return to New Spain. In Madrid he wrote a history of ancient Mexico, unpublished at the time of his death in 1753. On July 1, 1743, the British Admiral George Anson captured the China treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de Covadonga off the Philippines, en route from Manila for New Spain. The merchandise and the 1,318,843 pesos of silver ingots it was carrying were taken. Anson sold his prize for £400,000 in China. The viceroy was accused of perfidy in the affair, but of course nothing came of that. In 1744 there was a riot in Puebla over a minor religious point. The viceroy, in order to dignify his visit to the bishop, had ordered the bells rung. The population interpreted this as a sign of the canonization of a previous bishop, Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, which many people had been campaigning for. When that turned out not to be the case, they rioted. The viceroy ordered the troops of the garrison to suppress the riot, and there were injuries. The viceroy was criticized for this decision. Escandón expedition In the 1740s Spain, because of encroachments of the French from Louisiana and the English along the Gulf coast, decided that they would have to complete the conquest of the Seno Mexicano (the Gulf coast, especially Tamaulipas and Texas). A council of war meeting was held to consider this project from May 8 to 13, 1743. Various officers presented plans, and that of José de Escandón was chosen as the most comprehensive. The viceroy sent this expedition to explore and colonize Nuevo Santander (Tamaulipas), which left Mexico City on March 5, 1744. He became sick. He asked to be relieved his position and returned to Spain in July 1746. He died in Madrid August 6, 1752. See also José de Escandón Lorenzo Boturini Bernaducci Notes Sources 1687 births 1752 deaths Viceroys of New Spain Ambassadors of Spain to Austria Pedro 05 Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Knights of the Order of Alcántara People from the Province of Zaragoza Grandees of Spain