has flourished without Manila and its commerce; on the other hand, the success and profits of that commerce have been caused largely by the work of the missionaries, especially in China. As for the Chinese who are converted at Manila (drawn thither by the opportunity for trade), they usually become Christians for selfish and worldly ends, and soon relapse into their former heathenism. They even have a proverb: "In Manila, [do] as in Manila; in China, [do] as in China." Their infidelity and atheism have a bad influence on the Indian converts, who learn many evil things from the Chinese, as also do the converts in China itself; and the citizens of Manila are reproached for their familiar relations with those infidels. They have also allowed the Chinese to get control of affairs and commerce in Manila, and the latter are living on their blood. In España, both canon and civil law prohibit intercourse with Mahometans and idolaters, and it is not long since the Moriscos were expelled from that country--notwithstanding "the great products of their industry, the tributes which they paid into the royal treasury, the commerce of the province [of Andalusia] which through them was greater than that of the other realms, and even (which is more important) their being the sheep [of the Church], which Manila says ought to be sought out and preserved; for, as it had been found impossible to secure the purity of religion by the means which the law set forth, it was necessary, in view of the duty of preserving and maintaining the holy Catholic faith in the kingdom in quiet, peace, and security, to expel and cast out those people. Accordingly, in order to preserve the faith in Philipinas, which is a matter that should receive careful attention, the prohibition of their commerce [with the Chinese] is necessary, which is of even less estimation than that of those expelled Moriscoes." In another section, Cadiz reminds the king that in the compilation of the statutes of the realm provision is made that no decree or ordinance which is contrary to law and right, or which is injurious to certain regions, shall have force; and this should apply to the decree of 1734 permitting to Manila the commerce in silks, since that has deprived the Spanish traders of their rights and privileges in the results of their commerce, and has ruined the silk industry in that country. Thus is greatly injured the prosperity of the provinces in which it was exercised; and this reacts on the entire kingdom of España, reducing so many artisans to poverty, causing them to abandon their families or their native places, and bringing many to idleness and crime. Cadiz again alleges the frauds in the Manila commerce, declaring that the goods sent to Acapulco are appraised at less than the fourth of their current value in Manila, and are sold at 100 per cent advance on that actual value; and that these illegal acts are promoted by the merchants of Mexico, in collusion