Torre, Governor and Captain-General of that Island, by letter dated December 4th, 1771, concerning what you had done in consequence of the warning given you in the affair of the aforementioned families, explained by my Judge, and consulted me regarding it about the last of December past. I have resolved (among other things) to send the aforementioned open Mandate which has been obtained from his Holiness to certify to you the enlargement and extension of time granted the aforesaid Dr. Campos and Padre Casanovas and charging you (as I do) to use all means that are proper for your Pastoral Ministry and those of his Holiness, it has latterly been conceded you--having present by Chapter 28 of the Mandate, you can communicate it to all the Priests whom it may effect, and as the notice given you by the referred to Royal Cedula of August 16th, 1771, you will attend to and aid spiritually all the Catholics of Florida, this being my will. THE KING. Madrid, August 4th, 1773. * * * * * _Excellent Sire_: I enclose you a copy of a letter and statement which by my order was sent in by Lieutenant of Hibernians Don Nicholas Grenier, upon his return from the River St. Mary’s where since my arrival I have placed him rather as a Commissioned than a detached Officer, as I have before notified your Majesty, because it has seemed to me that is the most important place in this Province as no doubt it will be in the future, on account of its fine and accessible Bar, the abundance of magnificent timber, the thorough knowledge the English have of the river, the scarcity of this nation for building material would be a stimulus to the Bahamas as well as to Satavento and Barlovento, that in future they should be supplied from them. In a previous report I stated to your Majesty the necessity I felt for two vessels for said river and the St. John’s, but today I consider it my duty to make known to your Majesty the great need we have of vessels, and would ask that you send a Man-of-war with some schooners, launches and boats around as reserve guards, not only for the St. Mary’s, but the St. John’s also, where the Bar, although not as many feet deep as the St. Mary’s, is better and its waters are navigable for larger vessels thirty leagues up the river, and its banks abound in magnificent timber, especially the pine, from which the English have taken many millions of barrels of turpentine, pitch and tar. I also consider it important to have the armed vessels to secure the tranquility of this Country and put a restraint upon the many disturbers of peace who not knowing where to go and wishing to remain in the Province refused to be subjected to Government or laws of any kind. It is certain that in such cases a few armed vessels would make more impression than two regiments since the swamps and woods make it almost impossible for them to operate. The twenty-five Dragoons I now have are