"Of Inky Depths and Paper Sheets: Archival Aids and Pathways in Finding Shipwrecks"

This important research guide by Dr. Lawrence Feldman will be available soon as an interactive CD-ROM, at a price of $149.95 - only through Odyssey.

Whatever treasure you seek, be it metallic or paper, you must remember that archival Spanish documents relating to shipwrecks are not placed in well-organized files. They are hidden in boxes of cargo invoices, tax returns and pleas for disaster assistance.

This extensive reference work focuses on how to find obscure information in the ancient Spanish archives, specifically documents that relate to shipwrecks and maritime history.

It is intended as a guide that provides an entry point into the vast literature of hard-to-find works that describe the contents of many of the archives throughout the world.

Following is the Table of Contents of the CD-ROM to give you a glimpse of the type of information you'll find there:

1. Looking for Wrecks

-A Need for Background

-Catalogues of Shipwrecks

-The Paper Trail

2. The Archive of the Indies (AGI)

-Looking for the Past in Modern Seville

-Where to Begin

The Audiencias, the Geographical Divisions of the AGI

The Agencies, the Non Geographical Divisions of the AGI

Contratación and Contaduria

Consulado

Indiferente General

Escribania de Camara and Justicia

Estado

Correos

-A Modern Myth

-Computerization

-How Long Does it Take

-Reference Guides for the Archivo General de Indias, Seville

3. Archivo General de Simancas (AGS)

-Working in the Castle

Marina

Hacienda

Estado

-Finding Aids and Research at Simancas

-Reference Guides for the Archivo General de Simancas

4. Forgotten Spanish Archives

-Where are they?

Colonial Ministry

Naval Ministry

Army Ministry

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Consulado

Libraries

Private Archives

Notarial Repositories

Spanish Newspapers

-How does one get into these archives?

-Where does one start the investigation?

-Useful Publications

-Reference Guides for the Forgotten Hispanic Archives

5. Beyond the Ocean Sea: Archives in the Americas and Asia

-Mexico

The Archivo General de La Nacion (AGN)

Other Mexican Repositories

-Central America

Guatemala

Panama

-The Spanish Antilles

Jamaica, Trinidad and Hispanola

Puerto Rico

Cuba

Florida and Louisiana

-South America

Peru

      Archivo Nacional del Perœ (AHP)

      Archivo... del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores

      Instituto de Estudios Historicos Maritimos del Peru

Ecuador

Colombia

Venezuela

Chile

Argentina

Uruguay

-The Philippines and the Marianas Islands

6. In Alien Lands, Data from Outside of the Hispanic World

-Early Newspapers

-Northern European Repositories

Great Britain

      Public Record Office

      National Maritime Museum (Greenwich London)

Denmark and Sweden

France and Holland

The British West Indies

7. Sandy Hints and Other Final Suggestions

-A Necessary Skill

-Getting Your Foot in the Door

-How to do it Fast

-Sandy Paper

8. Important Facts

-The Money

-The Sailors

-The Cannon

-The Ships

- Measurements of the Past

Linear Measurement

Weights

- The Wrecks

9. A Glossary of Nautical and Geographical Terms

10. References Cited

11. Indices

-Geographical Index

- Subject Index

-Index to Shipwreck Locations (for Part 8, Important Facts)

-Index to Shipwreck Names (for Part 8, Important Facts)

List of Tables

1. Contratación Libros de Rexistros

2. Papers of the Fleets, Manuscript bundles of Contratación

3. Ships, returning in convoy and alone, Manuscript bundles of Contratación

4. Contratación, Consulados, Comercio (Indiferente: Bundles 1951 - 2765).

5. Letters pertaining to Americas Fleets in Indiferente .......................

6. Digitization at the AGI 28

7. Consejo y Juntas de Hacienda, Reports on Gold and Silver of the Indies.

8. Viso de Marques files with possible Shipwreck Value

9. Notarial Manuscripts for the Ports of Cadiz and Seville

10. Archivo Nacional (Cuba) Files of Potential Interest for Shipwreck Studies

11. Archivo Nacional del Perœ Files of Potential Shipwreck Interest

12. Archivo Nacional de Historia (Quito) Files of Possible Shipwreck Interest

13. Files of Possible Shipwreck Interest at the Archivo Nacional de Colombia

14. Files of Possible Shipwreck Interest in Caracas Venezuela

15. Files of Possible Shipwreck Interest at the AGN in Buenos Aires

16. Files of Possible Shipwreck Interest in the Archives Division (Manila)

17. Repositories for Early Newspapers

18. Pay Scales for Officers and Crew of the Silver Fleets in 1623

19. Artillery in the galleons of General Pedro Bello

20. Hispanic Sailing Ships of the Past

21. List of Shipwrecks, 1515 - 1895

22. List of Hispanic Derroteros