁸ Levene, , op. cit., p. xxxii.Google Scholar

²⁹ AGN, Potosí 9, 1784–1788, 9−6−3–6, Gándara to Loreto, 16 July 1784.

³⁰ See Levene, , op. cit., p. xxxiii.Google Scholar

³¹ See Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 214, 20 06. 1793, ‘Apét de Ia Sociedad a la Historia de Potosí’, pp. 50–6.

³² SeeBritish, Museum (hereafter BM), 725. k. 18/45,‘ Memorial que en 7 de noviembre de 1650 diò Alonso Merlo de la Fuente en razòn de la moneda falsa ’ and Arzáns, op. cit., ii, p. 124.Google Scholar

³³ See AGI, Charcas 692, Guemes, to Crown, , 26 03 1776 and AGI, Charcas 68, Tagle to the Audiencia of Charcas, 30 April 1777.Google Scholar

³⁴ AGI, Charcas 438, Manrique, to Gálvez, , 16 10. 1782.Google Scholar

³⁵ Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid (hereafter BNM), No. 20,269⁴⁰, ‘Memorial’, Mining Guild to Crown, no date (1702).

³⁶ Domínguez, P. V. Cañete y, Gula … del gobierno e intcndcncia de la Prouincia de Potosí;(Potosi, 1952), p. 104.Google Scholar

³⁷ AGI, Charcas 438, Manrique, to Gálvez, , 1610. 1782.Google Scholar

³⁸ AGI, Charcas 425, Porlier, to Gálvez, , 15 12. 1779.Google Scholar

³⁹ See BM, Add. MS 17,589, ‘Idea General de las Minas del Perú…’, anOnymous, 1791, and Mercurio Peruano, No. 3, 9 06. 1791, ‘ Desagravio de los Mineros ’, pp. 22–3 and No. 243, 2 05 1793, ‘ Apologia de los Bancos de Rescates ’, p. 290.

⁴⁰ AGN, Hacienda 96, 1800, 9–34−2–5, Exp. 2503, Superintendent Sanz to the Intendants of Upper Peru, 14 Aug. 1785.

⁴¹ Arsáns, , op. cit., iii, p. 30.Google Scholar

⁴² See BM, 725k. 18/32, Mining, Guild to Crown, , presented on 22 Nov. 1636. See also BNM, No. 29,568, Informe de Antonio de Ulloa, 14 09. 1771.Google Scholar

⁴³ AGN, Potosí 14, 1798–1799, 9−6−4−4, Deputies of the Guild to Sanz, 26 Nov. 1795.

⁴⁴ Arsáns, , op. cit., iii, p. 153.Google Scholar

⁴⁵ Real Academia de Historia, Madrid (hereafter RAH), Mata Linares 80, Sanz to Villava, 24 April 1795.

⁴⁶ AGI, Charcas 435, Escobedo, to Manrique, , 1102. 1782.Google Scholar

⁴⁷ AGI, Charcas 275, Consulta del Consejo, 1605 1732.Google Scholar

⁴⁸ Printed in Munilla, O. Gil, El Rio de la Plata en Ia politica internacional. Génesis dclvirreinato (Sevilla, 1949), pp. 428–32.Google Scholar

⁴⁹ Levene, , op. cit., ‘ Apuntes para una Reforma de Espaāa ’, p. cxviii.Google Scholar

⁵⁰ On these, see Lynch, J., Spanish Colonial Administration, 1782–1810. The Intendant System in the Viceroyalty of the Rio de Ia Plata (London, 1958), pp. 18–19.Google Scholar

⁵¹ ANB, Audiencia de Charcas, Minas 132, No. 1212, R.O., San Ildefonso, 1 Oct. 1776.

⁵² See ANB, Cedulario Real de Ia Audiencia de Charcas, No. 708, R.C., Madrid, 3 Dec. 1776.

⁵³ See for instance BNM, No. 3040, ‘Carta dd Presidente Zépeda de Cosas de Potosí, 21 April 1594; BM, 725.k. 58ø32, Petition of the Mining Guild, presented 12 Nov. 1616;Arsáns, iii, pp.69 and 403, etc.

