In view of this letter from Viceroy Linares, and of other documents, whose contents do not concern this writing, it was agreed by the Council (after having listened to the fiscal), by a decree of the second of March, 1715, that this collection of papers [Expediente] should be kept until the commissary of Philipinas (who, it was learned, was coming to the court) should arrive; and that in the meanwhile all the previous documents which the Council might possess in regard to this commerce should be collected together. PERIOD V Of the information given by the commercial interests of España, in regard to the injuries arising from the Philipinas trade; and orders given by his Majesty in the year 1718 prohibiting the [trade in] the silk fabrics from China. 45. As the result of the memorial sent to the king by the consulate and commerce of Nueva España (which his Majesty was pleased to refer to the Council), in which they described the backward condition in which their trade was, and stated the arguments why the trading-fleets annually sent to that kingdom [from España] should not be continued, the Council agreed that the consulate and commerce of Sevilla should give a report upon their opinion of this memorial, calling together for this purpose in a general conference all the shippers and merchants who were in that city; and that their discussions, proposals, and joint opinions should be exactly copied, with the individual opinions which were offered, and the whole sent to the Council. 46. The body of traders having assembled in Sevilla on January 27, 1714, in order to comply with the order of the Council, and the importance of this matter having been discussed at length in the conference, it was unanimously agreed that the injury arising from the notable, frequent, and large importation of foreign goods which had been made throughout America had been very pernicious to the commerce of Sevilla; and that it was impossible that that commerce should return to its former condition if those importations were not checked--which they had entreated his Majesty to do in repeated remonstrances, which they now made again, trusting that the earnest and truthful utterances of vassals so faithful as they could not be displeasing to the royal ears.