The rainy season commencing in June, puts a stop to the activity of trade, which usually goes on until its near approach. For although there is a demand throughout the year for plain cottons, and similar articles of general use, the trade in coloured goods is almost suspended during the continuance of wet weather, and as the traffic in kambayas, ginghams, handkerchiefs and all other coloured and fancy goods, is by very much the most important description of trade carried on at Manilla, the commerce of the place languishes considerably during the continuance of the rainy season. The goods imported from the Peninsula are of very small value, consisting principally of wines, olive oil, and eatables of various descriptions; for wherever a Spaniard lives, he would be quite unhappy without his _garbanzos_ or _frijoles_. From Germany and France also various descriptions of manufactures are sent, such as cutlery, toys, glass, furniture, pictures, &c., &c., in fine, an endless catalogue of small wares of that description. Having never seen any complete statement of the quantity, value, or proper description of the merchandise imported into the Manilla market, on which I should be inclined to place any reliance, owing to the absolute impossibility of collecting correct statistical information of the sort at that place, I do not presume to furnish such to the reader, even with that explanation. The goods imported from Liverpool or Glasgow, from which very large quantities of coloured goods are sent here, are always shipped in Spanish vessels at a very high rate of freight, being generally about double what British ships would be glad to take them for, did not the differential duties in favour of the Spanish flag put all this carrying business beyond their reach. A very large--in fact, probably by much the greatest--quantity of goods, is in consequence of this navigation law, carried by British shipping from our seaports at home to Singapore and Hong Kong, where, after having to stand several charges for coolie hire, landing, storing, and warehouse rent, till such time as a disengaged Spanish vessel for Manilla makes her appearance, and the number of goods at either of these intermediate ports accumulates in sufficient quantity to form a cargo to load her, they have to remain of course at a considerable loss, not only of the interest of money locked up in them, but besides the new charges for freight, insurance, &c., which must be incurred upon them, when transhipped to the place of their destination. In order further to protect their own shipping against the competition of other countries, they hold out the inducement to merchants exporting manufactures to Manilla, to embark them in a Spanish ship in Europe, by making the duties less on the goods so imported, to those merely brought from a short distance from our settlements in the neighbourhood of Manilla. The following are the rates:--