Chapter XXII (1)

In which are contained the indulgences and favors conceded by the supreme pontiffs to the brothers and sisters of Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila, which are copied from the original briefs, relics, with which it is enriched; with its authentic royal decree which exempts and preserves it from visits by the ecclesiastical ordinaries, in imitation of the royal house of Lizboa; the chaplaincies and becas of which it is patron, the number of brothers of which this venerable brotherhood is composed and those who serve this present year in the Board of Santa Misericordia; and the report of the alms which are given annually.

The purveyor and deputies who compose the illustrious Board of Santa Misericordia at present are as follows: General Don Benito Carrasco y Paniagua, purveyor (an office he has held three times previously); secretary-in-chief for the king our sovereign of this noble city and its deputation, with active voice and vote by privilege in its most noble ayuntamiento; secretary of the board, Captain Don Juan Baptista de Uriarte (author of this small work), regularly-appointed regidor for his Majesty of said noble ayuntamiento, who as ex-treasurer took charge of the office of secretary, in accordance with the rules, in the absence of Sargento-mayor Don Joseph Antonio Nuño de Villavicencio, general treasurer of the bulls of the Holy Crusade, accountant regulator, regularly-appointed regidor of this noble city and special notary of the Holy Office, as he has been promoted to the post of accountant, a royal official of the royal treasury; treasurer, General Don Miguel de Allanegui, accountant of accounts and results of the royal treasury of these islands, and familiar of the Holy Office; chapel-steward, General Don Joseph Verelo de Urbina; purse-steward and attorney-general, Captain Don Antonio de Olivarria; prison-steward, Sargento-mayor Don Joseph de Vega y Vic; steward of the plate, who looks after the gathering of alms, Captain Don Simon de Amechezurra; and deputies of the board, General Don Antonio Sanchez Zerdan, and the sargentos-mayor, Don Joseph Beltran de Salazar, regularly-appointed regidor for his Majesty of this noble city, Don Frutos Delgado, Don Antonio Lopez Perea, also senior regidor of the city, and Captains Don Domingo Allende and Don Sebastian de Arramburu.

[An act of May 22, 1728, orders a compilation to be made of the indulgences and other things, in order that the high estimation of the popes and sovereigns for the brotherhood may be apparent. Indulgences have been granted by Urban VIII, Clement XI (September 20, 1717), and Innocent XIII; and the latter has also approved the Institute of the brotherhood. The latter own various relics. One reliquary, bearing the papal arms, and conserved in an elaborate golden pyx which is deposited in a tabernacle on the altar of the assembly room of the brotherhood, contains a bit of the wood of the holy cross, a bit of the swaddling clothes in which the child Jesus was wrapped, a bit of a bone of St. Isabel the mother of John the Baptist, a bit of a bone of St. Ignatius Loyola, and a bit of a bone of St. Pasqual Baylon. Other relics are another bit of the wood of the cross, a bone of St. Felix, pope and martyr, a letter of St. Pedro Baptista, O.S.F., who was martyred in Japan, and a shinbone of St. Christina, virgin and martyr. In addition, the brotherhood bears the title of Apostolic syndic of the seraphic Order of St. Francis, and as such its brothers enjoy all the privileges and exemptions conceded to that order by apostolic bulls, and all of the indulgences, privileges, etc., for all the provinces of Nueva España subject to the obedience of the father commissary-general of the order. The royal decree of June 20, 1623, confirms the rules and regulations of the brotherhood. In consequence of this decree, the brotherhood presents a petition to the governor asking him as royal vice-patron to confirm the rules and regulations. This is done by special act on September 4, 1625 by Fernando de Silva. They have already been approved by Francisco Tello, and Gabriel de la Cruz, schoolmaster of the cathedral, January 24, 1597. The royal decree of September 7, 1699, inserted in the decree of June 11, 1708, grants exemption from government or religious visit. Notwithstanding this decree, the effort has been made without success to subject the brotherhood to visit. The closest of supervision has been exercised by the brothers themselves. All the documents mentioned above are given by our author.]

