Naval Offices (Comisario)

Correspondence deals generally with following topics: Naval salaries, appointments, service and health records of personnel for department of San Blas, ship construction and repair. Much information on cargos and itineraries of the Goleta Sonora and paquebots San Carlos (toison), Principe and Concepcion. Documents of major importance are the following folios: Ff. 242-248 concern publication of general pardon for all military or commercial deserters from navy. Six month term for amnesty offered; terms and enforcement discussed. Ff. 249-260 and ff. 267-271 deal with problems in construction of (new keel for) launch for paquebot San Carlos (toison) and building of additional paquebot for navy. Ff. 279-281 discuss arrival of ship-building tools from Spain and expert technicians from Veracruz. Difficulties in scheduling itineraries and supplying missions and presidios in California due to shortage of ships. Ff. 264-266 request by Hijosa and approval by viceroy for monthly amount of his salary to be sent to assist his wife. Ff. 272-274 deal with illnesses and delayed arrival of technicians; ongoing need for recruitment of surgeon for department. (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

Most important documents concern arrival in San Blas of two carriages and four servants for Areche to be shipped to Acapulco (folio 198); and detailed inventory of the Goleta Sonora (N. S. de Guadalupe) including food supplies, its physical structure, rigging and equipment (ff. 199-213). Bausa requests monthly sum sent from royal treasury to Sister in financial need; approved by Hijosa and viceroy (ff. 330-333). Fragata Santiago (Nueva Galicia) and paquebots Concepcion and San Carlos; costs and logistics of transportation of materials to California ports; procurement of supplies and skilled labor for ship repair; appointments of Naval, religious and medical personnel; and reports on departmental personnel, including illnesses and deaths. (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

Details on cargos and itineraries of ships destined for lists of supplies and provisions with estimated amounts and costs based on consumption of (dried) meat and fish, bread, staple items, lard, spices, water and firewood. Most important to California missions, with buying price in San Blas, selling price in San Diego. Ff. 164-193 inventory and specifications of Paquebot el Principe (San Antonio), including; ship dimensions and volume capacity, masts, hull, sails, pantry, cables and rigging, anchors, armor, auxiliary boats. Ff. 148-150 and 155-163 provide many details on the fragata Santiago (Nueva Galicia). (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

Major documents deal with salaries, personnel, appointments, expenses, budgets and pensions for the department; supplies for California presidios and cargos and itineraries for the fragata requirement for monthly reports by Hijosa for personnel in San Blas and California; shipment of carriages for Areche; technical experts in shipbuilding to be sent to San Blas from Spain; ports of Realejo and Sonsonate now belong to district of Guatemala; need to recruit two surgeons for San Blas to fill vacancies. (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

Primary topics of correspondence are: recruitment of pilots, contramaestros, sailors for arsenal; explanations of vacancies and discussions of qualifications, salaries, illnesses and regulations concerning personnel. Cargos and documents transported to California. Expenses for provisioning ships. Viceroy orders naval equipment stored in Veracruz to be released for use in San Blas. Many details of shipments, itineraries, etc. of Goleta Sonora, paquebot El Principe, fragata Santiago and navio de guerra San Luxan (?). F. 52 Carlos III orders Hijosa to return to Spain to resume marital life after separation of 14 years from wife. (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

Index chronologically for year; correspondence numbered from #336 to #458. Very detailed summaries with references by numbers to prior exchanges and official Ordenes, decretos, reglamentos. Some responses to individual entries in margins. Assignments, provisions; construction and repair of ships; schedules of departures/arrivals, destinations of ships; shipments and types of cargo. Some biographical information on visitador general of Peru and maritime personnel. Extensive and la Princesa (Nuestra Senora del Rosario); paquebots el Principe, San Carlos, and la Concepcion; Goleta Sonora. (J. M. Johnson, August 1988)