by them in the election, by a majority of votes; they also having the power to remove him at pleasure, and without being obliged to assign any reason for such removal.

SECTION IV.

Such factor either may be paid by a per centage on the property of the bank, or by a fixed salary, or in both these ways, as may be deemed expedient by the Royal Tribunal, according to circumstances; but he must give bail and such securities for his conduct, as shall be satisfactory in the opinion of the chiefs of that Tribunal.

SECTION V.

The gross amount of the capital of the bank, which shall be in money, or in gold and silver bullion, shall be preserved in chests, of which there shall be four keys, which shall be in the possession and keeping of four of the principal persons belonging at the time to the Royal Tribunal; but the goods and merchandize for the supplies of the mines, and such part of the capital as shall be necessary for the current business and operations, shall be in the possession and at the disposal of the said factor, he and the said persons above-mentioned, being respectively responsible for what may be entrusted to his and their care.

SECTION VI.

The Royal Tribunal General of Miners shall cause to be made out in the factory every year, in the month of December, an account of the contents of the warehouses and stores, and a cash account and balance; two of the said principal persons of the Tribunal assisting at such operations; and moreover, they shall take the accounts of the factor without prejudice to their right of inspectisg the said accounts at other times, whenever they shall think it proper and prudent to do so.

SECTION VII.

The Royal Tribunal shall keep an account and correspondence with the Mine-owners, who have their supplies by contract from the bank, and shall receive and reply to their letters, and give the necessary orders to the factor for these purposes.

SECTION VIII.

For carrying on the business of the factory there shall be such writing clerks engaged as the factor shall think proper, he having the power of proposing them; but they are to be appointed, and their salaries are to be fixed, by the Royal Tribunal, and they are to be paid by the bank; and the factor is to have the power of diminishing them, on giving verbal notice thereof to the Royal Tribunal.

SECTION IX.

The factor shall receive all silver which is remitted by Mine-owners contracting for their supplies with the bank, and shall exchange it for coined money at the mint in Mexico, paying in the first instance into the principal treasury all duties on the metals which may not have been paid in the provin cial treasuries; with this understanding, however, that, before it is remitted to Mexico, the said mine-owners shall make declaration at the treasuries, or marking offices, in their respective districts, of the quantity of silver intended. to be remitted without paying the duties on metals, and shall take out the proper permits for its removal, under an obligation to make a return afterwards to the said treasuries, shewing that the said duties have been paid, so that all frauds may be avoided, and the necessary quicksilver properly purified, under the penalty of confiscation of all that shall be sent in any other manner, and of incurring the punishments imposed by law upon defrauders of my Royal rights; and the officers in the districts shall give notice to those in Mexico, in order that the latter may take care that the provisions of this present Section be complied with.

SECTION X.

The said factor shall pay the interest (réditos) on the capital received at the bank, the salaries of persons employed, and all other sums whatsoever, upon warrants from the Royal Tribunal, by means of which, and the corresponding receipts, he shall make out and justify his accounts; but for the purpose of remitting supplies, whether in money or in effects, to persons with whom an account current is kept, no particular warrants shall be necessary, but it shall be sufficient for him to act under the general orders of the said Tribunal, given conformable to Section VIII. of this present Chapter, as to whatsoever shall be at his disposal, according to Section VI. of the same.

SECTION XI.

It shall be the duty of the factor to buy the goods and merchandize necessary for the supplies of the mines, according to the best of his judgment, and agreeable to the orders of the Royal Tribunal, entering them in a separate book, and preserving the invoices.

SECTION XII.

All goods delivered on account of the bank in the way of supplies to Mineowners, must be of the best quality; and when in Mexico, at the current prices of Mexico; and when in mining districts, at the current prices in those districts, if the bank shall have a warehouse or magazine in the same, or the goods be carried thither on account of the bank.

SECTION XIII.

To qualify all proposals or demands relating to the supply of mines, the Royal Tribunal shall require the owners to produce their titles of property and possession, and such certificates, informations, and further proofs, as may be necessary to establish whatever they may have asserted concerning the actual state and condition of the mine; in order that, after the papers have been properly examined by the assessor, the required credit may be given, if the proposals appear to be fair and well founded; in which cases the Royal Tribunal is to make all necessary enquiries, both officially and secretly, with the greatest prudence and circumspection; taking, or causing to be taken, such measures, judicial or extra-judicial, as shall appear to them necessary for regulating their conduct with regard to such supplies; and all these documents are to be kept in their archives.

SECTION XIV.

During the time that the funds of the bank shall be sufficient to furnish all the mines for which there shall appear to be a fair and well-grounded claim to be supplied, the claims of those Mine-owners shall be first attended to, who are most in want thereof, witho it any distinction of persons, and without any preference being shewn, except on the score of the necessity and urgency of the case, the Royal Tribunal in such cases acting with that justice and impartiality which ought to be observed in all their transactions.

