Series of documents of administrative and financial matters concerning San Blas. Topics include appointments, salaries and payments for expenses of personnel; also cargos, intineraries & freight charges of the fragata Santiago and Paquebot Principe. Completion of construction of new ship to be called la Princesa (Nuestra Senora del Rosario), including details on design of figurehead and whether it should be armoured as fragata or be a Paquebot. F. 376 acknowledges receipt from Neve for food supplies and other provisions ordered for California settlements for 1778. Ff. 379-381 detail 5 yr. Contract with townspeople of Tequepespam for supply of tar for ship maintenance. (J. M. Johnson, October 1988)

Series of documents of administrative and fiscal matters for San Blas. Many deal with cargos and itineraries of paquebots San Carlos and el Principe (San Antonio) and fragata Santiago; others with personnel matters, ship construction and repair. On excess food supplies from Naval department to be given to presidios and missions in California and administered by Serra. F. 344 on three month leave for Choquet for accident suffered to rejoin wife in Spain after 14 yr. Separation; discussion of Hijosa's successor Ruiz and military escort to Mexico. Ff. Wife, approved by viceroy. Details given on amounts and construction of new launch for Paquebot and new buque de Paquebot, many details given on problems and techniques, delay to appoint Ayllon as contador; both assume new duties upon Hijosa's incapacitation. (J. M. Johnson, October 1988)

Correspondence is of administrative and fiscal nature, expenditures, salaries, appointments, recruitment and health problems; ship construction and repair, continuation from previous folios of problems (with keel) and building of launch and paquetbot; supplies for repairing warehouse in comisaria. Cargos and itineraries for Goleta Sonora, paquetbots San Carlos and el Principe (San Antonio). Ff. 311-313 announce arrival of Goleta Sonora, transporting pigs and servants for Areche, explaining delay due to bad Weather and shortage of food supplies. Request to Bucareli and approval by him for extra funds to cover necessary expenses incurred by personnel of the Sonora. (J. M. Johnson, October 1988)

On Hijosa's orders, the following three documents were prepared: 1) ff. 284-304 consist of detailed inventory of the San Carlos, hull, masts, sails, rudder, pilots area, anchors, cables and rigging, pilot's equipment, workmen's supplies and auxiliary boats. 2) ff. 305-307 is a list of food rations, amounts given based on assumed daily consumption and necessity. Major cheese, condiments, water, firewood and kitchen utensils. 3) ff. 308-310; bill of lading for food shipped to Loreto. Includes amounts and buying price of in San Blas and selling price for Loreto, after obligatory (by provincial regulation) 100 surcharge is added. (J. M. Johnson, September 1988)

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)

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)

Correspondence between Bertodano, Berenguer de Marquina, Revilla, Malaspina and others concerning reimbursement of Cajas de Manila for expenses incurred by Goleta Valdes under command of Bertodano; further documentation includes salaries of crew, detailed list of supplies taken on board and weights; detailed account of hurricane survived by Valdes and subsequent condition of ship and crew; discussion of preferable routes and seasons for Valdes to return to San Blas considering Weather conditions and currents; brief discussion of salaries of crew and Bertodano; economic situation of real Armada during war with English; disarmament of Naval shipyards. (D. J. McClelland, may 1988)

Tomo 154 (pages 16, 20, 26, 30, 147, 387, 431)- representaciones written to fray Antonio Valdes, Mexico 1789-1790 concerning- validity of reports from provinces of Mexico, requests for artillery, shipment of 'situados' to Havana, and situado for Luisiana. Tomo 156 (pages 127, 250)- representaciones written to fray Antonio Valdes, Mexico, 1790 discussing loyalty of colonialists of Luisiana and shipments of arms. Tomo 157 (page 319)- representacion, no place or date, reviews past relations with Apaches and northern Indians of Texas. (J. Erbe) (1978)