Page:History of California, Volume 3 (Bancroft).djvu/41

Rh like the prefatory remarks which I have quoted, the feeling on the subject in Mexico under the republican régime; and while as a whole it never became a law, it doubtless had an effect on subsequent legislation respecting secularization. In the colonization plan proposed by the junta a little later, the expense of bringing settlers from Mexico and an allowance for their support during a term of years were to be taken from the mission capital, which was supposed to have accumulated during the friars' administration; but the amount was to be 'equitably divided' between the sums due the missions for supplies and the funds actually on hand! Echeandía took some time to investigate the condition of mission affairs, and therefore did little or nothing this year which could indicate his policy.

Of the forty-seven vessels more or less clearly recorded as having been on the coast in 1825, seventeen were whalers; three were men-of-war; one was the national transport; respecting eleven or twelve we have only a mere mention, in some cases erroneous, of name and presence, with no information about their business; while of the remaining fourteen the objects, mainly