The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 47, 1728-1759 / 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

by Unknown

ACTIVE MISSIONS

There are at present thirty-nine apostolic missionaries, distributed among twenty-one active missions which are situated in various places and provinces, who are engaged in the conversion and settlement of the infidels who dwell in the mountains in the greater number of these islands. Of these, one is a secular ecclesiastic; four belong to the calced Augustinian religious; five are discalced Franciscans; twenty are Dominicans; two belong to the Society of Jesus, and seven to the Augustinian Recollects. Aid is given to them on the account of his Majesty, in accordance with his royal decrees, by the stipend of 100 pesos and 100 fanegas of rice to each missionary, and with the military escorts necessary to their protection and to the safety of the subdued Indians. Likewise they receive a monthly allowance for these men, of one peso and one cavan of rice [for each], to which is added the cost of transporting this provision to the places where they are, which sometimes amounts to as much as the value of the principal. The mission which now is especially considered to have made the greatest progress and advancement is that established in the mountains of Ytuy and Paniqui in the province of Cagayàn, in charge of the religious of the Order of St. Dominic—who, penetrating into the country, a task which had previously been greatly facilitated by the calced religious of the Order of St. Augustine, have brought that province into communication with the others in this great island (something which formerly could not be done, except by sea), with great harvest of souls who have been converted to our holy Catholic faith. These costs are stated in the following summary, that which belongs to each mission being given separately.

Summary of the expenses which the active missions which are mentioned occasion to the royal exchequer.

Provinces	Missionary ministers	Cash,		Rice,	Wine,	Oil,
		pesos	tom.	cavans	arrobas	gantas
——[15]	2 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts andtransportation	331		472
Pampanga	4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts andtransportation	960		1,088
Idem	4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation	820		1,016
Idem	2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation	480		544	2	150
Pangasinan	3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation	537		744
Idem	2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation	412		544
Ylocos	1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic	100		200	1	75
Cagayàn	13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation	4,030	4	4,352
Laguna de Bay	1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation	189		272
Tayabas	2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation	616
Mindoro	1 Augustinian Recollect	151	5	200		75
Camarines	2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation	412		544
Zebu	2 Augustinian Recollects	200		400
10 provinces	39 missionaries, in 2 missions	9,239	1	10,376	3	300
		p.	t.[16]	cavans	arrob.	gantas

Ministers, and villages of converted Indians; the stipends and offerings which they enjoy on this account, according to the number of tributes to whom they minister.

All the Indian neophytes—settled in four hundred and fifteen villages and fifty-three visitas, which compose the twenty-one provinces of the territory—have their ministers of religious instruction, who exercise toward them the office of parish priests. These ministers are aided on his Majesty’s account, in accordance with the regulation made by the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi while he was governor of these islands, which was approved by royal decree of April 24, 1584. They received a hundred pesos and a hundred fanegas of rice for every five hundred tributes to whom they minister, and the contribution of wine and oil which was ordained by the late royal decree dated September 15 in the year 1726—enjoying this without any limitation of time. The separate provinces and number of ministers, and the amount of expenses, will be shown in the following tables:

Summary of the stipends which each religious order is entitled to receive for the mission villages and ministries that it has.

Secular ecclesiastics

Provinces	Curates,sacristans, and chaplains	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Manila	2 curas, with their sacristans	551	3	6			2	150
Tondo	3 curas, with 3 sacristans	743	2	11	200		3	225
Cavité	2 curas, and 2 sacristans	517	5		200		2	150
Mindoro	1 cura and 1 sacristan	223	3	11			1	75
Laguna de Bay	3 curas	396	1	9	57	4	3	225
Balayàn	2 curas	327	3	2	654	19	2	150
Cagayàn	1 cura and 1 sacristan	358	0	1	164	14	1	75
Idem	1 chaplain for the fort	180
Ylocos	2 curas and 1 sacristan	770	7	3	1,358		2	150
Camarines	6 curas and 1 sacristan	1,022	7	4	694	9	6	450
Tayabas	3 curas	253	4		307		3	225
Albay	10 curas	1,173			2,346		10	750
Zebu	1 cura and 1 sacristan	275	5	9			1	75
Idem	3 curas	766	4	2	797	19	3	225
Ogton	2 curas and 1 sacristan	458	1		364	19	2	150
Panay	3 curas	517	7	2	1,035	19	3	225
I. de Negros	4 curas	723	2	4	1,446	14	4	300
Leyte	1 cura	79			138		1	75
In 16 provinces	49 curas, 13 sacristans,and 1 chaplain	9,338	3	4	9,764	21	49	3,675
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

