insignificant. The total yield of the precious metals between 1537 and 1880 has been valued, according to a very low estimate, at about £600,000,000. The weight of this huge mass of bullion, if the bars were piled together, would reach nearly 90,000 tons, and would require a hundred large vessels for its transportation to Europe. Thus we may gain some idea of the enormous wealth which has been gathered in Mexico, and which, stated merely as so much coin, is almost beyond the grasp of comprehension. Modern Mexico produces more than 5 per cent, of the world's gold, 30 per cent, of its silver, 7 per cent, of its copper, and 12 per cent, of its lead. In 1912-13 the output of gold was valued at about £8,000,000, and that of silver about £16,000,000, and this when work at many of the mines and smelting furnaces had been suspended owing to the Revolution. In the Central and Southern provinces, however, labour was for the most part undisturbed; and the three great mining camps of Pachuca, El Oro, and Guanajuato had a normal output.
In the Northern provinces, the storm-centre of the Revolution, operations were practically abandoned for a time. Fuel gave out, and smelting became impossible. Shipping, too, was out of the question, and ore had to be stocked. The destruction of mining property was considerable. The rebels raided camps in Jalisco during 1913, and discoveries of high-grade ore in that State were followed by fresh incursions and had to be temporarily abandoned. Labour, too, was scarce and machinery could not be imported.
Prior to the Revolution, Mexico was rapidly gaining a place among the manufacturing countries of the world. Indeed, it was prophesied by Manufacturing
Mexico. competent observers that the time was not far distant when she would be able to manufacture almost every-thing she required within her own borders. To some extent, this condition of things was due to native enterprise; but the majority of manufacturing concerns were in the hands of American and German firms, and were practically branches