⁵⁴ See AGN, Potosí 6, 1778−9, 9−6−3–4, ‘ Expediente sobre la construcciòn del Real Socavòn’

⁵⁵ AGI, Charcas 577, Escobedo, to Gálvez, , 16 08. 1779.Google Scholar

⁵⁶ AGI, Charcas 568, ‘Proyecto ’ presented by José de Herboso to the Mining Guild, 12 01.1747.Google Scholar

⁵⁷ The history of the Banco de Rescates as well as that of the Real Banco de San Carlos have been examined at length in a study of ‘The Mining Society of Potosí, 1776–1809’ of which the material reproduced in this article forms a part.

⁵⁸ See Real Cédula de incorporaciòn del banco de Potosí a la real hacienda y ordenanzas para su régimen y gobierno (Madrid, 1795).

⁵⁹ It was hoped, for instance, that the discovery of a reliable correlation between the consumption of mercury and the production of silver, would facilitate the detection of fraud and stop the trade in untaxed silver.

⁶⁰ BM, Add. MS 17,589, ‘ Idea General de las Minas dcl Perú’, anonymous, 1791.

⁶¹ Subordinate both to the Visitor-General of Peru and to the Viceroy of Buenos Aires, Escobedo was plagued by contradictory instructions.

⁶² See Real Cédula de incorporaciòn …, Tít. VI, Ord. I.

⁶³ See AGI, Charcas 438, Report of Miguel Rubín de Celis, 27 11. 1783.Google Scholar

⁶⁴ Caūete, op. cit., p. 80.

⁶⁵ See AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 152, No. 126, ‘Discurso sobre Ia utilidad y medios de fomentar ci trabajo de minas…’, Escobedo, 10 02. 1779.Google Scholar

⁶⁶ See AGI, Charcas 695, Sanz, to Arredondo, , 26 05 1794.Google Scholar

⁶⁷ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6345, Escobedo to Vértiz, 16 09. 1781.Google Scholar

⁶⁸ AGI, Charcas 437, Escobedo, to Gálvez, , 16 06. 1780.Google Scholar

⁶⁹ AGI, Charcas 435, Escobedo, to Gálvez, , 16 10. 1779, and Escobedo to Manrique, II 02. 1782.Google Scholar

⁷⁰ See AGI, Buenos Aires 434, Deputies of the Guild to Sanz, 25 04 1789.Google Scholar

⁷¹ See AGI, Buenos Aires 76, Loreto to Nordenflicht, 8 Oct. 1788.

⁷² See AGI, Charcas 700, Nordcnflicht to Valdés, 8 june 1790.

⁷³ AGI, Buenos Aires 76, Loreto to Nordenflicht, 8 Oct. 1788.

⁷⁴ AGI, Charcas 439, Sanz to Croix, 15 Feb. 1789.

⁷⁵ See AGI, Buenos Aires 78, Croix to Sanz, 16 Oct. 1789, and Charcas 700, Croix to Vaidés, 30 Oct. 1789.

⁷⁶ See AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5591,‘ Carta Primera de un mercader a un amigo suyo residente en Buenos Aires …’, 16 Dec. 1790.

⁷⁷ Casa Nacional de Ia Moneda, Potosí (hereafter CNM), Gobierno, 1789, Nuevo Expediente… para Ia suspension dcl Socavòn de Ia Purísima…’, Decreto, Sanz, March 1789.

⁷⁸ See AGI, Pianos Buenos Aires, No. 176, for Mothes's ‘Plan del Cerro de Potosí’.

⁷⁹ CNM, Gobierno, 1789, Report of Mothes, 5 July 1790.

⁸⁰ See Heims, , op. Cit., p.67.Google Scholar

⁸¹ CNM, Gobierno, 1789, Report of Antonio de Zabaleta, 27 July 1790.

⁸² In accordance with the ordinances set up by Escobedo, the shaft was financed by the exchequer out of the profits made by the bank.

⁸³ See RAH, Mata Linares 10, Oflicials of the Bank to Sanz, 6 Dec. 1790.

⁸⁴ CNM, Gobierno, 1789, ‘Nuevo Expediente…’, Report of Mothes, 5 July 1790.

