In my Letter of the 11th of last Feby.1 I had the honor of acquainting you for the information of Congress, that General Galvez & Don Diego Gardoqui had arrived at the Havanna; the latter in Quality of Envoy from the Court of Madrid to the United States;2 in this letter I mentioned what I learned from those Gentlemen respecting the Mississippi, since which period I had the honor of having several conferences with them which enables me to pronounce; that though they are very sanguine in their expectations from what they call Right of Conquest as well with respect to Territorial limits, as the exclusive right of Navigating on the Mississippi as far as their assumed rights extend, Yet they are very diffident of the admissibility of their claims on the part of the United States, and notwithstanding the full powers to Treat which Mr. Gardoqui will produce to Congress, I am well authorized to affirm that in case of the expected difficulty in determining the limits, he is instructed to correspond with General Galvez, previous to a final adjustment of those limits, who I believe is fully impowered by his Court to conclude Ultimately with the United States3. General Galvez appears to be strongly impressed with the Idea that all the Natchez settlement falls within the Province of Florida, and Consequently that the British Court neither had a right to cede any part of that Province, to the United States, nor to grant them any right of Navigating on the Mississippi within the same4

It may be proper that Congress be informed, that soon after the Peace of 1763. His Britannic Majesty by his Charter to the Province of Georgia, extended its limits to the 31st Degree of No. Latitude upon the Mississippi, and after Governor Johnston5 was appointed to the Administration of West Florida; the Inhabitants of the Natchez district Petitioned him to take them under the jurisdiction of his Province on account of the inconveniency they labored under from the Georgia seat of Government, being so distant from their settlements, The Governor & Council at Pensacola took into consideration the Natchez Petition & transmitted a Copy of their proceedings to the British Court, recommending the request, of the Petitioners and that the limits of his Government should be extended to the river Yassaw6 and in the mean time assumed the Jurisdiction of that district, but this proceeding never was confirmed by the Court of Britain.

I cannot positively ascertain the extent of their Claims to Territory, upon the East side of the Mississippi, but from an anecdote that happened in 1780, I concieve they mean to assume Territorial Rights far beyond the Natchez district, for when Col. Montgomery of the virginia Troops was at a place called the English Arkensaws about 400 Miles above the Natchez, on his way down to Neworleans, in order to get supplies from me for his Men, he had planted the American Colours, at that place when a Spanish Officer Capn Devillia7 came over from their Post, and Buried under ground, in a Tin box, the Colours of Spain as a Symbol of his having taken possession of that part of the Country, I doubt not that Congress must be well informed, that the Navigation of the Mississippi will always be impracticable (supposing it acceded to, on the part of the Court of Spain) unless a reciprocal Liberty be reserved to both Nations to land occasionally upon either side of the river and this must in a certain proportion be equally necessary to the subjects of Spain, as to the Citizens of the United States settled in the interior parts of that Country.

I come now to mention some remarks I made during the gloomy confinement and tedious detention of my Person for debts I contracted on account of the United States, what information they contain I collected from the Archives and other unquestionable authorities, without exposing myself to the suspicion or Jealousy, that pervades every branch of the Spanish Government. I communicate those remarks in the hopes, that they may be of some service to my Country in forming the Basis of the Treaty to be proposed by the Spanish Envoy; or perhaps they may at a future period convey some new & useful Information. I have the Honor to be with all due respect Sir Your most Obedient and Most Humble. Servant

[Enclosure]

State of the Military and Naval Forces in Cuba

[Havana, 3 June 1785]

The following is the present State of the Military and Naval Forces upon the Island of Cuba, Vizt.

At the Havanna and its environs 100,000 Souls, which may be brought under three equal ^different^ descriptions. Vizt One third nearly White, and one third of Colour, and the remaining third Black, and throughout the other parts of the Island about another 100,000 Souls, of the like proportion in Colours.

