By the dispatches which, on this occasion, I send you duplicates as well as the original, you and your Royal and Supreme Council of the Indias will see the condition of this Port. The continued watch and worry I have. The continuous watch by day and night of the Infantry to repulse the hostilities of these enemies. The heathen not being as bad as the Christians who have risen and commit the most bloody deeds upon all those whom they catch, carrying off Indians as well as soldiers prisoners to the Carolinas, where they sell them into bondage. For the execution of this they have a different set of soldiers stationed at the terminus of all the roads leading to this Garrison. I am forced to send out troops on foot and horse to accompany any party going out to fell and saw timber for the much needed repairs of the ramparts, gather wood, coal, etc. I began these repairs as soon as I took possession, otherwise the whole thing would have been demolished and left us with no defense whatsoever. These repairs cannot last long, for the reasons I have already repeatedly informed you, and lastly, the great need the Royal Troops have of rebuilding the ramparts, quarters, warehouses and roofs that they may stay in at all. To save you such enormous expense as each day occurs, it will be necessary to fortify the place at once, because with the English in such close proximity as the Carolinas, this Port is in the greatest danger of being lost, as the troops are defenseless and needy as you have been repeatedly informed, and you have given such stringent orders that the Viceroy should supply all that is needed for the expulsion of these English, and for which I have done my part far as possible, as you will see from the consultation I had with him on the 10th of April of this year, an account of which I rendered your Majesty. Notwithstanding the risk of encountering these enemies, no occasion is lost of going out to find what is needed and necessary for the preservation and defense of the Port. Cutting and sawing timber for the stables and artillery, the most important things--the soliciting of supplies that we may not be in want as the entire Garrison and neighborhood depend entirely upon the Royal Warehouses for their sustenance, as I long ago informed you on the 24th of March. I am hourly awaiting my successor, to whom I shall give all needed instruction regarding the defense of this Port from the enemy. I have decided to surrender as far as possible the execution of the repairs I have mentioned that he may apply all that he gets to the service of the two Majesties; that this Garrison may be maintained for the propagation and extension of the Holy Gospel, as has been done by the good Catholics, the Kings, your predecessors of a hundred and sixty years, at such enormous expense with no other interest than to shelter with these arms the Workers of the Apostolic faith to the greater honor and glory of God. May He preserve your Majesty.