⁸⁵ Ibid.. Dihgencia of 9 07 1790.

⁸⁶ Ibid.. Junta of the Guild, 27 07 1790.

⁸⁷ See AGI, Charcas 439, Sanz, to Lerena, , 16 Septembr. 1791, and Charcas 700, Sanz, to Lerena, , 24 07 1791.Google Scholar

⁸⁸ Helms, , op. cit., p. 65.Google Scholar

⁸⁹ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Lerena, , 24 07 1791. The decree was issued on 10 Feb.1789.Google Scholar

⁹⁰ See AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Lerena, , 24 07 1279. 3187 workers were employed as against 2106 engaged the previous yearGoogle Scholar

⁹¹ I cajòn =50 quittales.

⁹² AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Lerena, , 24 07 1791.Google Scholar

⁹³ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘ Carta anònima en defensa de mineros Contra mineralogistas’, Guanuchiri, , 3 12. 1790.Google Scholar

⁹⁴ Helms, , op. cit., p. 96.Google Scholar

⁹⁵ Ibid. p. 74.

⁹⁶ Ibid. p. 90.

⁹⁷ Ibid. p. 89.

⁹⁸ Helms, , op.cit., pp. 70–2.Google Scholar

⁹⁹ According to Caūete, op. cit., p. 59, and Helms, , p. 71, paco ores, matt in aspect, generally yellowish, but also of various other colours and consistencies, were usually subjected to the process of amalgamation. The harder, generally black and metallic negrillos were more frequently smelted. Mulatos are described as ‘ something between pacos and negrillos ’Mercuno Peruano, ‘Suplemento a los Mercurios de Enero (1791), Diccionario dc algunas voces técnicas de mineralogía …’, p. 8. citation.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁰ Helms, , op. cit., p. 71.Google Scholar

¹⁰¹ Ibid. p. 70.

¹⁰² The bcncficiador, subordinate to the azoguero, was employed to supervise the amalgamation process. See below, pp. 37–8.

¹⁰³ Helms, , op. cit., p. 77.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁴ Ibid. p. 78.

¹⁰⁵ According to the chemists consulted, Helms's diagnosis was wrong. There still appears to be some doubt as to the exact nature and sequence of the Spanish amalgamation process. Mellor, J. W., A Comprehensiuc Treatise on Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry (r6 vols., London, 1922–1937), iii, p. 304,Google Scholar gives the following tentative explanation of the reactions involved: ‘It is probable that cupric chloride is first formed: 2NaCI+CuSO₄=Na₂SO4+ CuCI₂, and this reacts with the silver sulphidc, forming cuprous and silver chlorides: CuCI₂ + Ag₂S = 2AgCl + CuS; CuCL₂ + CuS = 2CuCI + S; 2CuCI + Ag₂S = 2AGCI + Cu₂S. The complex sulphides arc likewise decomposed: 2Ag₃SbS₃+3CuCI2=6AgCI+3CuS+ Sb₂S₃, and similarly with the arsenic compound Ag₃AsS₃. Ferric chloride also reacts with the silver sulphide: 2FeCI₃+Ag₂S=S+2AgCI+2FeC12. The silver chloride dissolves in the brine, and it is then immediately reduced and dissolved by the mercury: AgCI + Hg = Ag+ HgCl.’ See also Bargallò, M., La inineria y la nsctalurgia en la América espaiiola durante la época colonial (Mexico, 1955), P. 194Google Scholar

¹⁰⁶ Helms, , op. cit., p. 81.Google Scholar

¹⁰⁷ Ibid.. pp. 92–4.

¹⁰⁸ Ibid.. p. 95.

¹⁰⁹ Where the Indian workers were concerned, Sanz was not exactly noted for excessive humanity.

¹¹⁰ RAH, , Mata Linares 10, Weber to Arredondo, 25 09 1792.Google Scholar

¹¹¹ AGI, , Charcas 700, Sanz to Gardoquí, 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹¹² See AGI, , Charcas 439, Sanz to Loreto, 16 02 1789.Google Scholar

¹¹³ See AGI, , Charcas 700, Nordenflicht to Valdés, 1 08 1790.Google Scholar

¹¹⁴ AGN, , Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5591, ‘Carta Primera’, 16 12 1790.Google Scholar

¹¹⁵ AGN, , Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5591, ‘Carta escrita por un mincro a un amigo suyo del mismo benefico…’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹¹⁶ See above, p. 15.

