expectation that the Spice Island might be reached
by a northern route, a casa de contractacion was
established in Coruña and from that port Estevan
Gomez sailed on his exploring expedition. ¹

Four years later, in 1529, Charles V. authorized
ships to sail to the Indies from Coruña, Bayonne,
Aviles, Laredo, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Cartagena,
Cadiz, and Malaga, provided that on their return
they reported at Seville. ² This last condition was
unfavorable to any considerable export trade of
agricultural products from the islands, and in 1532
the audiencia of Española petitioned that the
colonists be allowed to carry sugar, cassia, hides, and
other products of the island, not only to Flanders,
but to other European ports, asserting that it was
the restriction of their trade to Seville which was
most ruinous to the islands. ³ Any relaxation,
however, of the monopoly of Seville was strenuously
opposed by her merchants and by the other towns
in Castile, and there is a doubt whether the decree
of 1529 was ever actually put into opemtion; ⁴
certainly the arrangement was of short duration.
Again in 1540 the authorities of Española com-
plained that prices were depressed by restriction to
Seville ships, which were inadequate to carry off
their sugar, hides, and cassia. ⁵. In 1558 ships from

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