On the 15th of May, 1757, the Holy See passed a decree, which put an end to the controversies which existed in the kingdom of Tonquin, between the Dominicans, Augustines, and other followers of the cross, but it is unimportant to our purpose. Returning to the affairs of Manila. One of the good things which Señor Arandia effected during his administration, was the expulsion of the Chinese. He despatched all these heathens to their own country; and in order to prevent them in future from settling in the Philippines, he appropriated the quarter of St. Fernando for the reception of such Chinese as should come upon commercial pursuits, and who by the regulations established were to re-embark in due time, with the exception of such Christians as might be among their number, who were permitted to remain, and apply themselves to the cultivation of the land. The Spaniards who interested themselves in the residence of the Chinese in Manila, represented to the Governor that there would be a want of people to carry on the trade with the islands if they were expelled; and to obviate this difficulty, he established a company of native Spaniards and Mestizoes for that purpose, which, however, was found very incompetent to the task. The Asiatics being naturally very slothful, and consequently very fond of that kind of employment which procures subsistence without much labour, attain their object by buying and selling such things as are raised here, or imported from the adjacent islands for the consumption of the capital; and as they are poor miserable creatures, each has a very narrow and limited traffic, but there is scarcely one of them who does not employ himself very diligently. This superabundance of petty merchants makes the goods come very dear, because they pass through many hands before they reach those of the consumer, and as they turn but a very small capital, it is necessary they should each make a profit adequate to their maintenance; from all which it may be inferred, that far from there being too few Chinese in this trade, their number ought to be considerably reduced.