Religious of St. Dominic

Provinces	Ministries	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Tondo	2 ministries	391	0	9	782	4	4	150
Pampanga	5 ministries,,	220	6	4	441	14	9	375
Cagayan	20 ministries,,	1,517	0	9	3,034	4	33	1,500
Pangasinan	15 ministries,,	2,534	1	7	5,068	8	26	1,125
In 4 provinces,	42 ministries	4,663	1	5	9,326	6	72	6,150
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

Discalced religious of St. Francis

Provinces	Ministries	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Tondo	4 ministries	416	7	2	833	19	9	300
Bulacan	4 ministries,,	611	0	9	1,222	4	5	300
Bay	24 ministries,,	1,492	1	7	2,984	9	28	1,800
Cagayàn	1 ministries,,	44	3	2	88	19	1	75
Camarines	18 ministries,,	1,883	0	9	3,766	4	20	1,350
Tayabas	11 ministries,,	1,312	6	4			17	825
In 6 provinces,	62 ministries	5,760	3	9	8,895	7	80	4,650
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

Calced Augustinian religious

Provinces	Ministries	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Tondo	6 ministries	1,224	4	9	2.449	4	15	450
Bulacan	9 ministries,,	1,077	4		2,155		13	675
Pampanga	18 ministries,,	1,416	4	9	2,833	4	30	1,350
Pangasinan	3 ministries,,	368	4		737		4	225
Ylocos	19 ministries,,	2,843			5,686		25	1,425
Balayàn	6 ministries,,	933	1	7	1,866	9	10	450
Zebu	3 ministries,,	441	7	3	516	4	4	225
Ogton	14 ministries,,	2,164	7	2	4,329	19	21	1,050
Panay	10 ministries,,	1,098	2	4	2,196	14	11	750
Bay	1 ministries,,	122	0	9	244	4	1	75
In 10 provinces,	89 ministries	11,690	4	7	23,013	10	134	6,675
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

Society of Jesus

Provinces	Ministries andchaplains	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Tondo	9 ministries	710	2	4	1,420	14	16	675
Cavite	4 ministries,,	546	4	9	1,093	4	6	300
Mariveles	1 ministry,,	62	4	8	125	4	2	75
Mindoro	3 ministries,,	212	4		425		3	225
Zebu	15 ministries,,	1,661	7	2	3,323	19	17	1,125
Ogton	1 ministry,,	112	4		225		1	75
Idem	1 chaplain for the fort	180
I. de Negros	3 ministries	238			476		3	225
Leyte	32 ministries,,	3,433	0	9	6,866	4	32	2,400
Samboanga	3 ministries,,	300			600		3	225
[Idem]	and for their transportation	75
In 9 provinces	71 ministries and 1chaplain	7,532	3	8	14,554	21	83	5,325
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

Discalced religious of St. Augustine

Provinces	Ministriesandchaplains	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Tondo	1 ministry	17			34		3	75
Mariveles	2 ministries,,	226					3	150
Mindoro	4 ministries,,	315	6	4	631	14	7	300
Pangasinan	4 ministries,,	265	5	7	531	9	10	300
Albay	2 ministries,,	156	3	2	312	19	4	150
Zebu	2 ministries,,	171	6	4	343	14	6	150
Panay	2 ministries,,	210			420		4	150
Caraga	7 ministries,,	606	7	2	1,213	19	11	525
Idem	1 chaplain for the fort	180
Calamianes	4 ministries	398	4	9	797	4	7	300
Idem	1 chaplain for the fort	180
In 9 provinces	28 ministries and 2chaplains	2,728	1	4	4,284	7	55	2,100
		p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

In order better to understand these tables, no estimate is made, in the class of secular ecclesiastics, of the additional sums which many of them enjoy from the treasury besides the amounts from the tributes to which they minister, for the amount required for their subsistence, in accordance with the royal decrees and acts of the treasury council obtained at the beginning of their establishment; and this surplus causes the disparity which cannot fail to be noticed. In the province of Tayabas, which is administered by the religious of St. Francis, there is no charge for rice, since this is always included in the amount of cash [supplied from the treasury]—as was agreed between this order, the governor, and the royal officials, on account of the scarcity [of supplies] in that province, and the difficulties which are found in the remittance, transportation, and delivery of that commodity.

It is also set forth that, after the budget for the provinces was drawn up, and the number of tributes in them realized, it was resolved in a conference of the royal treasury officials to abolish the register of strolling Indians, reducing them to a poll-list like the rest of the tribute-payers. According to these latest enumerations the amounts of the stipends are settled, and not in accordance with those which were considered in the aforesaid budget—from which fact arises the difference which is found in this one.

