Series of documents centering around service of Jose Menendez Valdes as interim asesor y auditor de guerra de la comandancia general de las Provincias Internas. Menendez Valdes served in position, at half salary, upon promotion of Pedro Galindo y Navarro to asesor general del virreynato de Lima. Letters of recommendation and praise for both Menendez Valdes and Galindo y Navarro, including education and work records of both, with emphasis on Menendez Valdes. Discussion of difficult journey to Peru from Mexico (Menendez Valdes). Ultimately, Menendez Valdes returned to Guadalajara. No discussion as to his future position. (M. Longo, October 1989)

Francisco Xavier Goni purchased ship (San Judas Fadeo) in the canaries and sailed for Havanna then Ostiones with load and passengers. After leaving Havana ship sank. Only few crew lived and told what happened. Documents verify discovery of wreckage parts and auction of same. Ff.131 appears to quote laws concerning finding of unclaimed objects. Ship's Matricula, ff. 155-156. Wages paid for unearthing of wreck, ff.111-114. Possible document of boat purchase by Goni, ff.162-163. Steal some of the wreckage from beach and were killed. Request made for money for Goni's widow, Maria Hernandez Goni. Ff.204 contains verification of the Goni's marriage, names their parents. (S. Langmack September 1989)

Includes two unrelated expedientes, numeros 13 and 14. 13 concerns administration of military accounts, citing previous 'ordenes' in which guidelines for conduct stated; Beraustequi elected third official of 'real Caja', later confirmed by fiscales. Numero 14 concerns request by Rodriguez, passenger on ill-fated ship, 'san Judas Tadeo', headed to Havana from Spain but went down off coast of San Fernando; 9 of 13 crew members die, but Rodriguez, captain, others make shore safely in lifeboat; Rodriguez left without possessions, money, wants only to return to Spain, solicits government's assistance; supposed to return on fragata 'aurora', but captain gravely ill. (L. Kerr, June 1989)

Travel of Espadas to Santa Rosa. Report of expenditures by las companias del Nuevo Reyno de Leon for 1786 and travel costs for Indian captives sent to Villa de San Fernando. Notices specifying the conditions and kinds of weapons to be used in escorting Indian captives. (R.Gomez, July 1989)

Provincias Internas are divided into western, commanded by Ugarte y Loyola, and eastern, commanded by Dufay; Pinon [Pison?] eruptions cause Dufay to make military visits; Dufay searches for Capitancillos and Pinones, either they turn themselves in or a bounty will be placed on their heads - dead or alive; receipt of novedades and military reports; primera compania de Monterrey receives an alferez primero. (E. Wilson, September 1989)

Letters from Ramirez referring to unaccompanying documents of desertion, wages due to a serviceman's widow, troop inspection, and travel destined for Aguayo. (E. Wilson, July 1989)

(D. Uhlman, March 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)

Prelate and cabildo of Guadalajara urgently request viceroy to name engineer for work in city and region. Effects of drought forcefully described. Codina requests passport; details work experience in Spain and new world. Officials discuss length of time for completion of projects and responsibility for Codina's salary. Reference made based on king's decree of 1787, deciding salary questions of cuerpos de artilleria and ingenieria for all the indias. (J. M. Johnson, December 1988)

A series of letters that discuss: appointments by Gobernador Bucareli of Canales, Valles, and Concha to alferez and alcalde ordinario, alcalde ordinario ordinario, and alcalde ordinario respectively; the death of Jesus Lacedor when he became lost in the fields on December 22, 1779 and need for quadruplication of paperwork in order to certify his death administratively; trip being made by Melchor de Lorca to the capital to see Bucareli in order to defend his honor; relieving Melchor de Lorca as gobernador and installing Gonzales Santianez; Vidal de Lorca defending his honor and presenting authorized certification for his sake and the sake of his children; receipt of above letter and certifications (not included) and their submittal to the royal auditor; authority given to Verridi to relieve Vidal de Lorca of his duties and asks for Vidal de Lorca's peaceful cooperation. (O. Velez, January 1989)