¹¹⁷ See AGN, , Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 5591, ‘Carta Primera…’, 16 12 1790.Google Scholar

¹¹⁸ AGI, , Charcas 439, Sanz to Loreto, 16 03 1789.Google Scholar

¹¹⁹ On the rivalry between Sanz and Loreto, see Lynch, , op. cit., pp. 95–107.Google Scholar

¹²⁰ AGI, Buenos Aires 77, Loreto to Sanz, 34 04 1789.Google Scholar

¹²¹ AGI, Charcas 700, Arredondo to Valdés, 28 01 1790.Google Scholar

¹²² Ibid.. Nordenflicht to Valdés, 28 08 1790.

¹²³ Arredondo, along with his successor Pedro Melo de Portugal, was accused by Victorián de Villava of uncommon solidarity with the Intendant of Potosí. See RAH, Mata Linares 40, Vista Fiscal, 17 06 1797.Google Scholar

¹²⁴ See AGI, Buenos Aires 78, Arredondo to Valdés, 23 04 1790Google Scholar, and Ibid.. the same to the same, 29 July 1790. The increase was to be achieved through greater production resulting from more efficient amalgamation.

¹²⁵ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz to Valdés, 30 07 1790, and Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 213, 17 01 1793, ‘ Historia del Descubrimiento dcl Cerro de Potosí, pp. 46–7.Google Scholar

¹²⁶ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz to Valdés, 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹²⁷ Sec AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362,Google Scholar No. 6344, ‘Carta anònima de mineros contra mineralogistas’, Guarochiri, 3 12 1791.

¹²⁸ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz to Valdés, 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹²⁹ AGI, Buenos Aires 78, Arredondo to Valdés, 20 05 1790.Google Scholar

¹³⁰ Ibid.. Arredondo to Lerena, 30 09 1790.

¹³¹ AGI, Buenos Aires 121, R.O., Lerena to Arredondo, Aranjuez, 3 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹³² Valdés to Arredondo, 9 Feb. 5790, cited in AGI, Buenos Aires 78, Arredondo to Valdés. 23 June 1790 and Buenos Aires 109, the same to the same, 29 June 1790.

¹³³ AGI, Buenos Aires 121, R.O. of 3 06 1791.Google Scholar

¹³⁴ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita por un minero…’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹³⁵ Helms, , op. cit., p. 84.Google Scholar

¹³⁶ See AGI, Lima 1360, Dictamen de la Junta, Lima, 8 12 1807.Google Scholar

¹³⁷ See AGI, Lima 1353, Gil to Lerena, Lima, 26 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹³⁸ See AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita por un minero …’ Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹³⁹ See Helms, , op. cit., p. 119.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁰ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita por un minero…’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹⁴¹ See AGI,Google Scholar Pianos, Secciòn Minas, No. 27, Diagram of the Barrel-machine, , and Born, , Uber das An quicken der gold- und silberhaltigen Erze, Rohsteine, Schwarzkupfer and Höttensteinc (Vienna, 1786), Tables XX and XXI, which show diagrams of the machine proper and of the individual barrels.Google Scholar

¹⁴² See AGI, Buenos Aires 77, Sanz to Croix, it June 1789, and Mercurio Peruano, No. 94, 27 11 1791, ‘Carta de Don Juan Daniel Weber … en respuesta a las del Pseudo Serrano …’, p. 226.Google Scholar

¹⁴³ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita par un mincro …’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁴ See Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 94, 27 11 1791, ‘Carta de Don Juan Weber…’, p. 226.

¹⁴⁵ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carla eserita por un minero…’, Choquclimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁶ Ibid..

¹⁴⁷ RAH, Mata Linares 69, Nordenflicht to Croix, 15 01 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁸ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita par un minero…’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.Google Scholar

¹⁴⁹ On this laboratory, see below, pp. 37−8.

