Ports And Harbors

Letters from Cancio to viceroy regarding exploration of site and harbors in Guaymas to establish best location to erect port and barracks for military personnel. Cancio accompanied by governor. (A. Dell'acqua, February 1988)

Letters detailing attacks, taking of various ports, destruction of ships by pirates in south America, danger to Californias. (A. Dell'aqua, 1/87)

Report about deterioration, inspection and lack of munitions in ports to viceroy Arrillaga from Manuel Gomez. (A. Dell'aqua, 1/87)

Cannons for defense of ports of San Francisco, Monterrey and San Diego. (A. Dell'aqua, 1/87)

Petitions for cannons for defense of forts and ports; deterioration of defensive arms; bills of sale. (A. Dell'aqua, 1/87)

Correspondence between gobernador, real tribunal y Audiencia de la contaduria de Cuentas, and other Naval and fiscal authorities on budgetary needs for year 1810. Followed by reports dealing with status, physical and fiscal conditions, etc., of presidios and ports in Baja California in 1810. folio 187 provides most detailed information on numbers and economic figures for troops and Naval personnel for Loreto presidio. (J. M. Johnson, December 1986).

Boston merchants request pasaporte for Anglo-Americano fragata alexander de boston to enter Spanish ports. Ship arrives at San Diego seven months later in February 1803 and is provisioned by Spaniards with water, cattle and salt. On board 492 otter skins pieles de nutria are discovered which are confiscated as contraband (fur trade was forbidden to foreigners). Captain Brown says that two people, perhaps indios gentiles were responsible. Comandante tries to determine how, from where, by whom furs were brought on board and if they were purchased or exchanged for supplies. Information relayed to virrey. Further documents deal with correspondence with fiscal contaduria mayor del real tribunal y Audiencia de Cuentas de Mexico. Letter written to virrey about repairing, preserving and selling skins to public to benefit real hacienda (royal treasury). (J. M. Johnson, November 1986)

Lists of nautical equipment and supplies, ship's rations, and pay for shipwrights for refurbishing and ongoing maintenance of barge servicing port of San Diego and fort Guajirros. Includes prices for supplies, sworn testimonies that inventories are correct and other correspondence with real hacienda. (A. Tukey, June 1988)

Documents reiterating that duties will be paid on all cargos arriving in California from Spain and Spanish America. Specifically address cargos of cacao and cascarilla arriving from Callao and Guayaquil. (A. Tukey, June 1988)

Sierra Gorda, governor of Nuevo Santander informs virrey of visita to port of Soto la Marina. Mentions construction of military fortifications (cuartel); Indian unrest involving Comanches.