Note 2 — Letter from Fajardo to the King

Bancroft (History of Mexico, iii, pp. 28, 38) characterizes the viceroy Guadalcázar as a weak and somewhat indolent ruler, in whose term corruption flourished; but of Gelves he says: “He broke up effectually the trade in contraband goods between Acapulco and Peru.... He removed the royal officials having charge of the supplies for the Philippines, putting clean-handed men in their places; and in consequence the amount of supplies sent to that colony was greater than ever before.... [Note:] In 1622 the value of these supplies was nine hundred thousand dollars, and in the following year two-thirds of that amount.”