All this was a sad end to the new rule that was to have done so much good in the country. No good, however, can grow out of injustice and cruelty. These people may have meant well, but they did not do right. They had not set up rules of fairness and truthful dealing in the islands, so all their cleansing with words came to naught.
Summary.—In 1653 a new governor-general and a new archbishop were sent out to Manila. The land was blessed and pronounced clean of all the evil that had been done there. There was now to be a new state of things. For some years matters went better at Manila. There was peace between the Church and the State. Later, however, revolt broke out here and there in the Visayas. To quiet the natives they were promised forgiveness if they would come in and lay down their weapons. The Spanish general who made this promise broke his word. Those who came and surrendered were severely punished, and only a few were pardoned. After this the government tried to make the natives work without pay, cutting timber for the arsenal. This made trouble, and there was a rebellion which came near to being general, but which was finally put down. A threatened invasion by Koxinga, a Chinese chief from Formosa, led to a general slaughter by the Spanish of the Chinese in Manila. Only 5,000 Chinese were left alive in the islands. Governor-General Lara made enemies who accused him of dishonesty. He was put in prison and fined. He was set free later, but felt the disgrace so keenly that he went back to Spain and took holy orders. He was succeeded by Diego Salcedo, who soon quarreled with the archbishop. When the latter died, Salcedo behaved in a way so unseemly that he was sent out of the country in disgrace. He died at sea, on his way to Mexico.
Questions.—What great change was made in 1653? What did the new officials do? How did the new government succeed? What promise did Captain Gregorio de Castillo make to the rebels in the Visayas? How did he keep it? What led to the revolt of 1660? Give an account of this uprising. Who was Koxinga? What envoy did he send to Manila? How was this envoy received? What action did the Spanish take in regard to his demands?
Chapter IX.
TRADE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The Spanish galleons which used to sail the Pacific Ocean between Manila and Mexico have been the subject of many a romance. The world never tires of reading the stories written about them. They seem to belong to the age of romance and poetry. The galleons come, however, pretty close to modern times. The last one left Manila for Mexico in 1811, and the last one for Manila sailed from Acapulco in 1815.
These ships were in shape something like a half-moon. They were very high at bow and stern, short from fore to aft, and very wide. They were of about 1,500 tons burden, with light draught. They usually had four decks, and always carried big guns.
The galleons were the Spanish mail ships, and the only carriers for trade between the islands and Mexico. This trade with Mexico was the colony’s only source of income. The local government had no money of its own. It could not act independently; all that it brought in tribute and taxes to the royal treasury belonged to the Crown, to be disposed of at the king’s will.
Not only were the islands governed through Mexico, but all their trade was with that country. So severe were the laws that restricted their trade, that the people were not allowed to go even to China and Japan to buy goods. They might buy only such goods as Chinese and Japanese traders brought to Manila.