SECTION XV.

When the claim is thus ascertained to be proper and admissible, the terms and conditions, under which the supplies are to be furnished, shall be settled with the Mine-owner, and before the contract is concluded, it shall be laid before the Royal Tribunal, conformably to the provisions of Chapter XV. of these Ordinances; the great bank of supplies not enjoying any privileges to the prejudice of other banks, or of individuals who supply mines; and afterwards the contract, thus approved of, shall be executed in writing before the clerk of the Tribunal, and orders shall be given for furnishing the supplies accordingly.

SECTION XVI.

In mines which are thus supplied by the bank, Interventors shall be ap pointed, who shall be trust-worthy persons, of good character; and they shall, jointly with the Mine-owner, receive and keep, the money and goods supplied by the bank, in cellars and chests, whereof there shall be two keys; they shall apply them in a manner they think best, and they shall be present at the payment of the wages, shall sign the accounts, shall watch and inspect the workmen as they go into and out of the mines, and also the metals that

are taken thereout, and shall be present at the reduction of the metal from the ore; and, in short, shall concern themselves in all that is done in the name of the bank, agreeable to the instructions given them, until the time when the supplies shall have been repaid.

SECTION XVII.

The Interventors shall not oppose any arrangements that are made by the Mine-owner or administrator, in regard to the economy and management of the labour, or any works which may have been determined on in the mine; provided, however, that in cases where considerable expence must be incurred, the Royal Tribunal shall first of all be consulted.

SECTION XVIII.

The interventors shall not interfere in the appointment of persons employed in a subaltern situation in the mines, but they may observe the conduct of such persons, in order to represent to the Mine-owner any thing which they may think requires amendment; and if the same be not amended, they shall inform the Royal Tribunal thereof, in order that this latter body may make provisions for its amendment, and may do all in its power to keep the Interventor and the Mine-owner upon good terms, acting in concert together, and uniting their services towards the advancement of the operations.

SECTION XIX.

The Interventors shall be paid weekly the salaries that are allowed them, on account of supplies; and when these shall have been repaid, their services shall be rewarded in proportion to the benefit which the bankers receive from them, and to the time and labour which they devoted to the cause, and their good conduct: but if, on the contrary, any fraud, concealment, or other improper practice shall appear on their part, whether to the prejudice of the bank, or to the Mine-owner, they shall be severely punished in proportion to their offences, by the proper judge, according to the provisions of Chapter III. of these Ordinances.

SECTION XX.

In case of any competition arising between any individual and the said bank, as to the supplying of a mine, I declare that the individual contractor shall have the preference, provided, that the proposed terms of supplying the mine, are the same in both cases; and in order that the said bank may not throw any impediments in the way of a free supply of the mines, I declare also, that this kind of business shall continue to subsist as before, the bank having no other object but to remedy the scarcity of supplies, and to promote as much as possible, the flourishing condition of the mines.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF SURVEYORS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE MINES, AND THE REDUCTION OF THE METALS FROM ORE.

SECTION I.

In order that the mines may be worked with stability and good effect, and that the full attainment of riches they contain may be accomplished, it is desirable that their operations should be directed by persons well acquainted with the principles and rules of the natural and practical sciences, and arts connected therewith, and who understand the best means of applying such knowledge, in consequence of their own experience; for which purpose, and in order that Mine-owners may not be misled in the appointment of persons whom they shall take into their employment, accounting perhaps some persons to be well informed who may only possess a superficial knowledge, or choosing others who may be no otherwise qualified than by having resided a certain time in the mining Districts, without possessing either judgment or science, and without any claim but the recommendation of their friends; and observ ing how much difficulty there is in correcting such errors, be they voluntary or involuntary, all which leads the Mine-owner into placing a blind and dangerous confidence upon important points, in persons unworthy of such confidence, and has occasioned them very serious losses; in order to guard against these evils, and that the surveyors may be worthy of public confidence in all things connected with their art, 1 ordain and command that in every mining district there shall be one or more intelligent persons, who are well instructed and particularly acquainted with geography, subterraneous architectures, and hydraulics, and also, with mechanics, and the arts of carpenters, smiths, and masons, as far as such arts are necessary in the operations of mines, which persons are to be called Mining Professors; and also other persons well skilled in the science of minerals, commonly called mineralogy, and in the modes of extracting metals from ore, and reducing them to a state fit for use, commonly called metallurgy, which persons are to be called Surveyors of reduction; (Peritos Beneficialos); and these latter, as well as the former, are to be examined, approved, and appointed by the Royal Tribunal General of Miners, and without such qualification they shall not be entitled to any credit, in causes which may arise, or otherwise, but shall be considered as intruders, and shall be excluded and fined whenever they shall interfere in any thing which relates to the surveyorship of mines, although they may

*Literally, practical Surveyors, (Peritos Facultatioos), but I have used the expression Mining Professor, as most consistent with the duties assigned to them,