26 APPENDIX, NO. II. 



thereby enrich themselves and gather strength to make war 

 against us. 



It is of great consequence also to supply those posses- 

 sions with soldiers for their defence ; and this we might do 

 with great facility by means of this strait, and prevent our 

 enemies from becoming masters of them, as mioht be the 

 case for want of soldiers and assistance. And God being 

 willing, by means of this navigation we should have an 

 opportunity of converting the inhabitants of those parts, for 

 whose souls it pleased God to suffer — which would be, if not 

 the greatest of all advantages, certainly not the least. Many 

 other things might be offered in favour of this navigation — 

 the most essential, however, is evidently how to prevent the 

 great disadvantages which would result from not examming 

 and fortifying the Strait of Anian ; for since it is no longer a 

 matter of doubt that such a place exists, as I testify to have 

 seen it myself, it is very evident how great a misfortune it 

 would be were it discovered and fortified by our enemies, who 

 are endeavouring to find it with great earnestness, as we 

 know that last year (IGO8) they sent out a ship from England 

 to look for it. The Strait of Anian being occupied by our 

 enemies, would occasion serious injury to us ; as on ac-r 

 count of their vicinity to it, they might easily send through, 

 it their fleets which, divided into squadrons of thirties, 

 might make themselves masters of the possessions of New 

 Spain and Peru ; where, declaring to the natives of India 

 freedom and liberty of conscience, it is probable that many 

 of them, if not all, would go over to them ; and thus they 

 might strengthen themselves \n those seas to such a degree 

 that we, having no place from whence we might quickly 

 send succours, might be irrecoverably deprived of our terri- 

 tories ; and this danger is so much to be feared, that even 

 if we were not assured by our own eyes that in the South 

 Sea exists this strait, we should be anxious to seek for it, 

 in order to fortify it, or to undeceive ourselves if there be 

 no such place, and to satisfy our minds that no such dange^^ 



