The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 48, 1751-1765: 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 48, 1751-1765: 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
40. In order that there shall not be such confusion, it would be
expedient to separate the storehouses, or divide what belongs to the
artillery and military supplies from all the rest; and to abolish the
dependence of the storehouses at Cavite on those of Manila, making
the regulation that in the said port be entered and unladen whatever
is necessary for the equipment of ships, galleys, and other vessels
of the king, without its being necessary that the vessels from the
provinces which come with property belonging to the royal account
should unlade their cargoes in these storehouses [at Manila], from
which various goods are sent back to the said port. This causes greater
expense, on account of the detention of the seamen, and because of
the vessels and men that afterward are employed in conveying to the
said port what [supplies] it needs, in which also they are exposed
to the uncertainties of the sea. This is avoided and spared by the
direct discharge of cargo in the said port, where, in fact, the main
storehouse ought to stand, because there three-fourths of the goods
belonging to the royal account are consumed.
41. The superior government gives orders for the hasty equipment of
some vessels to cruise against the Moros, and for other purposes. The
cordage, the sails, and all the rest, are sent from the Manila
storehouse; the said vessels set sail, and come to supply themselves
with provisions at these storehouses. Who does not see the loss of time
and the increase of expenses which are uselessly incurred, and which
could be saved if the storehouses at Cavite contained what they need?
42. Although what I have touched on in these last sections may seem
a digression from the object of this chapter, they will be excused
by those who remember what I had already stated in section 26, and
by those who think that the increase of tributes will facilitate the
increase of salaries. This measure will give the superior judges more
discretionary power for punishing the thefts and illegal acts which
are diminishing the royal patrimony, to the injury of the vassals--who
have no right to complain that those who render them faithful and
disinterested service should be well paid; but their right in justice
calls for punishment to those who, receiving suitable pay, satiate
their covetousness with the blood and sweat of those who are wretched.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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