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in accordance with the royal order of March 18, he had published a proc- lamation to the inhabitants of the islands informing them of his royal will and calling for volunteers. He assured the king that all those who volunteered would be registered in a special book and that they would be sent as fast as opportunity offered. He expressed serious doubts, however, concerning his ability to execute the royal order promptly, due to the fact that the products of export raised by the islanders were few, and hence there were not many ships sailing to Yucatan during the year. The largest vessel in port had sailed on July 5 for Porto Rico with twenty-five families who were migrating to that island. He must now wait until another craft was ready to take the first consignment of volunteers for Texas to Campeche. He suggested that it would be well for His Majesty to permit some of the families destined for the pro- posed settlement to go by way of Havana, from where they could pro- ceed to Veracruz just as easily as from Yucatan. 7 This letter is significant because it explains why the settlers were chosen from the Canary Islands. The king in the original order expressed the opinion that the inhabitants of the islands had proved good settlers. Evidently the fact that these regions were closer to America than Spain was also a factor, but the chief reason was, perhaps, that the productivity of the islands was so poor that its people were glad that an opportunity presented itself to find new homes in more fertile lands. A call for set- tlers, therefore, always met with an enthusiastic and prompt response. This conclusion is borne out by a letter of the Intendant written on Sep- tember 19, 1723, less than two months after his acknowledgment of the receipt of the king's order. He now declared that in reply to his procla- mation, the two hundred families desired had already registered volun- tarily and were ready to be sent to Texas. But there were no ships sailing for Campeche and it might be a long time before even a portion of the settlers could be sent. Solicitous of the royal service, however, the Cabildo of the islands had proposed to him to outfit two vessels at its own expense to transport the families directly to Veracruz in order that they might reach their final destination with as little delay as possible. The Cabildo offered to pay all the expenses involved until they were turned over to the viceregal officials in Veracruz on condition that it be allowed to send two cargoes of products raised in the islands and to exchange them at that port. The Intendant explained that he was fully aware that such a pro- 7 Juan Montero, Intendant, to Marquis of Grimaldo, July 2 4, 1723. A. G. /., A udiencia de Guadalajara, 67-1-37 (Dunn Transcripts, 1710-1738).
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