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)

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)

Series of documents dealing with Ugalde's military campaigns against Mescaleros, Comanches, Lipanes, and Lipiyanes in Coahuila. Discussion of Ugalde's arrival to Coahuila and his survey of the area in preparation for his campaign; he is informed of combats with Comanches, and there is a good description of the military tactics employed by the Indians; there is also reference to trade between soldiers and Comanches after battle. Ugalde sends detailed diary of his campaigns to viceroy. Lists number of soldiers employed, as well as the number and types of weapons used in the expedition; clothing of Indian auxiliaries are described, as well as amount and type of food required by soldiers and Indian auxiliaries; there is good discussion of the mass given before departure of troops, as well as the use of an effigy of the virgin of Guadalupe in order to receive divine assistance. Ugalde also informs of problems associated with lack of water and death of many horses. He gives a good description of the area referring to the many rivers, lakes, aguajes, and mountains encountered in his path. Includes summary of all Indians that were killed, injured, and taken captives, and of all tribes that sought peace. He complains many Mescaleros fled to presidio del norte where they were given refuge, and that this diminishes to some extent, all the gains made in the campaign. In other letters the viceroy approves of Ugalde's actions and requests more cooperation between Ugarte and Ugalde. (J. Tapia, October, 1987)

Assembled copies of form letters sent to commanders of local companys giving instructions as to their duties in impending campaign. Each letter worded the Same, only difference being name of company and jurisdictions under protection of each. Letters give orders of how many men of each rank to be counted in supplies to each company; schedule of tour; manner of attack; general reconnaissance reports of Indian activity in area. F.107 speaks of remuneration to be given to wives, children of those killed in duty. F.108 speaks of bravery of vasals of king, who conquered these vast kingdoms, not in centuries, but in less than three years, and afterward exterminated various [indian] nations. F. 137 begins supplement to instructions; mentions peace granted to 8 Mescalero capitanes, but orders that area be patrolled as carefully as in wartime. (A. Dean, April 1990)

Letters concerning: description of vegetation, terrain where Indian groups live, general location within province, livelihood in that region, hostilities committed by group, whether or not group is lazy or active, good or bad, observation that peripheral towns and haciendas attacked more frequently; second letter regarding need for and assignment of soldiers to serve as 'escoltas' at several haciendas, due to attacks from 'indios apostatas y gentiles', salaries and rations for soldiers discussed, as well as how the assignments will strengthen plan to pacify and Christianize all Indians of Nuevo Leon within 8 to 10 years. (L. Kerr, November 1988)

Various letters of correspondence from Vidal de Lorca (1774). Table (182) extracto del beneficio de la Ciudad de (feligresia) locations and their distance from Monterrey. Bernadino de la candella and Nadadores. Index of correspondence (178). Letter discussing problems of slowness with mining production and retrieving of minerals and gathering of troops to fight off Apaches, also included. (J. Acheson, oct, 1988)

Excellent description of mine localities, and distances between them. Excellent description of mining process. Description of housing building strategy (adove) and fire risks involved with specific types of houses. (J. Acheson, October 1988)

Mendinueta relates that prior calmness of Cumanches on frontier is gone. Relates Cumanche raids and murders. Complains of inefficiency of tracking Cumanches because of terrain and lack of water; tells of incident in which Apache guides were deceitful. Notes plains south of Colorado River unsuitable for settlement. Croix responds but has no suggestions on how to track Indian offenders. (S. Gibbs, July 1987)

Mendinueta recommends to Croix that El Paso presidio be better agricultural lands, more defensible position against Apaches. Notes that presidio is undermanned. Argues that it be augmented by settlers and indios Genizaros, who should be settled at Rancheria. (S. Gibbs, July 1987)

O'conor describes reasons for his final site selection relative to royal regulation of presidios of 1772; includes notes on subjects such as; vegetation; topography; distances; communications between sites; water availability; proposal for presidio at Yuma. O'Conor bases much of argument on Bonilla's earlier report; includes other insights into new routes to California; Lafora map; and missionization. (J. Williams, April 1987)