The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55: 1620-1621; 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.
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55: 1620-1621; 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
Grana costs five or six cruzados per codo at Goa, and even seven
and eight.
A pipe of wine is generally worth forty or fifty cruzados at Goa,
and the fine and good wines ninety-five. However, the latter is not
taken to China; and that of the first-named price is sold in Machan,
where it is worth eighty or ninety cruzados per pipe.
One million of gold and upward enters China yearly through the
Portuguese alone.
The Portuguese pay anchorage at Machan according to the beam and
length of their ships, and whether they enter light or laden. The
length is measured from the mizzenmast to the bow, and the beam from
edge to edge. According as the ship is larger or smaller it pays. The
[standard of] measure is one _cana_, and so much is paid for each
measure. Consequently, a ship of three hundred toneladas will pay
three or four thousand taes of silver. The Portuguese formerly paid
the said anchorage in brasil-wood and in other merchandise which
they carried; but for two or three years past they have had to pay
it in silver. They do not like that as well as the other method. If,
perchance, the ships have to lay up for the winter, even if they are
the ships of the inhabitants of Machan themselves, they have to pay
without any remission.
_Memorandum of the retail selling prices of wares in Canton_
The tae of fine gold is equivalent to seven of silver. One cate of musk
is sold for eight taes. Raw silk at eight taes per pico. The contrary
kind, or twisted silk [_sirguin_], which is the best of the country,
one hundred taes per pico. Good pieces of damask, seven taes; a piece
contains fourteen varas. Other pieces of common silk, ten varas for
one tae three maces. Vermilion, forty taes per pico. Copper, seven and
eight taes [per pico]. Quicksilver, forty taes per pico. Herd-bells,
eight maces per pico. White lead, two and one-half and three taes per
pico. Cotton, eight taes per pico. Fine powdered vermilion, seventy
maces per cate. One ranquel of fine porcelain, one tae two maces;
fine dishes, fifteen maces per ranquel. Large fine dishes, five maces
apiece. Medium quality earthenware is worth one and one-half maces
per ranquel, both chinaware [_porcelana_] and dishes. Fine pieces
of taffeta of all colors, from Lanquin, each piece containing about
twelve codos, are worth two and one-half and three taes. Large pieces
of certain damasks, which contain sixteen varas, are worth twelve
taes at the least and fifteen at the most. Common earthenware is
worth less than one real per ranquel, either dishes or jars. Wheat
is worth four maces per pico, and eight in flour. Rice is worth
three and one-half and four maces per pico. One cow is worth four
taes in Macan. One pico of flour, delivered in Macan, one tae two
maces. Pork is worth two taes in Macan and one and one-half taes in
Canton, per pico. Fowls, two taes per pico. One pico of salt fish,
two taes and more--or less, according to the fish. Two cates of fresh
fish, one conderin.
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