Summary of the amounts of stipends and contributions

Ministries	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
	p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1chaplain—[seculars]	9,338	3	4	9,764	21	49	3,675
42 ministers, religious of St.Dominic	4,663	1	5	9,326	6	72	3,150
62 ministers, discalced religious of St.Francis	5,760	3	9	8,895	7	80	4,650
89 ministers, calced Augustinianreligious	11,690	4	7	23,013	10	134	6,675
71 ministers and 1 chaplain of theSociety of Jesus	7,532	3	8	14,554	21	83	5,325
28 ministers and 2 chaplains of thediscalced Augustinians	2,728	1	4	4,284	7	55	2,100
Totals	41,713	2	1	69,839		473	25,575
	p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

General summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.

	Cash			Rice,		Wine,	Oil,
	p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas
Four cathedral churches	26,490
Colleges, hospitals, and other houseswithout administration	15,326	4		4,924		158	2,319
Grants of encomiendas, and their netproduct	7,817	4	1
Encomiendas in which collections aremade by the royal treasury
Active missions, summary	9,239	1	4	10,376		3	300
Stipends of ministers in charge ofdoctrinas	41,713	2	1	69,839		473	25,575
Totals	100,586	3	6	85,139		634	28,194
	p.	t.	gr.	cav.	gant.	arrobas	gantas

This is, in brief, what his Catholic Majesty piously expends and distributes every year from his royal exchequer in aiding the ecclesiastical estate and the divine worship in these islands, not only in money but in rice, wine, and oil—in everything conforming to the royal decrees and other provisions, on which is based the certified statement furnished by the royal officials to this government. And, in order that the total amount from both [these kinds of aid] may be better understood, I have thought it best to proceed to the reduction of commodities [to a cash basis], by which may be exhibited the actual cash value [of all that is given for this purpose].

Reduction of commodities for the computation of the whole in cash

[Class of aid]	Commoditiesfurnished		Rates of cost		Cash value,
					p.	t.	gr.
Actual cash					100,586	3	6
Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)	85,139	cavans	4	tomins a cavan	42,569	4
Wine for masses (arrobas)	634	arrobas	25	pesos an arroba	15,850
Oil for the lamps (gantas)	28,194	gantas	1	tomin a ganta	3,524	2
Sumtotal 162,530 p., 1 t., 6 gr.

Consequently, the payments in kind being reduced to money at the prices which are indicated, according to the estimate made every five years—in which are considered the transportation expenses, items of waste, and cost of administration—the whole amounts to 162,530 pesos, 1 tomin, and 6 granos, according to the computation. This amount is annually requisitioned by the royal officials from the amount of the tributes and other branches of income indifferently, in such a manner that when the Indians fail—either in order to keep a reserve, or for some other special reason of scarcity—to pay the portion of rice which is required from them, it is necessary to make extraordinary purchases on his Majesty’s account, at the prices which at the time are current, in order to furnish the ecclesiastical estate with a suitable amount for their stipend. It is also necessary that the aid for each individual ecclesiastic be delivered, at the cost of the royal treasury, in his respective place of ministry, from which follows an increased and extraordinary expense in the transportation of these succors.

As regards the wine for masses, the royal officials of this treasury usually ask those of Mexico to send in each ship 500 arrobas of wine, which, it is estimated, ought to be distributed among the communities and ministries of the religious—considering that the secular ecclesiastics are accustomed to receive this in money, at the same rate of twenty-five pesos [an arroba]. The officials of Mexico punctually fill this order, deducting from the situado the cost of purchasing the wine and transporting it to the port of Acapulco—so that, when delivered in this city, and allowance being made for the waste, the total cost never falls below twenty-five pesos [an arroba]. As the aforesaid waste is usually considerable, on account of the long navigation and carrying the wine in [mule-] loads by land—and from the amount thus sent is separated, in the first place, the wine necessary for the use of the royal chapel and of the chaplains of the royal Audiencia, [and for the celebration of mass in] the forts of Santiago and San Phelipe, at the timber-cutting [by the Indians], and in the ships of his Majesty—there is seldom enough wine to furnish the entire arroba which belongs to each priest. For this reason the net amount of what remains is divided pro rata among the aforesaid communities and ministries of religious, without keeping back the third part (as formerly was the custom) for emergency cases, on account of the urgent representations made on this point by the general procurators of the aforesaid communities—giving as their reason that this reserve would be safer and better guarded in their hands than in the royal storehouses, and there would be reason to fear that the wine would be consumed or adulterated. The matter having been considered at a session of the royal treasury officials on December 5, 1738, it was decided that the royal officials should proceed to deliver the wine, obliging the parties concerned to provide for themselves whatever lack might occur in the future, to which all agreed; in virtue of this, from that time was delivered to them all that was their share in the pro rata division of the net amount of all the wine that was on hand for this purpose.