¹⁵⁰ AGI, Charcas 439, Sanz, to Valdés, , 16 03 1789.Google Scholar

¹⁵¹ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Valdés, , 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁵² Ibid..

¹⁵³ The machine constructed by Helms had also broken down.

¹⁵⁴ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Valdés, , 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁵⁵ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Valdés, , 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁵⁶ See Mercurio Peruano, Nos. 216–17, 27 01 1793, ‘Copia del Expediente Jurídico sobrc los barriles amalgamatorios de Potosi’, pp. 66–81.

¹⁵⁷ See above, p. 25.

¹⁵⁸ 75 quintals were processed in the beginning, this quantity was reduced to 621/2 quintals as one barrel broke down. Finally only four barrels, together holding the equivalent of one cajòn, were employed.

¹⁵⁹ The grade given in beneficios 1–10 is much higher than that indicated for one cajòn by the ensayc menor, but the grade shown by the ensaye was not always reached in the subsequent twenty beneficios.

¹⁶⁰ The slightly different figures given for the buitròn in AGI, Charcas 700, ‘Estado que demuestra la ventaja del nuevo beneficio…, Tomás Erquicia, 3 July 1790, do add up correctly. The figures given for the barrel machine coincide with those of the expediente jaridico.

¹⁶¹ With only two exceptions the ensaye menor indicated a silver content of either 6 marks 2 ounces or 3 marks 1 ounce, a strange uniformity considering the diversity of the ores processed.

¹⁶² See Mercurio Peruano, No. 216, 27 07 1793, ‘Copia del expediente jurídico’, Beneficio, No. 10, p. 71.

¹⁶³ In the last ten beneficios the mercury consumption was given as exactly 1 pound 51/2 ounces, again a strange uniformity.

¹⁶⁴ See AGN, Hacienda 76, 1795, 9–33, Exp. 2015, Arredondo to Lerena, 30 Sept. 1790. Arredondo contemplated increasing the quantities of mercury sent to Potosf immediately.Google Scholar

¹⁶⁵ Helms, , op. cit., p. 72.Google Scholar

¹⁶⁶ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5591, ‘Carta primera …’, 16 12 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁶⁷ See AGI, Charcas 700, experiments undertaken on 1 July 1790 following the Conde's announcement that his machine was ready for testing (Conde to Sanz, 28 June 1790) and an Auto (30 June 1790) ordering public experiments.

¹⁶⁸ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339. No. 5591, ‘Carta primera …’, 16 Dec. 1790.

¹⁶⁹ Helms, , op. cit., p. 83.Google Scholar

¹⁷⁰ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqui, , 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁷¹ Sanz claimed that the miners had intentionally supplied poor and inadequately ground ore.

¹⁷² AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqul, , 24 12 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁷³ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqu, , 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁷⁴ Ibid..

¹⁷⁵ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5592, ‘Carta Segunda de un Mercader…’, 31 08 1791.Google Scholar

¹⁷⁶ AGE, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqul, , 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁷⁷ Ibid.

¹⁷⁸ See CNM, Real Banco de San Carlos, 1793, Petition of Orueta and Jáuregui, no date (1792).Google Scholar

¹⁷⁹ See Mercurio Peruano, No. 49, 19 06 1791, ‘Beneficio de Metales en Potosí, letter of Francisco Rufia, Cantumarca, 54 05 1791, p. 126.

¹⁸⁰ Ibid..

¹⁸¹ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqu, , 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁸² Ibid..

¹⁸³ The results of these experiments were published in the Mercurio Peruano one month later (No. 49, 19 June 1791). Twelve rather than six days appear to have been involved.

¹⁸⁴ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqul, , 24 10 1792, and RAH, Mata Linares so, Weber to Arredondo, 25 09 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁸⁵ It should be remembered that Nordenflicht had promised an increase of 200 percent in the amount of silver produced.

¹⁸⁶ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Gardoqul, , 24 10 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁸⁷ See Mercurio Peruano, No. 63, 11 08 1791, Nuevos Beneficios de Metales en las Méquinas de Potosí, pp. 272–5, and RAH, Mata Linares io, Weber to Arredondo, 25 09 1792. and RAH, Mata Linares io, Weber, to Arredondo, , 25 09 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁸⁸ Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 23, 20 03 1791, Rufia to the Archbishop of Lima, 15 02 1791, p. 219.