Chaplaincies with collation

There are twenty-nine chaplaincies with collation, of which the Board of Santa Misericordia is patron. They were founded by different benefactors, so that in accordance with the conditions and clauses which were provided in their foundations, the board appoints the chaplains who are to serve them. Such appointees taking the appointments which it sends to them (in which the obligation which falls to each one is made known to them) present themselves before the proper persons within the term which the holy Council of Trent prescribes, for the approval and collation of those chaplaincies. It is intimated to them at this time that they must inform the board promptly that they have fulfilled their so necessary obligation for the good government which is demanded in this. An account must be kept in a separate book of chaplaincies, in the form which is always usual.

Lay chaplaincies

The lay chaplaincies, of which the board is also patron, number ten. They are filled in accordance with the clauses of their foundation by the chaplains whom the board appoints to serve them; in whose despatch a different style is followed since they are lay.

Becas of collegiates

In the royal college of San Joseph of this city, Captain Diego Gonzalez de Arcos founded two becas with a capital of 4,000 pesos, making the Board of Santa Misericordia patron of them, with the condition that the sons of [men from] Estremadura, and especially those of Villa de Don Benito be preferred. Their vacancies are reported by the reverend father rector of the said college.

Number of brothers in this venerable brotherhood and other circumstances

The founders and brothers of this brotherhood, considering the work and business in which they had to employ themselves continually in fulfilment of the works of charity, prudently decided and decreed by a chapter of the ordinances that there should be 250 brothers for the due fulfilment of all the ordinances, in whom good report, sane conscience, honest life, fear of God, observance of His commandments, and prompt obedience to all that should be of service to God and to the brotherhood, and the relief of one's neighbor had to be included. They declared that they should not be single, unless they had reached the age of thirty, but that being virtuous persons and of the said qualities, they might receive dispensation and be received as brothers if they were twenty-five years old or upward. But no one who was not an oldtime Christian, and no one who had any obligatory duties that could prevent him from serving in the brotherhood [could be a member]; neither could those who did not know how to read or to write. Among said 250 brothers would be always the management and government of the house, and the election of the officers, with obligation to serve God by those who should be elected and appointed by the purveyor and brothers of the board if there were no legitimate obstacle to prevent that. Before they should be admitted as brothers, the secretary of the house was to enter in the book of the brotherhood that its ordinances should be submitted to them, so that having seen and read them, they might determine whether they could fulfil them. And if they were questioned by the board in regard to them, and were found with a mind resolved to observe them and to serve according to the rules in the brotherhood, an oath was to be taken from them on the holy gospels in a missal before the purveyor and brothers of the board, to the effect that when they should hear the signal of the house, or the bells, with the sign that had been arranged for the summoning of the brothers, they should come to the house to perform the works of charity in accordance with the orders that they should receive from the purveyor and brothers of the board; and also if they were summoned in the name of the aforesaid and there was no legitimate obstacle. The above was to be a matter of conscience. They were also to swear to keep the secrets of the board and the rules, when they should be summoned by the board, and were obliged, notwithstanding their oath, to recite fourteen Pater Nosters and fourteen Ave Marias for the deceased brothers, and, having done that, they were to be received as brothers, and their names to be inscribed in the book of the brotherhood.

Annual alms given by the house of the Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila

Since we have to furl the sails to this discourse, because of the limits of time, and make an end to this small work in these last chapters, I thought it important to first make an extract (although with much labor) of all the alms and sums of pesos, produced by the funds which are administered by the house of Santa Misericordia, during the years when--all being complete, and no disaster of earthquakes coming upon them, or shipwrecks or other accidents, which depend on time--it distributes to the benefit of all this community. I was also moved to this interesting task by making charts of all the funds and their pious purposes, by having met in the first part of the life of the venerable and most reverend father master, Fray Simon de Roxas, a great servant of God and a member of the Order of the Santissima Trinidad de Redemptores [i.e., the Most Holy Trinity of Redeemers]. [3] written during the year 670 by the very reverend father master, Fray Francisco de Arcos, preacher and theologue of his Majesty, and of the tribunals of his royal conscience, etc., in which he refers to a paragraph of a letter which Juan Baptista Labaña wrote during the voyage from Portugal of Don Phelipe III (of happy memory), in which he cited folio 16; and in the life of the said venerable father, a description of the alms which the royal house of Santa Misericordia of the court of Lisboa distributed in the year 619, and of those which regularly and annually it distributes in the pious ends which are contained in the said chapter, is found in book 8, chapter x, pp. 418-420. It states that those alms are about 30,000 ducados annually. Inasmuch as chapter xi of this work states that the alms distributed by this house of Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila amounted to about 70,000 pesos, I have determined to prove the said proposition part by part, passing over the circumstances which are found in the said chapter, and making a clear demonstration of their reality, without failing one jot in the truth, which is required in a matter of so great importance, and which has to yield in so great glory to the Spanish monarchy. It is a pity that in the circumstances of the present case, there should be many who opposed the truth as it did not issue so clear and apparent in all the books of the house which treat of this matter; and necessarily I am obliged to give it by imagining charts which are fitting and do not leave the least reason for doubt.

