Page 245 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

218 P. Fournier and R. Junco Sanchez

The hugely lucrative Manila Galleon trade carried quantities of silver from
Mexico and Peru westward to Manila where Chinese traders brought silk, spices,
ivory, lacquerware, and porcelain, among other things, for exchange in a trade
controlled by Spain from about 1582 when Acapulco was of!cially designated as
the port of entry for the Galleon, until 1810 (Schurz 1939; Fournier 2014: 558),
although the viceroyalty of Peru was involved in this trade until 1604, when the
Crown revoked its trade privileges (Suárez 2015: 103; Schurz 1918: 391). Only two
ports in Mexico were initially open to foreign trade, other than with Spain, the port
of Acapulco on the west and Veracruz on the east. The Manila Galleon transported
300–560 ton of Asian goods, with a value originally limited to 250,000 pesos but
that eventually was up to 500,000 pesos—however, shipping in excess was a
common practice, and two cases dating to the eighteenth century illustrate that
norms were seldom respected, since these galleons transported up to 2000 ton;
Asian goods were offloaded at Acapulco and crossed overland through Mexico City
on their way to the port of Veracruz where the so-called Spanish treasure ships
carried trade goods as well as more quantities of silver to Spain, including cochineal
—a dyestuff highly prized in Europe, and tanned hides. One of the other valuable
commodities sent back to Spain was Chinese porcelain, represented by tableware
and ornamental objects (Castellanos Escudier 2007: 90; Cushner 1960: 546, 548;
Pleguezuelo 2003: 140).
Trade through the Galleon contributed to the accumulation of capital among
New Spain merchants. The distribution of precious metals was made from the
capital of the viceroyalty as the heart of all commercial transactions, where the most
affluent people of the colony lived. Urban and rural differences were marked by
access to imported and local consumer goods, and both silver and gold were used to
promote the constitution of a colonial aristocracy in the cities, that is to say of
individuals who longed to have luxury goods and elegant objects that they incor-
porated into their daily lives, including ceramics that were used in dining rooms and
other chambers or spaces of their homes, and which ostentatiously displayed in
public to show their privileged social standing as symbols of status (Henry 1991:
10). In some cases, pieces of Chinese porcelain were purchased for display as
prized possessions, which were seldom used as tableware or food containers, and
instead were shown in display showcases or shelves in the residences of the elite
(Pierson 2012: 18; Prieto 1976: 198).
While the Manila Galleon trade continued, politics were changing in Spain. The
death of Charles II without progeny led to the Bourbon takeover of the throne.
Philip V had grown up in France, and the ascent did have the effect of opening up
Spanish trade to France, at least, among European countries (Lockhart and
Schwartz 1983: 363, 362–368). In 1765, Charles III abolished the trade monopoly
and different ports in Spain and the New World were allowed to take part in
commercial activities abroad. From 1776 to 1785 warships were involved in direct
trade between Spain via Cadiz and Manila, in 1778 the king signed the free trade
regulation, by 1785 the Royal Company of Philippines had the commercial
monopoly sailing from Spain via the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn to Manila,