¹⁸⁹ Ibid.. ‘Adiciones de la Sociedad’, p. 220.

¹⁹⁰ The editors refer to it thus in their first number of a Jan. 1791.

¹⁹¹ Mercurio Peruano, No. 23, 20 03 1791, ‘Adiciones de la Sociedad’, p. 220.

¹⁹² Ibid..

¹⁹³ Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 63, 11 08 1791, ‘Nuevos Beneficios en las Méquinas de Potosi’, p. 267.

¹⁹⁴ Helms, , op. cit., p. 83.Google Scholar

¹⁹⁵ AGI, , Charcas 700, Arredondo, to Gardoqul, , 6 12 1792.Google Scholar

¹⁹⁶ Ibid..

¹⁹⁷ Mcrcurio Peruano, No. 23, 20 03 5791, ‘ Adiciones de Ia Sociedad’, p. 220.

¹⁹⁸ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz, to Valdés, , 30 07 1790.Google Scholar

¹⁹⁹ Helms, , op. cit., p. 97.Google Scholar

²⁰⁰ Barba, A. Alonso, Arte dc los Metaics (Madrid, 1640), f. 38v.Google Scholar

²⁰¹ Helms, , op. Cit., p. 91.Google Scholar

²⁰² Ibid.. and RAH, Mata Linares so, Weber to Arredondo, 25 09 1792.Google Scholar

²⁰³ Helms, , op. Cit., p. 96.Google Scholar

²⁰⁴ Helms, , op. Cit., pp. 84–5.Google Scholar

²⁰⁵ Ibid.. p. 86.

²⁰⁶ Ibid..

²⁰⁷ See Mcrcurio Pcruano, No. 96, 4 12 1791, ‘Carta de Don Juan Daniel Weber (contcont.)’, p. 243.

²⁰⁸ AGI, Charcas 700, Sanz to Valdés, 30 J July 1790.

²⁰⁹ Mercurio Peruano, No. 96, 4 dec. 2791, Carta de Don Juan Daniel Weber (cont.), p. 243.

²¹⁰ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5592, “ “ Carta segunda…’, 31 Aug. 1791.

²¹¹ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, ‘Carta anònima de mineros contra mineralogistas …, Guanuchiri, 3 12 1791.Google Scholar

²¹² AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 339, No. 5591, ‘Carta primera…’, 16 12 1790.Google Scholar

²¹³ Ibid..

²¹⁴ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6343, ‘Diario lievado en Ia Villa de Potosí de Los ensayes hechos por el Baròn de Nordenflicht…’, Tarapaya,4 02 1790.Google Scholar

²¹⁵ Ibid.. No. 6344, ‘Carta escrita por un minero…’, Choquelimpe, 10 07 1791.

²¹⁶ Ibid.. ‘Carta anónima de mineros contra mineralogistas…, Guarochiri, 3 12 1791.

²¹⁷ Ibid.

²¹⁸ Ibid.

²¹⁹ See Diario de Linia, Nos. 311 (7 08 1791), 315 (1, 08 1791), 358 (14 08 1791) and especially Nos. 322 (18 08 1791) and 334 (30 08 1791) containing various letters and the ‘ Reflexioncs del Buen Serrano sobre el Contenido del Mercurio No. 63'.

²²⁰ AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6344, Carta anònima de mineros contra mineralogistas…’, Guanuchiri, 3 12 1791.Google Scholar

²²¹ Helms, , op. cit., p. 252.Google Scholar

²²² Reproduced in André, op. cit., p. 294.

²²³ In Mexico the Germans were more successful. As it gives the Spaniards their full due, Sonneschmid's, F. T.Bcschreibung der Spanischen Amalgamation (Gotha, 1810) is a masterpiece of tact and diplomacy. It was acknowledged to be accurate and useful by the Mexican miners.Google Scholar

²²⁴ Helms, , op. cit., p. 57.Google Scholar

²²⁵ Ibid..

²²⁶ Ibid.. pp. 117–18.

²²⁷ Ibid.. p. 17.