This having been granted, therefore, I assert that the alms and sums of pesos received by the holy cathedral church and the sacred orders of this city, the beaterios, confraternities, the venerable tertiary order, the house for sheltered women, the hospice of San Jacinto, the colleges (without including that of Santa Misericordia, St. John of God and its infirmary), the province of Camarines, and the Indians of Marinas Islands, amount to 25,520 pesos. In the alms given for masses, 5,777 pesos are also distributed as a suffrage for the blessed souls of purgatory; among the poor prisoners of this city, 2,691 pesos; as a benefit to the school of Santa Isabel, which belongs to the brotherhood, in the divine worship of its church, the salary of its chaplains, servants of the house, support, clothing and other things which are spent for the girl collegiates (the number of those at present are 58 inmates, rectress, and portress, 9 wards, and 6 slave women, who serve in it), and repairs of said school (in which alone this present year about 6,000 pesos have been spent), they give and apply 10,700 pesos; as dowries for the said girl collegiates and other orphan daughters of noble parents of this city, 16,000 pesos; for the relief of the necessities of poor Spaniards, widows, self-respecting poor, 6,936 pesos. Besides these sums 3,000 pesos are set aside for the benefit of the above-mentioned purposes which, with somewhat more, are produced by the sums at interest, and also 1,200 pesos which are yielded by the encomienda which his Majesty applied to the Board of Santa Misericordia in the provinces of the Ylocos and Leite. Therefore totaling up the eight items of pesos above applied, the amount is 71,824 pesos produced by the funds administered by this house, as is adjusted with the greatest exactness. One may see by the sums that result to the benefit of so many pious ends, the reality and truth of the said proposition, and consequently, the great succor of silver for the relief of the needs of its neighbor. Surely I believe that in this small work of rich treasures, an extraordinary splendor for the house must shine forth (with the new discovery of so abundant a mine, which has been buried in silence in the extensive field and space of 134 years); a prodigy which looks to Spain for the non-moderation of this great house of Misericordia in the most remote parts of the world. I believe that without injury to the greater (if it can be that there is another which exceeds it), it merited as panegyrist of its glories (although with more time) a nature suitable to its worth and greatness. Lastly placed in the royal crown of España, it will be one of the most precious stones which beautify that crown with its rich splendor, for the greater honor and glory of God our Lord.

SURVEY OF THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS

[Part I]

[Title-page:] Relation in which, by order of his Catholic Majesty (may God keep him) are set forth the towns, castles, forts, and military posts of the provinces subject to his royal dominion in the Philipinas islands. With sketches of their plans and detailed accounts of the supplies, soldiers, wages, rations, and ammunition, required to maintain them; the annual amount of these, and the product of the incomes and amounts set aside for them from which they are obtained. All these provinces are described, with information not only of essential but of curious matters, with a summary of what they yield for the royal treasury; an account of it is given, with a general résumé of the fixed income and charges of the treasury, drawn up by the field marshal, Don Fernando Valdés Tamón, in whose charge is the government of these islands. In the year 1739. [4]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF MANILA

