The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 27 of 55: 1636-37; 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 27 of 55: 1636-37; 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
The noted _Memorial informatorio_ (Madrid, 1637) of Juan Grau y
Monfalcón, procurator-general for Manila and the Philippines at
the Spanish court, is here presented; it concerns the important and
long-debated question of the restrictions imposed on the trade of
the Philippine Islands with Nueva España. Certain measures have been
proposed to the Spanish government which the procurator regards as
dangerous to the interests of the Philippines, and he hastens to urge
against these proposals numerous forcible arguments. He claims that
the adoption of the former must result in the ruin of the citizens. And
thus the crown must either support the entire expense of the islands,
or abandon its hold on them--the former a heavy tax on its means, the
latter most damaging to its power and prestige. A royal commissioner
has been sent to Acapulco to investigate the revenue frauds alleged
there, which greatly disturbs those who are engaged in trade, both in
Nueva España and in the islands. The proposal to abandon the islands
has been revived; the procurator rehearses the arguments advanced
for this, and vigorously attacks them, urging that the possession
of Filipinas be maintained by the crown as is that of Flanders. He
proceeds to represent the importance of the islands, adducing many
arguments to show this: the dependence of the Malucos on Filipinas,
the size and number of those islands, the greatness and importance
of Manila, the mineral resources of the islands, and, above all,
their commerce.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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