I ffiall not particularize the various improvements that:
have taken place of late years ; however the new regur
lations and exteniion o f commerce with their American!
colonies, are worthy o f notice* particularly the open andt
free trade with each other granted in-1764, to the provinces
of Peru* New Spain, Guatimala, and kingdom o f
Granada, in America. In order to render this1 plan;
more compleat, and'facilitate the intercourfe-with Europe,
eight packet boats for conveying letters were-
built at Coruna, one to- fail the; firft day. of: every
month, with a mail for the Havana. Accordingly'the
firft packet named the- C o r te sfailed for the Havana the
1 ft o f November, 1764- Five packet boats were efta*
bliihedf to fail from; the Havana to Vera- Gruz, from
whence a poft road was made as far as Mexico, with its
neceifary branches, and communications, with the different
provinces ;- fo that letters, come every month from
thofe diftant places-, and often fooner, than from-. European
courts. AtPorto Rico, four galliots were eftablifhed
for the correfpondence o f Terra Firma, and Peru* receiving
the letters brought by the Coruna packet boats, and'
bringing back the anfwers, by which means they receive.-
letters from,Carthagena, and Santa Fe, as quickly as byflag,
wolf, and wild boar, which fport was the .delight of Spanifli princes, while they diire-?
garded the beails o f the chace, fucb as the .buck, Jox, marten, and hare.. His prefent Catholic
majefly takes, great pleafure in. ihooting wolves and wild cats.
the.
the Havana. Two galliots were likewife ftationed at
Carthagena, for the correfpondence between Porto Bello
and Panama. To extend this advantage further
to the fouthward, fix packet boats were appointed in
1767, to fail from Coruna to the river o f Plate, and
Gity of Buenos Ayres, from whence fix expreifes were
to proceed annually with the letters for Peru and Chili,
and other provinces o f thofe extenfive dominions ; all
which has been conducted with fo much aâivity and
fpirit, that communications have been opened over the
famous Cordillera o f Chili, between that kingdom and
Peru, and a regular poll for letters kept up, in the-
moft remote jurifdi&ions ; where, befpre that period,
even the very idea, or name o f a poft-office was unknown.
For the conducing of which, the general
poft-office have 25 veflels ; viz. 14 from the Coruna to
the Havana, Montevideo and Buenos Ayres ; 5 from
the Havana to Vera Cruz ; 4 from Porto. Rico to Carthagena;
and 2 fr-pm Carthagena to Porto Bello.
The Royal .cabinet o f natural hiftory, at Madrid, was
opened to the public by his majefty’s orders in 1775; a
handfome houfe having been purchafed, o f which the
firft floor was appropriated for the royal academy o f San
Fernando, and the fécond for the purpofe o f receiving
an ample colledion of natural curiofities, which had
h m H been