Glory be to His Divine Majesty for
everything. These ships have brought two companies with one hundred
and twenty-four volunteer soldiers together, thirty-four sentenced
by justice to serve in these districts, thirty-two convicts for the
galleys, three hundred and seventy-eight thousand five hundred and
eighty-six eight-real pesos, in reals and in bars of silver, also arms,
military stores, and other necessary supplies for the use of these
strongholds and warehouses. Although the troops and money do not equal
what was asked from here--nor what is extremely necessary, because of
the very stringent need here of both men and money--according to what
I have heard of the difficulty in collecting this aid, and the labor
that it cost the viceroy of those provinces to expedite and send it,
he is greatly to be praised for it. I am under obligations to him;
but I find myself also obliged to entreat your Majesty to have him
urged in vigorous terms, saying that you consider yourself served
thereby, and to order him to continue it, doing the utmost possible
in the reenforcements asked from here. He should also be asked to
furnish those reenforcements in the same manner, in those years when
ships do not reach Acapulco from these islands because of having to
put back into port in distress, or from any other forced cause that
prevents their voyage; for it is certain that even if no ship arrive
there, the despatch [from Nueva Espana] should not be discontinued,
because of its vast importance for the welfare of this community,
and in order to bring provisions and reenforcements, as is usual and
necessary.
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