Prices
| Libras | [Commodities] | Reals vellonper libra | realsvellon Total, |
| 4,672,746 | of pepper | 7 | 32,709,222 |
| 50,000 | of nutmeg | 39 | 1,950,000 |
| 60,000 | of mace | 70 | 4,200,000 |
| 360,000 | of cloves | 50 | 18,000,000 |
| 375,840 | of cinnamon | 58 | 21,198,720 |
| 3,000 | of candied nutmeg | 60 | 180,000 |
| 2,398 | of candied cloves | 70 | 167,860 |
| 883,142 | of sugar | 3.94[11] | [3,424,000] |
| 40,490 | of camphor | 16 | 649,840 |
| 6,582 | of benzoin | 22 | 134,936 |
| 10,500 | of borax | 15 | 157,500 |
| 12,146 | of gum-lac | 12 | 145,752 |
| 3,000 | of gum myrrh | 12 | 36,000 |
| 3,514 | of gamboge | 16 | 56,224 |
| 20,049 | of indigo, superior | 30 | 601,470 |
| [Total,]eighty-three millions, six hundred and eleven thousand, five hundredand twenty-four reals vellon. | 83,611,524 | ||
I have taken into consideration the objections which may be brought forward by persons who are little acquainted with trade, and these are reduced, substantially, to the following: That the consumption of these commodities in the dominions of his Majesty cannot be regulated by the above calculation. They speak glibly; but, in order not to lose time with these persons, I answer them, that one is compelled to encounter ignorance, but the only concern of great souls is to serve faithfully their kings and nations, and endure the calumnies which are uttered against honest men—imitating the stars, which, no matter how much the dogs bark, do not cease to shine down upon them and to follow their own courses. Accordingly, let us proceed to truths which are plain:
First: that the Dutch carry these commodities in large quantities, as is above stated—a proof that there is a consumption for that amount, and that this is a profitable trade. Second: that the calculation which I have made cannot be defective, since the [amounts of the] commodities agree with the figures published by the Dutch themselves; and the prices are obtained from the Company of Druggists, in accordance with what they pay for the goods at the ports. Third: that the greater part [of these commodities], and the most important ones, if not [all], can be the products of the Philipinas Islands. Fourth: that these commodities must cost much less than in Olanda, or in any other country, is manifest and undeniable for this reason, that the Dutch are obliged to incur enormous expenses—for governors, members of council, lesser servants without number, and many troops—in order to maintain their establishments; and these expenses increase just so much the prices of their spices, so that, if they buy these from the [Eastern] nations at ten, the goods are worth to them twenty-five. This would not occur with us, because the king does not need to increase the expenses in order to secure the advancement of the islands. It would be entirely different; for, if these plantations are established, thousands of Indians who now are suffering the utmost poverty without having any opportunity to work, and for the same reason cannot pay their tributes, would have a means of gaining their living and of paying their tributes, and on this very account it would serve much for the increase of the royal revenue.
As these Indians are not paid for their labor at higher rates than are those among whom the Dutch reside, we must reckon, for the reasons here stated, that those same commodities would cost much less, and that the Spaniards could sell them at lower prices than do the Dutch; and, as the merchant in every country buys where he will find his greatest advantage, España would be the fair for these commodities which have already enriched so many nations. But let us proceed to reveal the cunning of the Dutch, who furnish only three millions, seven hundred and fifty thousand, eight hundred and forty libras of cinnamon—which, at the rate of sixteen onzas a libra, make six[12] millions, thirteen thousand, four hundred and forty onzas. The rule for making chocolate is to take ten libras of cacao, ten of sugar, and eight onzas of cinnamon, or even less, and on account of the waste[13] it is computed that the result will be twenty libras net; consequently, from the three millions, seven hundred and fifty thousand, eight hundred and forty libras of cinnamon could be made fifteen millions, thirty-three thousand, six hundred libras of chocolate.
Although it is folly to make such a proposition, I ask whether there are not in España,[14] all America, the Philipinas Islands, and, in short, all the so various domains of his Majesty, counting all these together, four millions of persons who drink chocolate sixty-four times in the year, in accordance with the rule of one onza for each time. Even the most ignorant or malicious person will not deny my proposition; this makes, then, the consumption of chocolate sixteen millions of libras, and for making it there will be needed four hundred thousand libras of cinnamon.
