Provincias Internas 15 
ished in 1710, the year before his death. 419 pp., plus table of 
contents. 
(This is the work on which Ortega, the author of Apostédlicos Afanes, 
based his account of Kino, and about which various guesses have been 
made. See Bolton in the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of 
America, vol. VI.) 
Memorandum (Razon) of the first book formed in California, on Oct. 1, 
1705, signed by Jayme Bravo. Loreto, July 24, 1742. 
“Forma, Planta, y Medios para reducir toda la Pimeria.” By Luis 
Xavier Velarde. Dolores, May 19,1715. (Copy made by Gaspar 
Stiger.) 
Official visitation (Visita) of the missions of Sonora. 1742. 
Relacion by Christobal de Escobar. Undated (1742 ?). 
Original Sonora correspondence, royal cédulas, etc., to 1746. 
PROVINCIAS INTERNAS. 
(INTERIOR PROVINCES; 254 volumes. ) 
The term Provincias Internas (Interior Provinces) was at first used in 
New Spain in a general sense to designate the frontier provinces, but after 
1776 the expression had a technical meaning. During his residence in Amer- 
ica the wisitador, Joseph de Galvez, prepared plans for the reorganization of 
the government of New Spain, including the separation of the northern prov- 
inces from the jurisdiction of the viceroy. The change was effected by a royal 
order of August 22, 1776, which erected into a new government the provinces 
of Nueva Viscaya, Coahuila, Texas, New Mexico, Sinaloa, Sonora, and the 
Californias.” These provinces were put under the military and political gov-. 
ernment of a commandant-general of the Interior Provinces (Comandante 
General de las Provincias Internas), directly responsible to the king, and 
practically independent of the viceroy, the Audiencia of Guadalajara retain- 
ing the judicial authority which it had hitherto exercised. Says Bancroft,” 
“ Practically the change was the setting-off of a new viceroyalty.” 
The commandant-general was invested with authority over the political, 
judicial, and financial officials of the provinces, and enjoyed the royal patron- 
age (patronaio real) with respect to the appointment of curates. Nevertheless 
his position was primarily a military one, and his chief duty was to organize 
and protect the difficult frontier, twice as long and little less troublesome than 
the Rhine-Danube frontier of the Roman-Empire. With him were associated 
an auditor de guerra and asesor (military judge and attorney-general, or 
legal adviser), the two offices being combined in one person. 
Chihuahua was selected as the seat of the new government. In 1780 Arispe 
was made the capital, but soon Chihuahua again became the official head- 
quarters. The first commandant-general of the Interior Provinces was Gen- 
eral Theodoro de Croix (better known as El Caballero de Croix), brother of 
the viceroy of the same name. Galindo Navarro came from Spain as the first 
auditor de guerra and asesor. 
The new scheme of government was an experiment, and changes were made 
in rapid and long succession. Finding his territory too large, Croix recom- 
mended the appointment of a comandante inspector, which was made in 1782, 
the place being filled by Felipe de Neve, governor of the Californias. In 1783 
Croix became viceroy of Peru and was succeeded by Neve, and he in turn by 
*§ Belefia, Recopilacién Sumaria de todos los Autos acordados de la Real Audiencia y 
Sala del Crimen de esta Nueva Espatia (Mexico, 1787), I., pt. III., 290-2901. 
*4 North Mexican States and Texas, I. 636, et seq. 
