When I arrived in this country the royal buildings were demolished, and there was no place for the Audiencia to meet, nor for the residence of your Majesty’s servant who governs here.  I therefore used all my efforts to erect royal buildings which should be substantial, and they have been built, and are at present finished off with hewn stone.  There are three suites of apartments:  one toward the street, in which the Audiencia meets, and where the royal seal is; a second toward the sea, where I live; and the third is situated in the middle, where resides Doctor Morga, auditor of this royal Audiencia.  It will be expedient to continue work on this building until it is made large enough for the rest of the auditors and officials of the royal Audiencia to live in.  I assure your Majesty that they suffer inconveniences in coming from their homes to the Audiencia and its sessions, in so intemperate a climate; and if they lived together they could attend better to the service of your Majesty.  To put this work in the state in which it is, ten thousand pesos, which was its cost, were borrowed, as there was no money in the royal treasury, from the funds of the fourths; and I wrote to Mexico to send me that amount in order to pay it back.  This has not been done, and I beg your Majesty to order the viceroy to send that sum of ten thousand pesos, since it was spent in a work so important for the service of your Majesty; and to send as much more to continue the work, if that already used be considered well spent.

18. That houses of stone were built for the cabildo and in them was placed the coat-of-arms which your Majesty granted to this city.

I also found this city without houses for the cabildo and that the regidors with great inconvenience and little dignity were going about seeking the houses of citizens for the meeting of the cabildo.  At the expense of the city funds I have built some good stone cabildo buildings on the plaza here, and in them is placed the coat-of-arms which your Majesty presented to this city.  With these and other buildings which have been built during the time I have been here, or are now being erected, this city is much improved in appearance.

19. That the powder-house being too near and in an unsafe position, a vault was made in the fort of Santiago, where it is now kept.

I found the powder-house in an unsafe place, and as it is so necessary to guard and preserve the powder, I ordered a vault of stone to be made in the fort on the point called Santiago, where it was put and is now kept with entire safety.

20. That it is necessary to establish religious instruction in the Ladrones; and, as it cannot be sent from here, I have written to the viceroy asking him to order the officers of the ships from Nueva Espana to leave ministers there.