In the same way [I have requested] that he shall not furnish rigging and other supplies unless they are requested; for I am sending the vessels from here already provided, for both going and coming, with everything necessary (even the candles), in the endeavor to avoid the expense caused to your Majesty in the past with such outlays as have been made, and with the things brought here. This can be very well avoided, because there have been certain articles that can be obtained here for one-tenth as much as they cost in Nueva España, both rigging and other things that are not needed; while ammunition and arms are so extremely necessary. Of these, on the occasion that I have mentioned, there was known to be a very great lack. The mistake must have been occasioned by my saying, in regard to the arms that I requested, that powder-horns were unnecessary here (as is the fact). But it was not to be understood by that that the arquebuses and muskets for arming the infantry should come without powder-horns. That appears to have been the understanding, for on the said occasion not thirty pairs of them were found, and very little powder. All that resulted from those who despatched those ships not paying attention to what their commanders asked, while they supply them at times with what they do not need or request; and other things those persons furnish at their own pleasure, with no care whatever except for the bulk and lump—obliging the masters to receive them on faith, and even on appearances, according to what is observed here. Those who have made those voyages think strongly that the standards of measure there should be somewhat less. I hope for a reform in all this, through the good management and zeal of the viceroy, and that he will set a limit to what those who attend to these despatches at the port of Acapulco have done—as also to the vexation and trouble caused to the sailors and workmen of those ships by examining so minutely the wretched belongings that they carry in their little chests, and by treating them with more severity in this than appears advisable for men so necessary and who work so hard.
[Marginal note: “In the letters that were written you, in the next to the last and the last despatch before this one, that discussed this reform and the avoidance of expenses which were made and caused in Nueva España for those reënforcements, you were directed to try to give special and minute information as to what you have there, and of its cost; and advised that, if prices are so much more advantageous than those of Nueva España, those expenses might be avoided. The same thing has been written to the viceroy, while the royal officials there [i.e., in Filipinas] have been notified to send a detailed report of the matters of that sort [in which expense] could be avoided. If that has not been done, you shall do it; and with it those in whose charge are the despatch and provision of the ships and the supplies, shall be convinced, and the losses and expenses repaired. Since you have abundance of all kinds of rigging and sea-stores, and they are obtained so advantageously in the ports and regions of your archipelago, provision shall be made only in the smaller firearms—that is, outside the situado. And inasmuch as the Council should have the information that is desirable in regard to these matters, you shall always send us a copy of what you write upon them to the viceroy and royal officials, so that observance of what is enacted in this regard may be demanded from here, and that the account may be somewhat better regulated. The other things that pertain to the excesses that you mention in the preparations in Nueva España have been written to the viceroy, as per the enclosed copy, so that redress may be provided in what is so just.”] [Here follows a note, on a separate piece of paper.[2]]
3d. And inasmuch as I am not confident that the viceroy will be willing to admit that the appointments of offices and officials of these ships from these islands do not concern him, when those who are appointed complete the exercise of their duties on their arrival at Nueva España—as, for instance, Don Francisco de la Serna, who is going this year as commander; and Don Luis Fernandez de Cordova, who was commander last year, as they commenced to exercise those offices from the time of their departure from those provinces and are returning in those functions through courtesy, and for just considerations—the viceroy undertakes to appoint men to those places, refusing to understand as he ought what your Majesty has ruled and ordered in this matter. On the contrary, in order to establish himself in this pretension, he has suppressed the appointments that I sent last year. Indeed, although he deprived Don Fernando de Ayala of his appointment, he did not make another appointment, but said that he was satisfied for that time with that act of jurisdiction. He said that he would send me another as commander of the ships—a young man, like those whom he sends as captains of infantry. That would have resulted in the disinclination of people in this country to send what is of so much importance [i.e., their cargoes to Nueva España], with the supplies and artillery which I sent—very differently from the usual practice, in charge of a man of action and valor, who has fought very often. I cannot see why the viceroy should wonder at a thoroughly satisfactory person being appointed and sent from here, in order to return in such a post, since for a matter of so great consideration, value, and importance, it does not seem much or hurtful that each ship should always have a captain, like those whom your Majesty appoints in the flagships and almirantas of the trading-fleets, with the same preëminences and the right of succession to the responsibility and management of them, in case of the death or absence of their commanders. For it would be a misfortune, in case of their absence, for the relief or the ruin of these islands to depend, on the occasion of a fight or other emergency in which there is need of a leader, on the direction of a pilot or a master, when suitable provision can be made without any considerable increase of expense to your royal treasury. If your Majesty be so pleased, and will give me authority for it, I prefer to do this, even if, in order to give them some pay, that of the commanders and officials be curtailed; or by seeking another plan and supplying them something with certain accommodations in their vessels, as might be done better here. The men levied in Mexico and those provinces might be delivered at Acapulco to those captains, thus saving the pay granted to the infantry captains and officers. For most of the latter are not usually very eager in their service, while their persons and the troubles that they bring are of no little embarrassment to the governors; and perhaps it would be advisable to do away with their banners and distribute the men among the old companies. That has not been done at any time, both to place the aforesaid persons under some obligations, and because they bring the pay for one year already paid to them. I petition your Majesty to order this matter to be examined and considered, and to command me what I am to do in regard to it and to order the said viceroy, in accordance with the above, to refrain from annoying with that pretension the respectable and deserving inhabitants who sail [on the ships] with appointments to such offices. For there are men here who have merits and are old residents of the country, to