HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



469 



APPENDIX I. 



The following despatch from Governor Mason, gives 

 an account of the state of affairs in Upper California, 

 in October, 1847 : 



HEADQUARTERS TENTH MILITARY DEPARTMENT, 

 Monterey, California, October 7, 1847. 



SIR : I returned from San Francisco yesterday, and 

 found here Mr. Toler, with despatches from Washing 

 ton, the receipt of which I have the honor to acknow 

 ledge. I am also informed by Commodore Shubrick 

 that the sloop-of-war Preble is ready to sail for 

 Panama, with Passed Midshipman Wilson as bearer 

 of despatches for the United States. I therefore avail 

 myself of the opportunity to send you my letter of 

 the 18th of September, with its several packages, and 

 now have to communicate the result of my visit to 

 San Francisco. 



I found the town flourishing and prosperous, with a 

 busy, industrious population of Americans, and refer 

 you to the copies of my military correspondence for the 

 steps adopted to give them a good town government. 

 The Bay of San Francisco, you are well aware, is a 

 spacious, elegant harbor, susceptible of the most per 

 fect defence ; but as yet nothing has been done 

 towards fortifying it, or even placing any of the heavy 

 guns in position at the old fort. It is found almost 

 impossible to get much work out of the volunteers ; 

 and all that I can now expect of the two companies 

 of Major Hardie's command will be to improve their 

 quarters at the old presidio. This they are at present 

 engaged upon, using lumber made at the horse saw 

 mill, under direction of the assistant quartermaster, 

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