Geography

Administrative correspondence re: receipt of letters, bandos. Declaration of war with England makes it necessary to guard Soto la Marina port; discussion of building bateria and arming with cannons; reconnoitering of port. Ff. 332-350 contain listas and extractos from monthly troop revistas listing military positions and salaries for various companies. Ff. 1 366-395 contain various diaries re: campaigns against Indians. Map of area between Soto la Marina and Tampico on unnumbered folio between ff. 394 & 395 showing rivers, mountains, towns.

Administrative correspondence for 1781 re: arrival of Lasagi in Nuevo Santander as gobernador; required use of papel sellado; initiation of production of lino and canamo; need to send collera of Indian prisoners to capital due to large number at Aguaio; death of Alvarez; problems caused by hurricane including rivers flooding, houses and fields destroyed. (D. Uhlman, March 1988)

Index of documents sent to the viceroy by the governor of Nueva Santander; Maximiliano Maxent captured Serna after the latter deserted from his company; governor gives order to build missions in costas de reinosa, Tijera and Amargosa; governor reports misconduct by Ramon, teniente from Lampazos; Serna is prosecuted in cuartel de Santillana. (indexes contain short summaries of issues handled by governor of Nueva Santander, such as promotions of government officials, crimes, publications in the provincias, Fueros militares, prosecutions, military reviews etc) (M. Marroquin, November 1988)

Documents consist of providencias for government and new institutions in California, correspondence between viceroy and of San Diego mission; improved communication system between Mexico and frontier regions; deployment of troops from Sonora for maximum defense of Californias and eastern provinces; purposes for pacification of Indians. Ff. 419-432 detail recruitment, transportation, settlement and protection of 70 families of colonists from Sonora for Alta California, of alleviating poverty and idleness by recruitment in Mexico; safety and choices of routes in combination of maritime and land means for transportation of settlers; desirable areas for colonization in new territories regarding protection, agricultural production, provisioning, recreation, water supply yet to extend Spanish occupation, defense and pacification plans; formation of companias volantes and militia to combat Indian hostilities and need for new regulations to do so; improvement of agricultural techniques and manufacture of domestic industries; long sections on required rations of food and other necessities, allotments of cash, markets for purchasing, selling regional commerce, supply and production of cattle, horses and mules. Other folios refer to maritime transportation of mission and presidio supplies and schedules of Goleta la Sonora (Senora de Guadalupe) and Paquebot el Principe between Guaymas or San Blas. Acknowledgements of arrivals of vessels along Sonoran and California coasts. (j.m.johnson, February 1989)

Neve's correspondence includes (most important documents, service records and promotions, rebuilding mission at San Diego and constructing Capistrano. Details geography of area around San Francisco and Santa Clara mission, especially natural resources. Lists of numbers of officers and craftsmen at four Principal California presidios, supply escorts, real reglamentos pertaining to details of presidio construction and tackle for cavalry companies. Ff. 354-356 is list of salaries and numbers of officers, craftsmen, and rations for presidios crews and ships, including Actual costs vs. Those alloted by missionaries, income from tobacco and other crops, purchase and distribution of mules, horses, and supplies, shipping, tackle for soldiers and settlers. Ff. 359-360 estimates of rations per single man and families, after spoilage in salaries by rank for officers, craftsmen and Naval personnel. Ff. 368-369 allotments of supply rations and money for presidios in Santa Barbara channel. (J. M. Johnson, February 1989)

Details of Principal concerns and needs for California establishments. Detailed information on climate, agricultural conditions, pasturing livestock, geographical measurements and features of terrain, arable lands, irrigation, social and safety measures for settlers/recruits, food and other supplies for population, horses and mules. Other documents list family relationships and Vital statistics of colonists requesting land tenure rights, lists of types and numbers of cargo animals for missions, planned distribution of & place purchased of these & smaller domestic food/clothing animals. Description of geography, Flora and potential for irrigation of rivers in region. Founding and contruction of presidio San Joseph (Guadalupe). (J. M. Johnson, January 1989)

Correspondence to viceroy concerning problems of bridges and acequias, drainage of public works projects. Folios 243, 249, 257 written by nuns (abadesas) recounting rise of water level, smell and possible disease to convent. Also, inability to pay contribution due to lack of income by convent. Other documents discuss financial matters of payments by finqueros, and specify areas and houses responsible to contribute. Remedies listed to resolve drainage problems to neighborhood, but also benefits to be gained by project and street paving. (J. M. Johnson, January 1989)

Improvements to real palacio: tear down walls and shacks aroung area for aesthetic and security reasons, pave Santa Isabel street. Budget estimates for each job and types of workmen. Construction in Chapultepec(que) of system of arches for water delivery from Santa Fee, and ideas for use as park. Report by engineer comments on earthquake danger, house construction, details on geography of area, filtration system. Responses by viceroy, some marked secret. (J. M. Johnson, December 1988)

Important document regarding the political and geographical and Alta. Valdello went with Ruiz to explore lands. Discussion of advantages (spiritual and temporal) of dividing government of Antigua and Nueva Californias, including faster Indian conversion Rate and agricultural progression. Reference to historical annexation of California to Sonora and movement of government from Loreto to Monterrey (500), leaving captain acting as teniente of government of Baja California. Notes great geographic distance between these sites and remoteness of Loreto to Monterrey leaders busy with, among other things, northern new establishments and spiritual needs (conversion). Division is suggested for these reasons. Governmental division will expedite Monterrey-to-Loreto correspondence to 60 or 70 days (502). Discussion of moving governor to border to open communication between north and south. Sonoran captains' annual salary (505). River usage for communication and commerce. (J. Hiller, April 1989)

Copy of reserved instructions that Neve governor of Californias government should be to conserve peace in peninsula --treating of areas of Indians not yet made docile, including punishment of Gentiles for killing livestock in San Francisco to communicate all mission orders to Junipero or Hidalgo; other encouragement to avoid strife. Document also includes letter from Galvez regarding governor's salary. (J. Hiller, January 1989)