Hence are drawn two conclusions. One is, the extreme craftiness of the Dutch, in not furnishing more than the said quantity in order to supply the Spaniards, and in making them believe that they will be left without chocolate; and thus they succeed in obliging the Spaniards to pay for the cinnamon at the very high prices which the Dutch have fixed in these recent years—for it is a hundred per cent more costly, and fifty per cent worse in quality; therefore there is an increase of a hundred and fifty per cent in favor of the Dutch, and of three hundred per cent to the injury of España, who without reason endures this tyranny. Therefore, if the Dutch are not mistaken in the estimate of cinnamon which they published in the Gazette, and as the consumption [of that spice] in España is as I have made evident, there will not be cinnamon to supply all the nations; nevertheless, there will be no lack of it in any of them.[15]
Second: since it is so evident that in the dominions of his Majesty there is consumed in [the beverage of] chocolate alone (without counting the numerous kinds of food in which use is made of it) sixteen millions of libras, and in order to make it there are needed four hundred thousand of cinnamon, at the rate of fifty-eight reals vellon that quantity will cost twenty-three millions, three hundred thousand reals vellon, which is the least that España could advance for the execution of the project. Moreover, I do not know any reason for not admitting the commodity of pepper—which not only is so exceedingly abundant in the islands, but I persuade myself that, since it is so excellent in its crude state, it would with skilful treatment be better than that of any [other] country. It is also plain to us that the Dutch bring [to Europa] four millions, six hundred and seventy-two thousand, seven hundred and forty-six libras of it; they assure me that only because of the great abundance of garlic[16] in España the pepper brings no more than seven reals vellon a libra—[at which rate] the above quantity will amount to thirty-two millions, seven [hundred] and nine thousand, two hundred and twenty-two reals vellon. This added to the twenty-three millions, three hundred thousand reals [for cinnamon] will make fifty-six millions, nine thousand, two hundred and twenty-two reals vellon.
People will say, “Where would we consume so much pepper?” Then where does Olanda consume it, I would like to know? “[And there are] Francia and Inglaterra; do they bring much less [to Europa]?” Do not those who ask such questions know how much the king is paying to Norbega [i.e., Norway] and the northern countries for lumber, cordage, etc., for the construction in his royal navy? and that, if it happens that care is not given in time to the planting of oak groves, he will need much more [from those countries]?—At present these commodities are paid for in ready money, which would not be the case if we could give the merchants there the pepper, etc., so cheaply (or at less expense than [if purchased from] another country), on account of the great consumption of pepper which there is in those countries, and because this would be a [form of] trade that is mutually advantageous, as I have already said, for the day-laborer and the shepherd. It would be permanent, and many millions of reals which now leave España would remain here, to the greatest advantage not only of his Majesty, but of his vassals. I say, then, that no one is able to deny these two propositions, of which his Majesty will be best able to judge. Have I heard some one argue that España has[17] need of preventing thus the exportation of silver? Such arguments are foolish, and one should laugh at them.
Do we not know that Olanda commands that a very large part of the spice product be burned and destroyed, in order that a commodity which brings her so enormous a profit should not, through its excessive abundance, contribute to her loss? I say, then, that if España reaches an excessive abundance of silver, it would be far better for the king to command that the mines be closed, or to fling the silver into the sea, than to let it pass into the hands of those who tomorrow can avail themselves of it to carry on war [against España]. Others I have heard talk [on this subject], so frivolously that I was astounded, hinting at the resentment of this other nation if España should profit by what is her own—that is, the execution of the proposition [that I have made]. That is the same as to say that Inglaterra or any other nation could declare that España shall not cultivate the ground or sow the wheat, because it suited that nation to supply it; it is to talk very heedlessly, without knowing that España can limit the commerce of Francia, Inglaterra, and Olanda whenever she desires, without cannon-ball or gunpowder, by the prohibition of silver alone. If she chooses to deprive any one of those countries of this advantage, she has only to calculate what she owes to the other two for the net balance of their trade, and then not allow any more silver to go out to those countries; and these, needing it for themselves, will not be able to supply the other one. I can assert that España, if she would avail herself of the rights which God has given her, would make herself more worthy of respect by depriving the [other] nations of what is essential, not only for their commerce, but for waging war to advantage.