As for the cocoanut-oil for the lamps, there is seldom any change in the amount paid to the churches; for it is the current practice, in all the provinces where that tree grows, that the Indians contribute it on account of the tribute, at the fixed price of one real for a ganta, and at the same price when it must be purchased, which the natives call “bandala.” If there is any excess of cost, it is in the fact that oil is bought on urgent occasions in this city for the careening of the vessels and other special needs of the royal service—for which as regards the contributions [to the churches], only so much is levied [from the Indians] as accords with the amount agreed on [with them].

Besides this enormous amount of stipends and offerings with which his Majesty aids the ecclesiastical estate, the ministers in charge of the villages of Indian converts have generally introduced the annual collection, from the parishioners under their administration, of three reals from each whole tribute (that is, a man and wife) and from an unmarried man half that amount, as an offering, for the feasts of the titular saint of the village, the monument, and All Saints’ day; this also realizes a considerable sum for them, which may be more clearly understood by the statement which is presented in the following table:

Summary of what the ministers who are in charge of the Indian villages receive from their parishioners, as an offering, for the three feast days of each village.

[Class]	Ministers	Villages	Tributes		Offerings,
					p.	t.	gr.
Secular ecclesiastics	49	86	32,254		12,095	2
Religious of St. Dominic	42	42	23,316	½	8,743	5	6
Religious of St. Francis	62	66	25,520		9,570
Calced religious of St.Augustine	89	93	56,923		21,346	1
Society of Jesus	71	90	35,524	½	13,321	5	6
Discalced Augustinians	28	38	11,276	½	4,228	5	6
Totals	341	415	184,814	½	69,305	3	6

Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ tributes of native Indians, mestizos, and Christian Sangleys—according to the latest estimate, in which is included the enumeration of strolling Indians—receive for the aforesaid offering each year 69,305 pesos, 3 tomins, and 6 granos, according to those figures. It cannot be learned that for the exaction of this offering they have further permission or privilege than the custom itself, introduced by those very ecclesiastics and religious in their respective parishes; nor in this accountancy is there any other evidence for it than the extra-judicial information acquired by the alcaldes, the natives, and the business men of the provinces, who have seen this practice in use in the manner which is here stated. The amount of this offering added to the 162,530 pesos, 1 tomin, and 6 granos which those ministers receive in stipends and contributions on his Majesty’s account, makes the sum of 231,835 pesos, and 5 tomins, which is the amount of the fixed revenue which they receive. Besides this, they have the proceeds of the occasional fees from marriages, burials, baptisms, and other parochial dues, which are collected in all the parishes that are called curacies and ministries; and no account is rendered of the value of these, because it has not been possible to calculate it everywhere for the total computation of the usufruct, but it has always been considered as a large amount. Notwithstanding all this, the religious orders have their incomes lessened by transporting a large number of religious from the kingdoms of Castilla to these islands, at least every six years. In this way they consume a great part of their means, since the passage-money which his Majesty grants them for their transportation is a very limited sum. More than all, we must not fail to remark that the fine appearance of the churches, and the care taken for divine worship and education, and the zeal for souls, which are so conspicuous in the ministries of the religious, cause more admiration than can be expressed, in places so remote as these and in a Christian church so recently formed. The point most worthy of consideration is the subordination and reverence which these natives maintain toward their religious teachers, permitting the latter to flog them, impose penances on them, and rebuke them, when they incur blame in any omissions or faults, without their being offended at the minister. It may therefore truthfully be affirmed that it is these ministers who preserve in obedience, vassalage, and subjection all the neophytes, gathered into settlements—more being due to the authority and despotic manner in which the fathers rule them than to the political scheme of the alcaldes who govern them. This arises, as the Indians themselves admit, from a natural fear which they conceive for the father’s superiority, through a hidden influence which constrains them to feel thus, without knowing how, but which we understand—supernatural effects of the lofty and supreme Providence. This result is greatly aided by the care which the fathers take in instructing, encouraging, and stimulating them in labor and cultivation, and the management of their domestic affairs, in which they are thereby benefited. Would that they might devote themselves at once to suppressing the variety of languages which the natives use (which serve only to keep alive the root of their abuses and idolatries), as is done by the crown of Portugal in all its conquests—gradually bringing them to the use of the Castilian language, and endeavoring to secure instruction therein in all the schools, as is ordained by law xviii, book vi, tit. i of the Recopilación of these kingdoms, in order that its purpose, so holy and just, may be attained. But I have not been able to find a convincing reason for their not putting this law into execution, although I have made efforts to ascertain if there were any. It may therefore be inferred that some insuperable and hidden difficulty must have been encountered on the part of the religious who are ministers in the doctrinas, which has hindered the useful and desirable progress of this Christian maxim of policy.

