226 A HISTORY OF CHILE In the last year of Prieto's administration Chile had become an attractive market for European wares. Dur- ing the month of January, 1840, alone, seventy foreign vessels entered Valparaiso with goods. Prices in con- sequence declined. American flour, sugar, domestics, English goods of all kinds, declined in price to nearly home cost. The market was soon overstocked, a ben- efit to the Chilean consumers, though a matter of much complaint among the foreign merchants and tradesmen. The president's message to congress on July 26th, 1840, gave the revenues of Chile for the closing j'ear at ^2,289,108, expenditures Ji, 700,000. This was a good showing for the finances, and ^200,000 was remit- ted to London to pay interest on foreign bonds. New customhouses were erected at Valparaiso during the year at a cost of Jioo,ooo,
