The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941 Page: 85
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Documents Relating to Pierre Laffite
any storms other than those of the north which are always
strong northwesterlies. The ships that Your Excellency may
send to reconnoiter the coast will find no safe passages nor
harbors. It would be well to have them commanded by intelli-
gent officers and pilots who, while discharging the principal
object of the voyage, should chart the coast and take observa-
tions which might serve in the future for giving a knowledge
of those places; since it is indubitable that if at the moment
one is not able to hinder the enemy's establishment there, the
evils that it would cause to our trade, the encouragement that
it would give to the interior insurrection in Mexico, and the
compromising situation in which it would place the Internal
Provinces, would oblige our Government to send a formal ex-
pedition to dislodge them from those [places]. And in this
matter Your Excellency cannot fail to observe how advanta-
geous it would be to have an idea of the places and some
data on the means of entrance and exit that may be found
there, and particularly of the place where they [the rebels]
are to be established.
When I know definitely the place that the enemy will select
for their establishment, I shall inform Your Excellency. Mean-
while I can only say that the part of the coast to watch is from
the Island of San Luis [Galveston] to Matagorda, including
both points. Perhaps the official pilot of the navy, Don Jos6
de Evia, can give some information about those places, or desig-
nate some pilot for them.
This consulate, like all the Spaniards who zealously aid us
in the service of the State, being reduced to an absolute lack
of pecuniary means, it would be advisable for one of the vessels
that Your Excellency may detail to these voyages to touch at
the Balize from where its boat could be sent [to New Orleans]
under the pretext of bringing letters or despatches to the
consul and we would then use the occasion to inform Your
Excellency as to the course of recent developments. It would
be impossible to do so otherwise, since the occasions are infre-
quent and we are unable to increase them because of the stated
lack of means, which results in a delay of despatches which will
always be harmful to His Majesty's service. [All] of which I
call to Your Excellency's attention, hoping that you will have
the goodness to communicate it likewise to the Most Excellent
Lord, the Viceroy of New Spain.
On this occasion I give Your Excellency my most expressive85
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941, periodical, 1941; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146052/m1/93/?rotate=270: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.