1853. April 12--Prize of two thousand pesos and honor of a medal awarded to Don Cándido Lopez Diaz for the invention of a machine for cleaning the abacá. November 15--The sum of one hundred pesos is voted to the subscription for the necessities of Galicia. 1854. March 17--Contribution of five hundred pesos for aiding the necessities of the village of Tondo, in consequence of the fire which occurred there some time before that date. 1855. January 9--The society offers the government twenty per cent of its capital, without interest, for the improvement of the construction of public buildings; on July 23, 1857, money is paid out for public works. May 18--Gives information on the importance to the country of the government being favorable to the free exportation of rice. August 26--Project for instituting a school for small children. October 3--Distribution of elementary books provided by the society, treating of the cultivation of coffee, the preparation of indigo, and the principles of drawing. 1856. March 4--Report in regard to sending young men to Europe, in order that they may devote themselves to mechanical studies. 1856 [misprint for 1857?]. July 27--Votes a grant of one thousand pesos to purchase objects for the museum and preserve them with those already therein. December 12--Consideration of matters relating to a company for [operating] steamboats. [229] 1858. September 6--Scheme for rendering uniform the weights and measures of Filipinas. November 15--Consideration of two crops of rice in Filipinas, and report favorable thereto by Señor Govantes (a member), who furnished information on the mode of improving and making dikes without any cost or difficulty. In this interesting account of meritorious deeds we have omitted, in order not to make it too long, the numerous reports sent out by the society for draining marshes, loans of money for promoting agriculture and the mechanic arts, rewards to literary works, etc. We should state that at present [in 1875] the society holds the meetings provided for in its by-laws; and that each member, in order to defray in part the expenses of the corporation, contributes annually twelve pesos from his own funds. We do not doubt that it will continue its vigilant efforts, in order to realize, as far as possible its motto, "Public felicity." The chronological record of its resolutions from 1822 to 1860 also forms a memorial of the progress which has been made in this country in agriculture and industries; [230] and, although it is not strictly proper for this place, we set down here, in continuation, some data referring to the said acts, for the purpose of bringing together in this section of our work all the activities in which the said Economic Society has exerted an influence. 1822. November 25--Woolen cloth [paño] woven, the first in Filipinas, by one of its members, Don Santiago Herreros.