In the number mentioned at the Havanna, and its environs, is comprehended the King’s and Hibernian Regiments of regular Troops, each of which ought to consist of 1377 Men, but they are at present very incomplete. The Havanna Militia consists of four separate Corps, vizt a Regiment of white Infantry a Battalion of Horse, one regiment of coloured, and another Regiment of Black Infantry each 1377 Men—They are all well disciplined but were they put to the Test, I am of opinion the trial of them in Prowess would do them little Honor, the most able bodied men are of the Clerical Order; their number about 2,000 Priests and Friars, and 500 Noviciatures who occupy fourteen Churches or large Convents.

With respect to the Country Militia, they are much dispersed over the Country, that ^little^ efficient Aid could be expected from them upon any emergency whatever.

Their Fortifications are all very strong, particularly the Moro, and Cavañas, at the Entrance of the Harbor, & St. Theresa, at its Head, but the strongest Fort, called Fort del Principi on the land side, is not finished.

Their marine at present consists of only one 74 and 2 Frigates in good Order, but badly manned. They have a Ship of 100 Guns upon the Stocks, but through the want of Money, the Carpenters employed in building the Ship, as well as the workmen upon the Fortifications are stopped from proceeding in their several works. Government at this time owe to its Subjects at the Havanna, about four Million of Dollars, and proportionate Sums at the Mississippi, Porterico, and St. Domingo, but speedy payment is expected from the exertions of General Galvez, who is gone to Mexico in the Quality of Vice Roy.

The Inhabitants of the whole Island of Cuba, may without any exception be pronounced universally dissatisfied, with the heavy Yoke imposed by their despotic System of Government, and they doubtless will, at some future period, eagerly embrace the earliest favorable opportunity, to shake off the galling chain, nay even the Military part are far from being pleased with their situation.

The following is the exports from the Havanna, for two successive Years, taken from the Custom House Books—Vizt,

in 1783	in 1784
642.344 Arobas8 & 17lb. of white Sugrs.	431.968 Arobas & 18lb. of white Sugars.
426.737 ..... 17 of Clay Do.	314.979 .....   5 of Clay Do.
8,760 Barrels of Spirits	9,489 Barrels of Spirits
507 do. of Molasses	283 do...   of Molasses
693ars. 18lb. of Coffee	417ars. 2lb. of Coffee
203,067ars. 20lb. Tobacco in Leaf... 35,624..16 Snuff on acot. of the King	30,613ars.18lb Snuff & Leaf for the King 79.349.18
300..8 Snuff	246.— snuff & Tobacco for Indivils 468.6lb
224..8 In Leaves for Individuals
9.206.17 Bees wax	13,044.18 Bees wax.
4.111.—Jugs of Honey.	252.5 Starch.
223.ar Starch	132.—of guyacum
112.776. Pistoles	700 of Granadillo
377. Ounces, or Doubloons	444 Mahogany Plank
9.824.864, milled dollars & 6 rials	238 Cedar
3,805 Marks in Ingots	186,266 Pistoles
53,778 Raw Hides	1446 Ounces or Doubloons
6,762.do. Dressed	3.041.896. milled Dollars
	1.241 marks in Ingots
	34.457 Raw Hides
	3,909 Dressed Hides
	111 Barrels Pitch
	147 do. Tar.

The slightest view of the Soil and attention to the happy Climate of this Fertile Island must force conviction, that were the Inhabitants permitted to purchase Slaves, proportioned to their abilities to pay for them, their exports in the several Articles of Produce would be increased many fold, for no industry is to be expected from the exertions of the white Inhabitants of that region of Sloth.

To form a proper opinion of the amount of the Cash exported from the Havanna, the above account is not to be solely relied on, for in order to save the Heavy Duty of 9 PCent, upon all Money exported, many run the risk of smuggling it, on board of outward bound Vessels, consequently Monies so exported cannot appear upon their Custom House books; Perhaps not less than one third may be added to the exportation of the Gold and Silver Articles.

The necessary Annual Imports, exclusive of Dry Goods.

Barrels of Flour..............................		40,000 Bbls.
Beef, Pork, Rice, Gammons, Hogs Lard, Butter,		40,000 Bbls.
Cheese, Spermacite Candles, Bees wax, Apples,
Potatoes, Codfish, Beer & Cyder, Masts, Yards,
Iron & Steel suposed to be equal to............
all which Articles may be at least estimated to amount to 800,000 Dollars.