Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-11
Papers on the Early History Of
California.
PAPER No. 6.

roy Vi NiexlcOs desiring TO perpetu'
ate the evidence that Spain had
discovered the CALIFORNIA; and
claimed them as its provinces, sc
that no foreign nation should con.
test the right, addressed memo
randum to the King of Spain recit.
Ing all the events that had oc.
Cured in the department of Sar
Bias since the year 1768. We
shall extract the most interesting
part of this valuable document
even at the risk of repeating some
statements already made in ouI
previous papers.
The territory which was known
as the Peninsula of California in
cluded that land situate between
% degrees, 4S minutes north, and
30/ 30>/ degrees north, from the
Cape of San Lucas to the Mission
of Santa Maria de Todas Santos.
The capital of this peninsula was
Loreto, garrisoped by company
of cavalry mounted in the manner
of the country. A vessel brought
the provisions that were required,
and the royal treasury furnished
the priests thirty-two thousand
five hundred and twenty-five dol
lars annually, and these mission
aries were authorized to disburse
this sum as they saw fit so as to
preserve the soldiers in good order
and keep and improve the fifteen
missions which the priests had un-
der their charge.
There was a pious fund created
of the moneys collected by the zeal
of the Jesuit fathers for the pur-
pose of converting the California
Indians. The principai benefactors
and donors towards the pious fund
were the Marquis of Villapuente
and the Marquise of Torres de
Rada. Spain claimed as her terri
tory all the land north of Lower
California along the continent, for
their discoveries had extended to
the 43d degree of north latitude,
where the Rio de Los Reyes flowed; !;
for two centuries previous to 1858,
many expeditions had been sent
by Spain, the most important one
being, as already related, that of
General Sebastian Vizcaino in 1902.
1t was oD this last expedition
that Monterey and San Diego
were discovered. San Diego ought
to have been occupied ut that
time pursuant to the royal decree
of Phillip III. The delay was
most unaccountable, for 'it endan-
gered the new country, for the rea-
son that the Russians had sent sew
eral expeditions looking to the
conquest of the country, and they
could have easily accomplished it,
Spain being very weak in it's power
in the Pacific ocean. San Diego
and Monterey were not really oc-
cupied till 1853. The San Bias De-
partment was established with the
main object of vanquishing the
Seris anu Pima Indians, who were
desOlating Son ara, and of estah-
fishing commerce between the
CALIFORNIA; and San Bias. Missions
commenced to be founded soon
after the occupation of Upper Cali.
fornia, and the cost of their con.
structiOn was paid by the pious
fund which the Jesuits had cre-
ated and left when they were ex.
PEELED from the country. The ex.
penses of keeping the country
rs against the hostile Indians, in
Guiding Sonora, were enormous
The government, for the purpose OF
attending to the complete subjuga-
tion of the CALIFORNIA;, established
at San Bias all Office for the correct
and proper disbursement of mon.
eys, fixing the annual payment ut
$63, 800. An arsenal was estab.
lished at San Bias, a frigate and
two packet boats being assigned to
the place for the objects required.
Besides $92. 400 were assigned for
the payment OF officials, soldiers,
mechanics, ETC., this money being
taken from the royal treasury. The
expenses of missionaries and the
work Of conversion were taken
from the pious fund.
The Viceroy Don Antonio Buca-
reli did great deal towards the
development of the CALIFORNIA;.
During his administration WAS
founded the splendid port called
San Francisco. The road from Sono-
ra to Monterey was made practical
BILE, aud the communication be-
tween Monterey and San Diego
was improved, passing through
Santa Barbara. This last place
was peopled by very numerous
race of Indians, peaceful and do
cile. Through the Spanish Minister
to Russia, Count Larey, 1t was
found out that the Russians
had made some discoveries
on our northern coast. Orders
were given by the King to investi-
gate how far the Russians had
foothold and il necessary to
dislodge them by force. For this
purpose the force and means Of at
tack were increased at San Bias;
good officers and good vessels were
PluCCu W Auh tnO
coasts. To ascertain II the Rus
SLAMS had really psopled the ex-
treme north of the Pacific Coast,
the Viceroy sent the frigate Ssntt-
ago, under the command Of Don
Juan Perez, of the Royal Navy.
She sailed from San Bias on the
25th of January, 1774, touching at
San Diego and Monterey to leave
provisions for the settlers. She
reached the $50 49/ north latitude.
She landed her crew, who estab-
lished friendly relations with the
Indians. 1t touched at port
called San Lorenzo (probably
NOotka). The command returned
to San Bias on the Sd OF November
of the same year, having fully as
certained the fact that no foreign
settlement existed at any point on
the northern coast. Captain Cook
did not touch at Nootka until five
years after the frigate Santiago