Memoirs Of The War In Spain, From 1808 To 1814. — Vol. II by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782890348
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Wagram Press
Published: 2013-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XVIII.— STATISTICAL DETAILS RESPECTING THE KINGDOM OF VALENCIA

Statistical details respecting the kingdom of Valencia.—Organization of the country by the Marshal.—Ordinary contribution.—war contribution.—Tranquillity of the country.—Convocation of a Junta at Valencia.

THE kingdom of Valencia is one of the smallest provinces of Spain. Its superficial extent is about eight hundred and thirty-eight square leagues. Two thirds of this space are occupied by mountains of very great height, peaked rocks, and wild torrents of difficult access: and immense sands and swampy tracts dispute the remainder with agriculture. But these rocks and these mountains are the reservoirs of several rivers which fertilize the country; and the torrents themselves, mastered in their course by man, serve to impart to inert lands the benefits of irrigation. Here a brave and industrious race formerly displayed, with such success, its practical knowledge in the first of arts. Colonies of palm-trees, transplanted from the coasts of Africa, still attest its conquest and its long domination.

At the beginning of the twelfth century, the Moors still cultivated the plains of Valencia; but after their defeat by James I king of Aragon, the whole kingdom was subdued. The conquerors divided the lands among themselves: victory enriched an army with the spoils of a whole people; and skilful and indefatigable husband-men gave place to soldiers, whose ignorance would have suffered the fairest fruits of their exploits to perish in their hands, had not king James, whose great qualities rendered him worthy of the throne and superior to his age, prescribed by wise ordinances the observance of the rural laws. To this respect for the legislation of the Moors, and to the regulations which he enacted, the kingdom of Valencia has owed, and to this clay owes, its agricultural prosperity.

In 1791 the population of this country consisted of seven hundred and seventy-one thousand persons, divided among five hundred and ninety-two parishes; of these agriculture employed eighty thousand, and manufactures sixty thousand: the rest of the population was composed of women, children, old men, domestic servants, the nobility and clergy, monks and nuns, merchants and tradesmen, soldiers, sailors, invalids, and pensioners of the state.

The soil refused to cultivation none of those productions which luxury or the wants of life require. Its inhabitants had even succeeded in naturalizing a great variety of exotic fruits and plants, as the lemon and orange tree, the sugarcane, cotton, and indigo.

Flourishing manufactures of silk, soda, woollen cloth, linen, paper, hats, leather, esparto, and jewellery, added to its national wealth. Such was the prosperity of this beautiful province, that the annual value of its productions of all kinds, exceeded ninety millions of francs (£3,750,000 sterling,) one tenth only of which was absorbed by taxes and the expenses of administration. .

The same causes, however, which had annihilated the public prosperity in Aragon during the war of invasion, had also destroyed that of the kingdom of Valencia. The export of rice, the war-taxes, the extraordinary consumption of provisions, and the suspension of labour, had cut off all the sources of reproduction. The

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