²²⁸ AGI, Lima 2356, Olier, to Crown, , Buenos Aires, 26 10 1792.Google Scholar

²²⁹ See André, , op. cit., p. 301.Google Scholar

²³⁰ See AGI, Charcas 439, Sanz to Croix, 15 02 1789.Google Scholar

²³¹ See AGN, Biblioteca Nacional 362, No. 6343, ‘Diario llevado en la Villa de Potosí. Tarapaya, 4 02 1790.Google Scholar

²³² AGI, Lima 2360, Avilés to the Ministro de Real Hacienda, 8 03 1805.Google Scholar

²³³ Witness the lack of realism displayed in Nordenflicht's ‘ Tratado: Del arreglo y reforma que conviene introducir en la Minerífa del Reyno del Perú…’ published in Rcuista de la Biblioteca Nacional, xiv (1940), pp. 319–429.

²³⁴ Nordenflicht was to dwell on this point long after Stanislav Poniatovsky had abdicated and the Poland he knew had ceased to exist.

²³⁵ See André, , op. Cit., p. 306.Google Scholar

²³⁶ AGI, Indiferente General 1798, Elhuyar to Gàlvez, 20 04 1787.Google Scholar

²³⁷ See ‘ Des Herrn Johann Daniel Webers Gutachten öber die in Niederungarn eingeleitete Anquickung der Silbererze’ in Congress, of Glashötte, , op. cit., p. 127.Google Scholar

²³⁸ See RAH, Mata Linares 10,Google ScholarWeber, to Arredondo, , 25 09 1792,Google Scholar and Mercurio Peruano, Nos. 94, 27 11 1791, pp. 217–29, and 95, 1 12 1791, pp. 235–9, ‘Carta de Don Juan Daniel Weber …. en respuesta a las del Pseudo Serrano…’

²³⁹ Because he criticized Pedro Vicente Caūete's cherished Còdigo Carolino de las Minas de Potosí…, comparing them unfavourably with the mining code of New Spain (RAH, Mata Linares 10, Weber, to Arredondo, , 25 09 1792),Google Scholar Weber aroused the enmity of the assessor, who did his best to procure the dismissal of the German from his functions in Potosf. (See AGI, Buenos Aires 441, Cañete, to Soler, , 26 06 1803)Google Scholar This was not apparently achieved until 1811, when the revolutionary government contested Weber's rights to draw his salary. (See CNM, Junta Gubernativa, 1811, Intendant to the Junta Gubcrnativa, 27 02 1811.) The adit was discontinued.Google Scholar

²⁴⁰ AGI, Indiferente General 1798, Elhuyar, to Gélvcz, , 25 06 1787.Google Scholar

²⁴¹ These mines were situated in the Asiento de Aullagas in the Partido of Chayanta.

²⁴² CNM, Gobierno, 1792–1804, ‘Expediente de la Obra del Socavòn de San Bartolomé…’ Proyecto, Weber, 11 12 1792.Google Scholar

²⁴³ Ordenanzas del Perù (Lima, 1752), Ord. 18, Tit. 3, Libro III.

²⁴⁴ CNM, Gobierno, 1792–0804, Proyecto, Weber, 11 12 1792.Google Scholar

²⁴⁵ Ibid..

²⁴⁶ Ibid..

²⁴⁷ Ibid..

²⁴⁸ Ibid. ‘Testimonio del Expediente sobre los reconocimientos de los desagues de las vetas…’Petition, José Antonio de Amaral to the Alcalde Ordinario, no date (1804).

²⁴⁹ CNM, Real Banco San Carlos, 1806, Weber to Sanz, no date (1806).Google Scholar

²⁵⁰ CNM, Real Banco San Carlos, 1811, Petition of Francisco Lleras Manjòn, no date (04, 1811).Google Scholar

²⁵¹ See Ibid..

²⁵² Their term of Contract ended in 1797.

²⁵³ AGIIndiferente General 2799, Medical Certificate, 11 1792.Google Scholar

²⁵⁴ Ibid.. Decree of Gil, 21 11 1792.

²⁵⁵ Ibid.. Helms to Gil, 4 11 1792.

²⁵⁶ Helms, , op. cit., p. 253.Google Scholar