Index of the plans, relations, and descriptions which are contained in this book

Reason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,[17] stating it. Folio 1.

Concise description of the city of Manila. Fol. 3.

Description of the castle of Santiago. Fol. 9.

Plan and topographical chart of the capital, Manila, and of the castle of Santiago. Fol. 11.

Description of Cavite, with all the industries which are contained therein. Fol. 13.

Plan of Cavite, and of the castle and Ribera. Fol. 23.

Description of Playahonda, with its plan. Fol. 25.

Description of Fort San Francisco at Cagayàn, with its plan annexed. Fol. 29.

Description of Fort Santiago at Ytugud, with its plan. Fol. 23.

Description of the fortification San Joseph at Cabicungan, with its plan. Fol. 37.

Delineation of Fort San Pablo at Tuao, with its plan. Fol. 43.

Description of Fort San Joseph at Capinatan. Fol. 47.

Description of Fort Santa Ysabel at Calamianes, with its plan. Fol. 51.

Description of the fort of Cuyo. Fol. 55.

Description of the fort of Linapacan. Fol. 59.

Description of Fort San Juan Bauptista of Lutaya. Fol. 63.

Description of the fort of Culion. Fol. 67.

Description of the fort at Capis, capital of the province of Panay, with its plan annexed. Fol. 71.

Description of the fortification of Romblon. Fol. 75.

Description of Fort Nuestra Señora del Rossario at the port of Yloylo, with its plan. Fol. 79.

Description of Fort San Pedro at the city of Zebu, with its plan. Fol. 83.

Description of Fort San Joseph at Cagayàn,[18] with its plan. Fol. 87.

Description of Fort San Francisco Xavier at Yligan, with its plan. Fol. 91.

Description of Fort Santiago at Dapitan, with its plan. Fol. 95.

Description of Fort San Joseph at Tandag, capital of the province of Caraga, with its plan annexed. Fol. 99.

Description of Fort San Francisco at Cateel, with its plan. Fol. 103.

Description of Fort San Juan Bauptista at Liñao, with its plan. Fol. 107.

Description of Fort Nuestra Señora del Pilar at Samboangan. Fol. 115.

Plan of Samboangan. Fol. 115.

General résumé of the fortifications, their various constructions, situations, etc. Fol. 117.

General résumé of the military supplies. Fol. 118.

General résumé of the military forces, pay of the men, etc. Fol. 119.

Description of the provinces. Fol. 120.

Province of Tongdo. Fol. 120.

Province of Bulacan. Fol. 122.

Province of Pampanga. Fol. 124.

Province of Pangasinan. Fol. 126.

Province of Ylocos. Fol. 128.

Province of Cagayàn. Fol. 130.

Province of Laguna de Bay. Fol. 133.

Province of Balayan. Fol. 136.

Province of Tayabas. Fol. 138.

Province of Camarines. Fol. 140.

Province of Albay. Fol. 142.

Province of Leyte. Fol. 145.

Province of Caraga. Fol. 148.

Province of Zebu. Fol. 150.

Jurisdiction of Island of Negros. Fol. 153.

Province of Ogton. Fol. 154.

Province of Panay. Fol. 156.

Province of Calamianes. Fol. 158.

Jurisdiction of Mindoro. Fol. 160.

Jurisdiction of Marivelez. Fol. 162.

Jurisdiction of Cavite. Fol. 163.

Government of Samboangan. Fol. 164.

General résumé of what is included in the description of the provinces. Fol. 166.

Notice of the royal treasury of Manila. Fol. 168.

Résumé of what is produced and expended from the royal treasury of Manila. Fol. 169.

Hydrographic and chorographic chart of all the Philipinas Islands. Fol. 172.

