Miscellaneous Records Collection

Miscellaneous Records Collection. Subject Ports The subject Ports, from the Miscellaneous Records Fund, covers the border dates from April 16, 1776 to January 2, 1894 and is composed of different types of documents, which reflect the arrival of Canarian immigrants to the Port of Matanzas. It consists of a total of 10 files. The opening of the port of Matanzas was authorized by the Crown on December 3, 1793, which resulted in technological possibilities, which increased with greater economic development, starting on February 10, 1818, when freedom of trade was declared for Cuban ports. We must clarify that the oldest documents, which are found in this matter, are prior to the creation of the port, but they were included in it since they deal with the entry of boats, through different parts of the city, being a testimony of the smuggling activity or rescue trade, which was carried out at the time. In the subject of Ports, the researcher can find heterogeneous documents that attest to the entry into Matanzas of Canarians and relatives, such as: passes, landing tickets, lists of vessels and crew, royal orders, circulars, communications, reconnaissance of ships and newspapers of the time. Through the analysis of the content of the disembarkation tickets, which are official printed models, it has been possible to learn information related to the regulations to which immigrants arriving at the port of Matanzas were subject. These tickets were attached, on the back, with warnings written in three languages (Spanish, English and French) and which specify the following: Every immigrant had to present this disembarkation ticket at Customs, to extract his luggage and also had to present it to the owner of the house or establishment where he was going to settle. To move to the interior, it was necessary to apply for a transit pass or license. The pass was obtained in the first month, by simply showing the ticket and the license was issued, upon presentation of the certificate of identity of the Commissioner or Pedáneo, being valid for one year. Fees for these tickets were not charged to young people under 16 years of age, who came without resources, to the solemn poor, shipwrecked and military or public employees, who arrived destined for the island, or passing through in question of service. Any Canarian who entered without a passport, or violated any of the above requirements, incurred a fine of $10.00. No foreigner could reside on the island for more than three months without obtaining a domicile card. No one was exempt from compliance with the Bando and orders of the Interior and Police in force in colonial times, without class or nationality preferences. The disembarkation slips included the immigrants' particular details, including height, age, hair color, eyes and eyebrows, and type of forehead, nose and beard. In addition, they required professions, day of arrival at the port and name of the vessel. They were signed by the Assistant Ship Reconnaissance and subsequent orders were given to the Chief of Police of the neighborhood where the immigrant lived, for control. They also had to be recorded in the Books of the corresponding Police Stations and Guards. The passes were registered in the Registry of Transients by the respective Pedáneos or Commissioners. These documents are also official printed models, which collected data similar to those on the landing slips. It should be made clear that immigrants "left no unfinished business in their country of origin." These passes were valid for 15 days and only for the transfer to the place indicated. Anyone traveling without a license would be fined $10.00, or if they became suspicious for other reasons, they would be arrested. Abuses were frequently committed in the transportation of settlers from the Canary Islands, which was evidenced in some documents. For example, in a letter from His Excellency the Superior Political Governor of the Island, addressed to the Brigadier Governor of Matanzas, a copy of the Havana Gazette is attached, where a Circular of the Superior Chief of the Canary Islands is inserted, relating to the need to prevent such abuses. This Circular was ordered to be published in the local newspaper (Aurora del Yumurí) by the Brigadier Governor, for his knowledge and effect. This communication is dated January 15, 1849. We located in La Aurora del Yumurí, preserved in the Gener y del Monte Provincial Library, this Circular, which was published on Wednesday, January 24, 1849. It highlights and specifies all the necessary measures to ensure that the abuses committed in the embarkation, transportation and settlement of the Canarian settlers were stopped. These measures were proposed by the White Population Commission. The President or Deputy of this Commission was in charge of ensuring that these measures were complied with, which consisted of providing the settlers with lodging and food, ensuring that the freight of the passage did not exceed $20.00. The colonists had to conform to contracts that established the term of time for 1 year, salary, food, and clothing; in addition, medical assistance. They were discounted for these expenses, in addition to the freight. The White Population Commission would take care to place these Canarian settlers in the houses of people of good morals and impeccable morals, who had to pay within 3 months of the settlers' placement the total costs of each of the passengers, this payment being obligatory for the owners. Other interesting information shows that immigrants had to present a guarantor, who would take care of them. Various documents reflect how this procedure was carried out. Immigrants could not disembark without their surety addressing a written notice to the Brigadier Governor, clearly explaining that these persons would be employed by him and confirming that they agreed to pay the bond assigned to them. In general, these guarantors had a certain economic solvency, which allowed them to guarantee the commitment contracted. Valuable information is reported, in the documents of the subject Ports, related to commercial establishments, companies, pastures, coffee plantations, etc., that belonged to these guarantors. The places where the Canarians were going to live are also indicated in these originals. In relation to the passage, it is specified, in several documents, that the price from the Canary Islands was established by the owner of the boat. In some documents we detected that it amounted to $50.00, of which $20.00 was paid in the Canary Islands and then the other $30.00, is paid by the guarantor upon the arrival of the canary at the port. Thus, it can be seen that these prices were not officially established, abusing the ignorance and need of the Canarian settlers. In this matter there are some communications from Canarians, who returned to their country after some time residing in Matanzas, including the name of the vessels, their captains and date of departure. Letters of morality and conduct, endorsing the honesty and industriousness of the Canarians, issued by people with whom they worked, are also part of this matter and are of great interest. The Royal Orders are documents of the time that deserve special attention. In this matter we find some, regulating and approving Regulations of the Captaincy General of the Royal Consulate and Mercantile Commission of the City of Havana, for the regime and government of maritime mail ships from Havana to the Peninsula and vice versa. Sanitary measures of the Superior Board of Health and the Royal Protomedicato of Medicine and Surgery, to prevent the spread of epidemics on the island, especially cholera morbus, had to be complied with by the Military Adjutant and Captaincy of the Port of Matanzas. When the ships arrived at the port without the health license, they were quarantined. These patents had to be approved by the Higher Government Board of Medicine and Surgery. There are various files dealing with the Assistantship and Reconnaissance of the Port of Matanzas, with lists of ships in which their nationality, names of captains, number of passengers, crew members and goods entering the port are recorded; which reflects the commercial relations of the colonial era in our city. Shipwrecks and combats between ships are other topics of interest and novelty that stand out in this rich and varied documentation, which can be consulted by users who come to our Information Use Room. With this first attempt to get closer to the location of primary sources, related to the Canarians who entered through the Port of Matanzas in the nineteenth century, we have been able to start a statistic of islanders, recording their names and surnames, occupation, place of origin, date of arrival, name and type of the boat, owner of the boat, captain and name of its guarantors... (Annex 3). With the study of the documents written in old Castilian, belonging to the subject of Ports, the style of the time to process and regulate everything concerning the establishment, domicile and employment of Canarians is revealed, and the authority that the Governor had to control, through the Commissariats and Wards of Neighborhoods, everything that these matters required. The study of Canarian immigration is an exciting topic for those researchers, archivists and professors who are linked to the cultural roots of the first settlers of our city of San Carlos and San Severino de Matanzas. This work aims to demonstrate the extraordinary historical value of the documents that are preserved in our Provincial Archive, belonging to the subject Ports, of the Miscellaneous Records Fund; Register of Associations Fund and Chapter Acts Collection. We dedicate this research to the memory of the first settlers of the City, as a tribute of eternal gratitude and respect.