This work by H.M. Johnston is one of those books that the average Mexican coin collector may find of little value (it has no photographs of coins or values) and is not needed for a good coin library. However it is a great reference tool for the Mexican Historian and advanced collector because it provides an in-depth look at the British involvement in the early days of the Mexican Republic. If you don’t want to buy this book at least go to a public or perhaps college library and check it out for a couple of days. For the Mexican coin collector the most interesting and important parts of the book are the: the Preface, Outline Chronology, Prologue, Chapter 1: Background, Epilogue, The two Appendixes, Notes and Sources, and finally Background Reading; which all contain great information.
Overall Johnston’s work gives us a great insight into all of the trouble that King George IV, and his minions, incurred while trying to gain a “preferred trading partner status” with the new Republic of Mexico. The book also gives us a snapshot of the personalities of many key players (both Mexican and British) in this drama about the world of political intrigue and diplomacy during that time and which even today still runs deep beneath the surface of world politics.
The author provides a tight and precise introduction of Mexico’s history, and why Great Britain thought it was so important to have close ties with the New Republic of Mexico. Johnston introduces a number of the British citizens and the role they played, or tried to play, in securing a “preferred trading partner status” with Mexico. One can easily see why this is important and after reading this book one can begin to understand how and why the Chinese Communist Government went to the ends they did to have the same situation with the USA. While this will mean little to most coin collectors, it shows just how important most countries consider international trade.
One of the more interesting relationships covered in the book is that between Guadalupe Victoria (first president of Mexico) and a young British diplomat, Henry George Ward, and how their friendship played a vital role in the two countries future. Johnston relives the secret missions of Dr Patrick Mackie and how British Foreign Secretary George Canning was unscrupulous in his desire to keep Mexico free of Spanish control, but worried about religious freedom in Mexico.
Another interesting item in this book is the first information I’ve found about the communal ‘ferry services’ provided by British Warships between Mexico and Great Britain for movement of diplomats, freight, businessmen, and specie. Until this book, I didn’t realize the powers the Captains of the British Navy exercised. The British ship captains were allowed to negotiate with private enterprises for transportation rates and were allowed to keep any moneys received in these transactions. One particular incident sighted shows how the Captain of the frigate HMS Hussar “over-charged” a Mexican Diplomatic Mission $5,000 for their trip to Great Britain and was finally required to refund the excess money to Mexico. Johnston also tells his readers that the main mission of the HMS Hussar on this trip was to pickup nearly $1 Million in specie at Vera Cruz and transport it back to Great Britain.
Outline Chronology
Johnston’s work begins with a short (2½ page) but concise Outline Chronology (a fancy name for a Timeline) that is very useful for tracing the history (from 1521 to August, 1827) of Mexico and the early British involvement with the new republic.
The Prologue
In this portion of the book we find many interesting tidbits. Johnston tells his readers of the ‘Holy Alliance’ formed (by France, Russia, Prussia, and Austria) in support of Spain’s military re-conquest of her old colonies in Central and South America and how the British King opposed it. Johnston explains the rocky relations between Mexico and Great Britain after the Maximilian Incident that caused Juarez to break off diplomatic (1867) relations with her former and important ally that weren’t mended until 1884. Little known facts come to light in this book: Dr Mackie was originally supposed to meet with Iturbide, how Great Britain tried to heal the wounds with the Spanish King Philip and how the British went so far as to pay restitution to the Spanish Crown for losses occurring during the Mexican War of Independence. The troubles that were encountered by the first British mission to Mexico: How and why they left the Port of Vera Cruz and stationed the frigate HMS Ranger off the Sacrificios Island after finding out about the revolt led by General Santa Anna against Iturbide. And why Dr Mackie and the Captain of the HMS Ranger decided to leave Mexico and sail to Havana, Cuba.
Johnston gives Mexican Numismatists an idea of how large shipments of Mexican silver were already being transported to Great Britain by British Warships before September 1823. He does this by sighting one British citizen’s remarks about the quay located in Vera Cruz. William Bullock noted, on his arrival in Vera Cruz, that the mole was partially paved with “iron pigs” used as ballast from at least one British frigate. Upon asking why the iron pigs where there he was told they had been discarded in order to load a large cargo of silver specie.
Chapter 1: Background
This chapter provides Johnston’s readers with a good historical outline of Mexico from 1521 until 1823. He introduces a number of the Spaniards who were important to the War of Independence in Mexico and their roles in the struggle. He also informs us of Canning’s role in negotiating and finally securing the Monroe Doctrine.
Chapter 2: Secret Diplomacy Misfires- 1823
In this chapter Johnston provides in-depth information about Mexico, Great Britain and the people behind the scenes and their roles in early Republic. He also tells of the early and unsuccessful negations, between the Mexicans and British in order to secure a loan (£150,000 per month for one year) in order to finance the Mexican Republic Army of 50,000 troops and 12,000 cavalry. We can begin to understand what discount the “preferred trading partner status” would mean to Great Britain as Dr Mackie had asked for a reduction in import duties from 27% to 15% for British goods and even lower rates for cotton products.
In Conclusion
This book isn’t a great coin book, but it is a good reference tool for people who want to try to understand what was happening behind the scenes in the Mexican Republic in the 1820s. I highly recommend it for all Mexican Republican Historians.
A Special Side Note: Since we be began this article one of readers has visited the British Museum in order to find out what Mexican coins reside there. As could be expected there are not too many Mexican coins in the cabinet of the museum, but there is one that is especially noteworthy. This coin is a Mexico City Mo 1823 JM Hookneck 8 Escudo which is not unusual except for an old piece of paper with the coin. This tiny piece of paper notes “AV quadruple of 1823 presented by General Michelena Dec 11, 1823”. This is one of the Mexican dignitaries that once traveled to Great Britain on a British warship on one of those secret missions between Mexico and Great Britain mentioned in this book. Our reader states the coin is a Type II with weak centers that he grades Brilliant Uncirculated. Just goes to prove how proud the Republicans were of their new national coinage.
[Home Page] Return to Mexican Coin Magic Home Page