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COMPAÑÍA COSMOPOLITANA.

263

the Mexican provinces would not have done so well by far, either for themselves or for California.^[1]

In connection with the colonization project, a commercial company was formed, with the colony leaders and other prominent men as partners, about which little is known, except that it was called the Compañía Cosmopolitana, and that its object was to purchase a vessel and engage in the exportation of Californian products. Of course it was only by some such commercial scheme that the empresarios could legitimately hope for profit beyond the salaries of a few officials; and it is very certain that a patriotic desire to develop the resources of California was not their sole motive. General Anaya is said to have been president, and Juan Bandini vice-president, of the company. Agents were sent to Acapulco to purchase a vessel, securing the brig Natalia, to be paid for in tallow.^[2] A considerable sum was to be received from the government for transportation; effects to a certain amount could be smuggled on the first trip;

↑ Among those who came with the colony and have been more or less well known and prominent as citizens may be mentioned Ignacio Coronel and family, Agustin Olvera, José Ábrego, Victor Prudon, Francisco Guerrero, Jesus Noé, Mariano Bonilla, Zenon Fernandez, Auguste Janssens, Florencio Serrano, José Mᵃ Covarrubias, José de la Rosa, Gumesindo Flores, Francisco Castillo Negrete, Fran. Ocampo, Nicanor Estrada, Juan N. Ayala, Simon O'Donojú, and Chas. Barie.
↑ The brig Natalia was sold on June 21, 1834, by Miguel Palacios at Acapulco, to Bandini and other agents of the company for 7,200 arrobas of tallow payable in Cal.; and José Noriega was sent in her as supercargo to represent Palacios and receive the purchase value. He was to receive from the co. $50 per month and his expenses until his return to Acapulco. The vessel, as we shall see, was wrecked at Monterey; and as late as 1841 Noriega, who lived and afterwards died in Cal., had received neither his salary nor any part of the promised tallow, though there had been some legal proceedings in the matter. Letters of Noriega to Guerra, in Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 1003-4, 1107-9. Bandini, Hist. Cal., MS., 64-6, says Anaya, afterwards president of Mexico, was president and himself vice-president; and he states that besides Híjar and Padrés, Judge Castillo Negrete and Sub-comisario Herrera were partners, as were several respectable Mexican merchants. He says the vessel 'was paid for, and that without any mission tallow' (?). Ministers Lombardo and García, Vice-president Farías, and other prominent officials are named as partners by some Californians, perhaps without any authority. According to José Ábrego — letters in Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxi. 132; and in García, Apunte, MS., (appendix) — shares in the co. were $100 each; himself with Bandini and Oliver (Olvera ?) were sent to Acapulco to receive the Natalia; and the price was to be $14,000. Bandini says that the doings of the company were published in the daily Fenix early in 1834.

[1] Among those who came with the colony and have been more or less well known and prominent as citizens may be mentioned Ignacio Coronel and family, Agustin Olvera, José Ábrego, Victor Prudon, Francisco Guerrero, Jesus Noé, Mariano Bonilla, Zenon Fernandez, Auguste Janssens, Florencio Serrano, José Mᵃ Covarrubias, José de la Rosa, Gumesindo Flores, Francisco Castillo Negrete, Fran. Ocampo, Nicanor Estrada, Juan N. Ayala, Simon O'Donojú, and Chas. Barie.

[2] The brig Natalia was sold on June 21, 1834, by Miguel Palacios at Acapulco, to Bandini and other agents of the company for 7,200 arrobas of tallow payable in Cal.; and José Noriega was sent in her as supercargo to represent Palacios and receive the purchase value. He was to receive from the co. $50 per month and his expenses until his return to Acapulco. The vessel, as we shall see, was wrecked at Monterey; and as late as 1841 Noriega, who lived and afterwards died in Cal., had received neither his salary nor any part of the promised tallow, though there had been some legal proceedings in the matter. Letters of Noriega to Guerra, in Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., iv. 1003-4, 1107-9. Bandini, Hist. Cal., MS., 64-6, says Anaya, afterwards president of Mexico, was president and himself vice-president; and he states that besides Híjar and Padrés, Judge Castillo Negrete and Sub-comisario Herrera were partners, as were several respectable Mexican merchants. He says the vessel 'was paid for, and that without any mission tallow' (?). Ministers Lombardo and García, Vice-president Farías, and other prominent officials are named as partners by some Californians, perhaps without any authority. According to José Ábrego — letters in Vallejo, Doc., MS., xxxi. 132; and in García, Apunte, MS., (appendix) — shares in the co. were $100 each; himself with Bandini and Oliver (Olvera ?) were sent to Acapulco to receive the Natalia; and the price was to be $14,000. Bandini says that the doings of the company were published in the daily Fenix early in 1834.

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