[A similar index is given of the second part, that regarding the ecclesiastical estate; but we omit this, as all the matter in that part is presented in the foregoing pages—save the preliminary statement of the “new reason for this work, with the letter of Don Joseph de la Quintana,[19] which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]

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[1] The limits of our space prevent us from presenting part i of this interesting document in full; but such matter is selected as relates to Manila, Cavite, Cebú, and Zamboanga, as being the most important Spanish settlements in the islands. The list at the end shows the contents of Valdés Tamón’s report in full, and presents an enumeration of all the military posts, with the names bestowed on the forts therein. Part ii, on the ecclesiastical estate, is translated in full (save for preliminary and final remarks, and two letters of minor interest). [↑]

[2] The city of Manila is located in 14° 35′ 31″ N. latitude, and 120° 58′ 08″ E. longitude (from Greenwich). The following longitudes (reckoned from Greenwich) will enable the reader to compute the differences in maps on which longitude is reckoned from other meridians:

Madrid (Observatory), Spain, 3° 41′ 21″ W.; San Fernando (Observatory), Spain, 6° 12′ 24″ W.; Paris (Observatory), France, 2° 20′ 14″ E.; Ferro, the extreme southwest of the Canary Islands (the assumed dividing line between the east and west hemispheres), 17° 20′ W.; Washington, D. C. (Observatory), 77° 2′ 48″ W. (U. S. Philippine Gazetteer, p. 183.) [↑]

[3] See accompanying plan of Manila, obtained from the Valdés Tamón MS. in Madrid. An interesting “historical sketch of the walls of Manila” is found in the Annual Report of the U. S. War Department, 1903, iii, pp. 434–446, which contains numerous illustrations of the walls and gates, some of which show defenses which have since been demolished. A note (by Capt. A. C. Macomb) states that the map of Manila referred to in Valdés Tamón’s report is supposed to be identical with that carried to England by General Draper after the capture of Manila in 1762, which is now in the British Museum in London. Concerning the plates of the map taken to England by Draper (the famous Murillo Velarde map, engraved in 1734), see our VOL. XLIX, note 25. [↑]

[4] Possibly guns for firing chain-shots (also called “angel-shots”). [↑]

[5] Pandayes: a term adapted from the Tagal, panday being the equivalent of the Spanish oficial. [↑]

[6] Thus in MS., but evidently a clerical error, since the amount of pay is so inadequate for the number of men. The amounts of pay given in these lists, added together, make a total which is over 7,000 pesos short of the total in the next paragraph; it is probable, then, that the pay of these artisans should be at least 7,000 more than the amount stated in the text. [↑]

[7] Perhaps meaning men who had the care of keeping the barracks in order and repair. The word is not found in the dictionaries. [↑]

[8] A word evidently coined from the native word galagala (see VOL. XII, p. 34, note), and probably referring to the occupation of gathering the resin which bears that name. It may be added to the note above cited that this resin (also known as “almáciga” and “dammar”) is obtained in the mountains of southern Luzón and Panay, the best coming from Camarines. (Official Handbook of Philippines, p. 296); galagala, then, may be a Bícol word. [↑]

[9] Cebú is in 10° 18′ N. latitude, and 123° 53′ 05″ E. longitude (U. S. Gazetteer of Philippine Islands, p. 454). [↑]