whom these employments might well be given; and others who, although they are not of so much prominence in this country, have been and are engaged in the service of your Majesty. Consequently, both for that reason and because of their qualifications, no one ought to be preferred to them—although there are, besides the aforesaid persons (who are numerous), a much greater number of others who demand everything, without right, reason, or justification, and assert that they deserve it. They must believe this, by the way in which they get angry about it; for it comes to such a pass that they do not treat one another well, as we have just experienced. For I appointed Captain and Sargento-mayor Esteban de Alcazar admiral of these ships that I am despatching—a man of many years of service (some in Flandes), and more than fifteen years of residence in this country, whither he came as captain of an infantry company. He has also served in Terrenate, and reënforced those forts with the supplies that he took in his charge, in consideration of which your Majesty confirmed him in an encomienda, without debarring him therefrom because he was a brother-in-law of the fiscal. That relationship, however, no longer exists, because there is another fiscal, a man young in years and of little judgment, without services, merits, or any other qualifications to support his claims, not even for the office of government notary, which an uncle of his resigned. This man has tried to oppose my choice; he has had the audacity to demand the place, trying to disqualify the appointee with a suit brought by my predecessor, from which the royal Audiencia freed and acquitted him. Although I am certain that he [Esteban de Alcazar] is one of the most deserving of those who might be employed in this, I have chosen to send a sworn testimony in the form of a report (in duplicate), so that your Majesty, if such be your pleasure, may order it to be examined. Although any one might resent having to furnish an exoneration when there is no cause for the accusation, there is much more to resent here in the accusations which some are wont to write without any justification, and without the matter being known; for, by reason of the long time that must elapse before one comes to have notice of it and the truth of the matter is made known, he has already suffered much in darkness from an evil and unauthentic relation, and this is the truth.
According to the news received here of what has come in the said ships, the aid in silver and reals that has come on your Majesty’s account amounts to three hundred and fifty-two thousand pesos; while the supplies that I asked both this year and last come to less than one-third of the amount that was generally brought in several former years—for I am very careful not to exceed what is actually necessary and unavoidable, in order to save the so excessive expenses which were generally incurred in this; since other expenses are not wanting that render that saving very necessary.
The infantry does not amount to two hundred men, in three companies. If these men were that number, and Spaniards, it would not be so bad; but, although I have not seen them, because they have not yet arrived here, I am told that they are, as at other times, for the most part boys, mestizos, and mulattoes, with some Indians. There is no little cause for regret in the great sums that reënforcements of such men waste for, and cost, your Majesty. I cannot see what betterment there will be until your Majesty shall provide it, since I do not think, that more can be done in Nueva Spaña, although the viceroy must be endeavoring to do so, as he is ordered.
[Marginal note: “Have the orders held by the viceroys regarding this collected. All that he says for the benefit of the treasury is good. Thus I am trying to do on all occasions. In regard to the quality of the soldiers, have the viceroy of Nueva España informed that they must always be men who have served, and of the quality desirable. Those who were boys might be kept in presidios, and in places where there is not so great need of experienced soldiers. By placing them in other companies and in diverse services, they might supply the lack of other persons. Have a letter written to the viceroy of Nueva España, and a copy of this section and the answer to it sent to him. Have him advised to try, at the levy of these soldiers, that no places be given to any but persons who are suitable and useful for the Filipinas, for the contrary becomes a useless expense.”]
4th. I wrote to the viceroy last year that if, in any year in the future—through any misfortune, or for any other cause or obstacle that might prevent it—no ships from this country should reach those provinces, he should try to send what aid he could, as is usually requested, especially that of money; so that in case of such a lack, the need should not increase, or the danger caused when ships of this commerce do not sail. According to his reply, it seems that the viceroy does not dare assure it, because he doubts whether he can find ships in the ports of that country for that purpose.
Desiring to find some plan for the greater facility and less cost of sending these reënforcements, it has occurred to us here and has been considered a reasonable and feasible means and expedient to have them come by way of Panama. If your Majesty would be pleased to keep there one of the two ships that leave these islands for Nueva España, that would have very good results, if no obstacles thereto arise which we have not considered here.
The advantages are, that what infantry your Majesty pleases can come from España divided among the vessels of the trading fleet of Tierra Firme, that go to Puertovelo or Nombre de Dios. Their passage and the transportation of their food would not cost much, and the owners of the vessels might even carry them free for the concession of the register or permission for the voyage. If they left in due season, nothing would be lost, nor any soldier either, in the short passage which must be made, in order to embark at Panama from Cruces, a distance of five leguas. One can reach that place in boats by means of a river. In the same way, all the things shipped here from España can be transported, thus saving the vast sum generally incurred by the freight charges and carriage of the goods in Nueva España. This expense is caused by the long and dangerous road to Acapulco, and the rather long space of time from the arrival of the trading fleet at the beginning of September until the departure of our ships at the last of March—both in what the infantry consume and waste, and in those men of it who are lost.
There will also be another advantage if your Majesty should be pleased to locate there [i.e., at Panama] the reënforcements of money and provisions for these forts. For if the ships from this country, by any misfortune or other occasion for delay, should not arrive, as many ships as were needed could be obtained there, ready, in which to send the ordinary and even extraordinary succor that your Majesty might despatch; while in Acapulco there would be no such facility, or even possibility, in addition to the long and most costly voyage of the ships despatched thence. And, according as the despatch from Panama is considered and regarded, our ships, even if they should arrived there one month later, would leave the port earlier, and much earlier than from Acapulco, since the journey thence here is so safe and short, as experience has already demonstrated.