An Historical View of the Philippine Islands, Vol 2 (of 2) / Exhibiting their discovery, population, language, government, manners, customs, productions and commerce.

by Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga

CHAPTER X.

ANNO DOM. 1739.

The Administration of Don Gaspar de la Torre.

Señor Don Gaspar de la Torre, born in Flanders, of Spanish parents, arrived at Manila, and found, among other cares that would devolve upon him, a suit which had been carrying on against Señor Arroyo, the royal fiscal, upon an accusation preferred by Señor Tamon. An attempt having been made to apprehend and imprison the fiscal upon this occasion, he was too much on his guard to fall into the snare, and took refuge in the Franciscan convent, preserving, in this secure retreat, the liberty of his person, though he could not save his property, which was all seized, that small portion excepted which he was able to take with him. The matter was in this state when Don Gaspar de la Torre took possession of the government. The archbishop, who was the angel of peace in these islands, persuaded himself he could succeed in accommodating the unhappy difference, and proposed to the new Governor his mediation in favour of the fiscal; but this was opposed by the Governor, on the ground that Arroyo ought to show his respect for the laws, by submitting to be imprisoned in the fort, and undergoing the usual forms of trial. The archbishop was inclined to think that the accused would enjoy more liberty in the fort than he did in the Franciscan convent, and all his friends being of this opinion, Señor Arroyo was at last persuaded to quit his retreat. This unfortunate determination subjected him to fresh hardships, for he was immediately seized, thrown into a dungeon in the fort, and accused of several new crimes. He was asked if he was aware of the cause of his confinement; he answered, that he conceived he was imprisoned because he would not, unnoticed, pass over the sums of which Señor Tamon, and many of his particular confederates, had defrauded the royal revenue, amounting, he believed, to about three millions of dollars: he declined saying any thing further, as he was in a state of confinement.

All these proceedings were forwarded to his Majesty, and in the mean time Señor Arroyo’s imprisonment in the fort was accompanied with circumstances of the greatest rigour, which had the effect of reducing the mind of the archbishop to a state of profound melancholy, considering himself as the author, however innocently, of the fiscal’s miseries. He sickened and died in a very short time, to the great grief of all, on account of his affability and many excellent qualities.

Through the connivance of the Oidors, Dr. Neyra, professor of laws in the college of the Jesuits, was made fiscal ad interim, and by this means an addition was made to the number of Señor Arroyo’s enemies. He was now accused of having married without licence. Examinations were taken on the subject, and a number of witnesses produced, who were all of the clerical order, and among them particularly was the person who had performed the ceremony. Arroyo endeavoured, by every means, to refute this charge, but as the Governor was his decided enemy, the clergy threw their weight likewise into the scale against him. In a very short time he fell sick, and died in a few days, borne down by the accumulated miseries to which he had been subjected. He was the best and most faithful minister his Majesty ever had in these islands, and his person ought to have been held as sacred as that of a Roman tribune.

The King, fully informed of the harsh treatment of the fiscal, and the violent proceedings against him which had been resorted to, became convinced of the truth of the allegations preferred against the conduct of Señor Tamon, and acquitting the fiscal of the crimes imputed to him, forwarded an order, permitting him to return to his office, enjoining the arrears of his salary to be paid up, and directing that the two lawyers who had appeared against him should be fined two hundred dollars each. Before this order arrived, however, the fiscal was no more; a result commonly looked for in this climate, where the difficulty of recovering, in cases of a depression of spirits, is generally insuperable[⁵].

About this time war was declared between Spain and England, an enemy more to be dreaded on account of the injury formerly done by this nation to the Philippines. On this occasion, Admiral George Anson passed Cape Horn with a squadron, in which passage he lost some ships, but with the remainder he run down the coast of America, doing all the mischief in his power. He arrived at Acapulco, where, finding that the ship Nuestra Señora de Cobadonga, had not yet sailed to the Philippines, he prosecuted his voyage thither, with the two ships which remained of his squadron. He refreshed at one of the islands of the Marianas, and put into Canton river to refit his ships, which had been considerably damaged in the progress of the voyage. In Manila all the operations of Anson were known, and to prevent him from capturing the Cobadonga, the Governor despatched a galiot to give notice of this powerful enemy, with directions for the Cobadonga to change her route, and send information respecting it, in order that a galleon, which was fitting in Cavite, might proceed to her relief. The galiot discovered, near the straits of St. Bernardino, an enemy’s vessel, and not doubting that it was Anson, gave notice to the armed galleon in Cavite, which immediately put to sea, but grounded on the island of Ticao, and made so much water that she was compelled to return. The Cobadonga arrived at the Marianas under charge of a Portuguese pilot, and sailing from thence in perfect confidence of safety, arrived at Cape Espiritu Santo; where the English, upon the alert, and in greater forwardness than it was expected they could be, were waiting with their ship the Centurion, after having refitted her at Canton.

When the Cobadonga perceived the enemy, there was no alternative but to yield, or boldly encounter a superior force. They chose the latter, and fought so desperately, that they did not strike till they had sixty killed and seventy wounded, among the number of which were the first and second captains. Admiral Anson took possession of the vessel and property, amounting to one million five hundred thousand dollars in silver alone, and carried the ship to Macao, where he left the Cobadonga, proceeding to Canton to careen his own ship.