[10] In the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), iv, pp. 335–408, is the transcript of an interesting document—“Information furnished by Don José Antonio Niño de Villavicencio in regard to the situation of the town of Zamboanga; its original subordination to the royal crown; its fortification, dismantling, and reestablishment; the condition in which it was in 1737; its expenses; and the amounts which it paid toward these.” After a sketch (illustrated by various official documents) of the early history of Zamboanga as a military post, he relates its dismantling, and its reestablishment by Bustamante; this latter is begun on April 5, 1719, under the command of General Gregorio Padilla y Escalante, and its fort is named “Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza.” Villavicencio carefully describes the fort, and presents an itemized statement of the expenses of maintaining it—which amount to 20,000 pesos annually, besides a reserve fund of 5,000 pesos which may be drawn upon for extraordinary and urgent expenses. The salary of the governor and military commander is 396 pesos a year. Two Jesuit chaplains are kept there, who receive each 100 pesos annually. There are eighteen other officers (commissioned and non-commissioned), and two hundred privates; also five other officials, including a surgeon. Besides this force of Spaniards is a company of Pampango soldiers—a hundred men and five officers; and a considerable number of men are also employed as rowers, builders, coast-guards, and seamen. Rations amounting to 9,855 cavans of rice are allowed in the budget of expenses; and the sum of 5,000 pesos is allowed yearly for ammunition and military supplies for this post. The rice and other provisions are mainly furnished from the provinces of Iloilo and Panay, on account of their fertility and their nearness to Zamboanga. A considerable part of the expenses of that post is obtained from the contribution made by the inhabitants of the subjugated provinces, each tributario giving annually a ganta of clean rice; this amounts to 109,503 gantas of clean rice—equivalent, at the rate of twenty gantas cleaned to 48 gantas of palay, to 10,950 cavans of the latter—which is estimated to be worth, at the prices paid by the royal officials, 5,356 pesos. Enumeration is made of the numbers of tributes paid in various provinces, as follows: Tondo, 5,606½; Bulacan, 4,963½; Pampanga, 8,067; Pangasinan, 10,896½; Ilocos, 8,665¾; Cagayan, 5,218½; Laguna de Bay, 6,795; Tayabas, 1,612½; Camarines, 7,512; Albay, 3,481; Panay, 6,170½; Yloilo, 10,406½; Island of Negros, 503½; Leite, 8,154¼; Cebu, 4,411½. All these are tributaries of the crown; to these are added the contributions made by “the tributaries and the encomenderos of the encomiendas independent of the royal crown,” which amount to 18,144 gantas. A deduction must be made from these of 1,105¾ gantas, “from those who in the number of the said tributes do not make this contribution, on account of being servants of the churches, and for other reasons;” the result is the total above given. The tributaries of the following provinces are exempted from the contribution: Balayan, Mindoro, Caraga, Mariveles, Calamianes, and Cavite. A further source of revenue for the expenses of Zamboanga is found in the monopoly on the wine of the country; this had formerly belonged to the crown, but had been surrendered at the petition of the city of Manila. Later, the citizens being called upon to make donations for the support of Zamboanga, the city petitioned that this be accomplished by renewing the above crown monopoly of wine. “This new monopoly having begun to be in force from the year 1731, the sum at which this contribution [to Zamboanga] may be estimated must be figured according to the successful bids [remates] at which the privilege has been leased;” it was farmed out—that is, sold at auction to the highest bidder for a term of three to five years. The first of these was Don Esteban Garcia de los Rios, for 1731–33, for the sum of 10,000 pesos a year; the second, Captain Pedro de Ceballos, for 1734–36, 15,500 pesos a year; the third, Captain José Ruiz, for 1737–41, 25,000 pesos a year. The proceeds of this monopoly, then, averaged during eleven years 16,833 pesos a year. This document is dated at Manila, February 4, 1738.

In regard to the contributions made by the Indians for the expenses (outside of ecclesiastical) of the Philippine colonies, Torrubia says (Dissertacion, pp. 98–103): “When the post of Samboangan was rebuilt in the year 1755, it was the opinion of the very reverend Father Juan de Bueras, provincial of the Society of Jesus, that the Indians of Pintados, as those most interested in the maintenance of the fort, should aid therein with a half-ganta of rice for each tribute. His opinion was accepted, but with the enlargement of the contribution to two gantas (which make one ganta of cleaned rice), and its extension to all the islands, which amount is paid up to this day. I have understood that this contribution amounts annually, on the average, to two thousand five hundred pesos. During the fifty and more years when Samboangan did not exist, it was paid just as when the fort was there, notwithstanding that the cabildo opposed it; and the Indians paid, without the motive for this imposition still remaining, at the least estimate, more than one hundred and fifty thousand pesos. The Indians are obliged to make other contributions. For the maintenance of the soldiers, they furnish rice to his Majesty at two reals a caban, and usually it is worth more; this is called the compra, and forty or forty-five thousand cabans (or fanegas) of rice are levied from them in compra, allotting it pro rata according to what each Indian sows. For these cabans (or fanegas) no more than two reals are paid, although that amount is worth four reals, or more; and it is to be noted that in the suburbs of Manila the price ordinarily does not go below three reals. The same practice is current in the compras of wheat, although it is true that in this the Indians seldom lose much. Besides this, the Indians do the timber-cutting for the ships, and do not receive more than sixteen reals a month, which they do not have even for their tools (which they carry with them); they are soldiers, they row in the galleys, and they are mariners, artillerists, calkers, and carpenters. And we know very well that in these occupations they serve in the Ribera of Cavite without pay, and likewise in the armadas, three, four, or five years, only to obtain a situation in the ship which goes to Nueva España or Acapulco. Here [i.e., in Madrid], without considering these contributions, all the expenses [of the islands] are summed up for the account of his Majesty.” He goes on to say that from the sum of expenses must also be deducted the voluntary contributions of the citizens; also that these military expenses have been unfairly laid at the door of the Zamboanga fort. The soldiers there and in the forts at Cebú and Iloilo are paid from the situado contributed by the natives themselves; and the fleets which are sent against the Moros, and the coastguard galleys at Zamboanga, are not an expense caused by the fort there; “even if they were, it is a necessary one, under penalty of the Moros eating us alive.”

