Publication: De las badanas a los frascos. Mejoras de los envases para el transporte del mercurio al virreinato del Perú (1788-1825).
Authors
Orche García, Enrique ; Amaré Tafalla, María Pilar
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Publisher
Universidad de Murcia, Servicio de Publicaciones.
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.6018/nav.680731
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
El presente trabajo trata sobre la sustitución de los envases en los que se transportaba el mercurio entre España y América, que pasó de ser llevado en badanas a frascos de hierro. Con ello se pretendía eliminar las pérdidas de metal que suponían una cuantía económica no despreciable para la Corona, El proceso comenzó en 1788 y tardó más de tres décadas en implantarse, no por problemas técnicos, que se solventaron rápidamente, sino por intereses sociales, políticos y culturales contrapuestos de los sectores privado y gubernamental de la economía española, y por la invasión francesa de España. Tras las pertinentes pruebas, el cambio de envase demostró tener ventajas y quedó implantado no sólo en el tráfico interoceánico sino también en la circulación interna de mercurio en la América española, incluido el virreinato del Perú, en el que se hicieron controles de pesaje que redundaron en la adopción de la medida.
Abstract: This paper deals with the replacement of the containers used to transport mercury between Spain and the Americas, from being transported in skin bags to iron flasks. This was intended to eliminate metal losses, which represented a significant financial cost to the Crown. The process began in 1788 and took more than three decades to implement, not due to technical problems, which were quickly resolved, but due to conflicting social, political, and cultural interests within the private and government sectors of the Spanish economy, and the French invasion of Spain. After the relevant tests, the change from skin bags to flasks proved to have advantages and was implemented not only in inter-oceanic traffic but also in the internal circulation of mercury in Spanish America, including the Viceroyalty of Peru, where weighing controls were implemented, leading to the adoption of the measure.
Abstract: This paper deals with the replacement of the containers used to transport mercury between Spain and the Americas, from being transported in skin bags to iron flasks. This was intended to eliminate metal losses, which represented a significant financial cost to the Crown. The process began in 1788 and took more than three decades to implement, not due to technical problems, which were quickly resolved, but due to conflicting social, political, and cultural interests within the private and government sectors of the Spanish economy, and the French invasion of Spain. After the relevant tests, the change from skin bags to flasks proved to have advantages and was implemented not only in inter-oceanic traffic but also in the internal circulation of mercury in Spanish America, including the Viceroyalty of Peru, where weighing controls were implemented, leading to the adoption of the measure.
Citation
ORCHE GARCÍA, Enrique y AMARÉ TAFALLA, María Pilar. De las badanas a los frascos. Mejoras de los envases para el transporte del mercurio al virreinato del Perú (1788-1825). Naveg@mérica. Revista electrónica editada porla Asociación Española de Americanistas [en línea]. 2025, n. 35. Disponible en: <http://revistas.um.es/navegamerica>. [Consulta: Fecha de consulta]. ISSN 1989-211X.
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