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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 18 of 55: 1617-1620; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century — John Shaqi

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 18 of 55: 1617-1620; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources

Various abuses in the equipment, lading, and management
of the trading vessels are pointed out, with the corrective measures
that should be taken. The fertile and healthful province of Nueva
Segovia is neglected, and its population is decreasing; this should
be remedied by the colonial authorities. Rios Coronel asks for the
appointment of a competent and reliable shore-master to aid him
in the equipment and despatch of the ships, and for more thorough
inspection of what is done by royal officials in the islands; for
the latter purpose he recommends a choice from several ecclesiastics
whom he names. The Moro pirates still ravage the islands, and the king
should permit them to be enslaved by any one who may capture them. The
head-hunting Zambales and Negrillos of Luzon continually harass the
peaceable Pampangos; and this can only be stopped by allowing the
Pampangos to enslave these foes when captured. The Filipino natives
have been almost ruined by the exactions of forced labor imposed upon
them by the Spaniards, especially in the building and navigation of
vessels. Rios Coronel says: "As I have seen personally, and as all the
inhabitants of that country know, the galleys of the Filipinas are
their destruction." Rios Coronel describes the sort of vessel which
should be used in the islands (one of which he has built at his own
cost), and asks that such be furnished for the use of the colony. The
garrison at Manila is insufficient and demoralized; and the writer
makes various recommendations for improving its status. Many persons
in the artillery service are incompetent; the writer demands a sort
of civil-service test for those appointed to such places. He also
asks for a competent artillery-founder. Better provisions should be
made for the ecclesiastical government of the islands. He asks that
silver bullion from Japan may be legalized as money in the Philippines;
and concludes with the request that the religious and the officials
there be compelled to treat the Indians more kindly. A letter by Rios
Coronel, included in this document, is deferred to _Vol_. XIX.

The Editors
August, 1904.





DOCUMENTS OF 1617-1618



    Letter to Felipe III. Andres de Alcaraz; August 10, 1617.
    Trade between Nueva Espana and the Far East. [Unsigned and
    undated; _ca_. 1617].
    Events in the Filipinas Islands, 1617-1618. [Unsigned];
    June, 1618.
    Description of the Philippinas Islands. [Unsigned]; 1618.
    Dutch factories and posts in the Orient. [Pedro de Heredia];
    [1618?].
    Memorial regarding Manila hospital. [Unsigned]; 1618.
    Letter to Felipe III. Alonso Fajardo de Tenza; August 10, 1618.
    Letters to Fajardo. Felipe III; December 19, 1618.
    Filipinas menaced by Dutch. Joan de Ribera, S.J.; December
    20, 1618.



_Sources_: The first, and last four, of these documents are obtained
from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the remainder,
from MSS. in the Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid.

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