Torrubia ends his Dissertacion, which is a plea for the maintenance of the fort at Zamboanga, with a scheme for the formation of a fund—to be formed by levying a small tax on each of the Christian Sangleys, and on every “tramp,” whether Indian or mestizo—which shall be regarded as an obra pia, and be placed in the management of the Misericordia; its proceeds are to be used for the support of the military posts and fleets which are maintained against the Moros, for the support of missionaries in the Moro provinces, and even for the extension of the gospel still further. This would relieve the natives from the oppressive “Zamboanga donation,” the citizens from the frequent contributions now expected from them by the government, and the royal treasury from the heavy burden of supporting the present list of armadas and forts; and the Moro pirates would be easily held in check, and the interests of both the Spaniards and the Indians protected. [↑]

[11] Zamboanga is in 6° 53′ N. latitude, and 123° 5′ E. longitude (U. S. Philippine Gazetteer, p. 928).

Zamboanga was selected as the site for the fort in Moroland, “because it was the indispensable landing-place for the hostile people; because it deprived the Mindanaos of that port, which was the most important one in their dominion, in which they built their ships, and where they took refuge from an enemy; because it was the most suitable place for our infantry; and because it was the frontier of all the islands of Moroland, where those enemies landed, recruited their forces, and repaired their vessels. It also was the point of vantage for intimidating those kings, and depriving Mindanao of half its power; and for facing (at three leguas distance) Basilan, the people of which are so valiant, and subject to Joló, so that that king also is thus disarmed of half his forces. To this was added the consideration that the post had Christian Indians as neighbors, who, free from the extortions of the Moros, would aid in the conquest [of those lands] and the extension of our power and of our faith, as has been actually done.” (Torrubia, pp. 45, 46.) [↑]

[12] Fábrica (Latin, Italian, and Spanish; French, fabrique): a technical term in church administrative usage. The ordinary and common meaning is the material building or edifice, which (technically) includes repairs, improvements, changes, etc., as well as the necessary expense for caretakers of it, as watchmen, beadles, sweepers, etc.; these people are paid from the funds of the fábrica—which might be rendered as “building-fund,” except that in ecclesiastical usage fábrica usually presupposes that the building it already reared, while the English phrase “building-fund” includes the idea of constructing it. (Yet in Latin, Italian, and Spanish the term fábrica is also used to include money for the erection of the church edifice, in cases where it has not yet been built; where it has been completed and paid for, fábrica is restricted to the meaning first given above, the “keep” of the building.)

Thus usually the term has a material sense only; but sometimes (though not commonly) fábrica is taken, as in the present text, in a spiritual sense, and implies the support or maintenance (honoraria) of the churchmen, the ministers attached to the building, as well as the maintenance of divine worship, as required by ritual. Fábrica then refers to affairs of the soul or spirit, the spiritual upbuilding or edifice of the faithful. By extension, the same term is sometimes used to mean the board of churchwardens who administer the property. In the Philippines the church property (save that belonging to the religious corporations) was in the hands of the bishop as sole trustee and administrator, a power which he might delegate to his provisor or vicar. The distribution of the fund mentioned in the text is unusual.—Rev. T. C. Middleton, O.S.A. [↑]

[13] To this should be added 4 tomins, omitted in the table for lack of room; the same addition should therefore be made to the total of the cash column. [↑]

[14] This name, also Pineda in the next item, and Manzano in the last one, is abbreviated in the original; and the forms given above are necessarily conjectural. [↑]

[15] In the MS. “Tondo” was written here, but afterward crossed out. [↑]

[16] To this sum should be added 4 granos, omitted from the amount of cash stated for Mindoro, for lack of room. [↑]

[17] He was royal secretary in the Council of the Indias. In this letter (dated September 20, 1735) he states that the king desires information about the islands, and their fortresses and fortifications, because the recent fire in the palace at Madrid had destroyed many papers; he asks for plans of fortifications, and reports of troops, munitions, and artillery, and that they be sent as speedily as possible. [↑]

[18] Evidently, from the context, referring to Cagayán de Misamis, in Mindanao. [↑]

[19] At the time a royal secretary; his letter is dated at Madrid, August 30, 1739, and asks for the report on the ecclesiastical estate in the islands which is herewith presented. [↑]