ived from New Spain, as this country
was then called. Silver constituted the bulk of this $18,000,000, both
in weight and in value. During the last fifty years of Spanish
dominion, this commerce, extended, as we have said, to all Spanish
possessions, was monopolized by a company of merchants styled the
Consulado of Vera Cruz. Under the management of this company it
averaged as high as $22,000,000. The revolution broke up this monopoly,
and almost annihilated the commerce of this port, but it rapidly
revived after the Spaniards were driven out of the castle, and from
this time it has gone on increasing, until now it amounts to
$26,000,000; the imports and exports being equal, as there is now no
King's revenue. This commerce is now carried on principally with the
United States, since the establishment of a line of steamers to New
Orleans. The most important article of importation is raw cotton, for
the supply of the great manufactories in the interior of Mexico. The
silver goes principally to England, and is drawn again in favor of the
cotton purchaser. There is also a large import trade in agricultural
implements, steam-machinery for the sugar-mills and the silver mines,
besides heavy importation of silks and wines from France and Spain.
With this hasty notice we are compelled to quit a subject which is the
theme of a most interesting volume.

A NORTHER.

The first time I saw Vera Cruz was during the great Norther of 1852. I
was then returning homeward from the city of Mexico. A fierce Norther
was blowing, and the harbor was filled with shipping that could not
bear up against such a tornado. I stood among the anxious multitude,
watching the symptoms of the rising storm. We looked intently at the
heavens as they gathered blackness, and saw far off toward the horizon
the clouds and the waves mingling together into one great vaporous
mass. Now and then we were tantalized by brief intervals of bright
skies; but they were again quickly overcast and shrouded in by more
intense darkness, while the temperature fell to a degree of chilliness
unusual in this latitude. The howling of the wind was terrific. Where
we stood we were near enough to see, or at least to catch glimpses of
what was taking place on board the shipping. All extra anchors that
could be got out were soon thrown into the sea. But to little purpose;
for a coral bottom is but a poor holding-ground in a Norther. One after
another the vessels began to drag toward