The island of Luzon (it is also called Nueva Castilla) is the largest of all those which submit to the Catholic crown in this Philippine archipelago. Its figure is that of an arm somewhat doubled, and the latest observations give it three hundred and fifty leguas of circumference, and two hundred leguas of length. Its width cannot be accurately stated, because the land is in some places broad and in others narrow, although it is known that it is longer from the elbow to the shoulder, and in that distance it is noticed that the greatest width is forty-three leguas; and it is about twenty-two leguas from the elbow to the hand of this imaginary arm. In this remotest part, then, of the Spanish domain, in 14° 48' of northern latitude and 158° 38' of eastern longitude, is situated Manila, [5] nearly in the middle of its mainland, in the region of the elbow of its [imaginary] figure; and there, as being the capital of all the Spanish possessions in the Philipinas Islands, resides permanently the royal Audiencia with its president the captain-general, the archiepiscopal see, and other tribunals. The number of citizens who distinguish the city is astonishingly small; these are the Spaniards who live within the walls, and in the wards of Binondoc and Santa Cruz, which adjoin it; and although in these places there is an astonishing number of people, I have the idea that they are a contemptible rabble, excepting the small number of the Spaniards. It was June 24, 1571, when Manila was founded, and it recognizes as its founder the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi--a hero in truth, worthy of the greatest praises for the bravery, judgment, and good fortune by which he was distinguished in these conquests.

The site which this town occupies [6] is a point of land on the shores of the sea, in a bay thirty leguas in circumference; into this falls a river of considerable size, which comes down from a lake distant five leguas from the city on the eastern side--by which it flows, surrounding the city, and in its progress washes its walls, until it pours its waters through the bar.

Up to this time the secular government has been in charge of forty governors, twenty-three of them proprietary, and seventeen ad interim. The ecclesiastical government likewise has had one bishop and thirteen archbishops. Both these numbers are carefully estimated from the list of [those who have held] both dignities.

The fortifications with which this town is girt about are everywhere of irregular shape, in accordance with the surface of the ground. Its walls, although of masonry, are not regarded as inferior--if one considers the good quality of the stone, which is easy to work on account of being soft--to those of mud or brick. On the other hand, I am persuaded that an injustice would be done to our walls if one should deny them the advantage of the former kind and the solidity of the latter, in view of their great resistance; for in the course of more than a century since their construction, some slight decay has been noticed only occasionally, and in places here and there little sheltered from the salt winds; and this is remedied, or the wall is preserved, by applying a thin coat of lime, an idea which has come as the result of experience. Its circuit appears to be 12,498 Castilian feet, both its extremities closing in with the castle of Santiago, which, on account of its position, occupies in Manila the place of the citadel.

The bastions in its circuit are twelve, all furnished with terreplein; nine are small, and the others large, of the regular size. In one of these last, named "San Andres," there is a powder-magazine, bomb-proof, which the present governor caused to be constructed; an incentive to building this was the little shelter afforded by a mere shed in former times, and the exposed condition of its contents to the shots of a besieger; these risks that were feared have ceased at sight of the present fortification. There are two sentry-towers incorporated with the said wall, and besides this there are a ravelin and a crown-work. All this is a very respectable aggregate, as contributing to the greatest defense of the city; the situation of each of these defenses will be described in the proper place.

The gates of this city are six, two main entrances and four posterns. Of these Santa Lucia and Palacio, which look toward the west, allow passage to the shore--as also on the north side Santo Domingo and Almacenes give passage to the river. The main gates are distinguished by the names Real and Parian. The latter is situated in the middle of the curtain which faces the northeast between the San Lorenzo and San Gabriel bastions; and inside of it is its guard-station, capacious enough to lodge a company of men. Corresponding to the empty space below, in the upper part it has a spacious sentry-tower, furnished with some cannons, which, by favor of its sides defends the collateral bulwarks--a fortification which, it may be supposed, was placed here in order to make up for the defect of the extraordinary length of this curtain.

The outer works of this are thus composed: a crown-work, which masks the gate; a fausse-braye [falsabraga], which extends from the flank of the bastion San Gabriel, until it almost reaches the said gate, there leaving room for a little bridge for communication with the crown-work already mentioned; a ditch, of which we shall treat further on; its covered way, parapet, and palisade, with its esplanade, the whole regularly surrounded, so far as the narrowness of the place permits; and at its foot a quagmire, which serves as an outer ditch. At the end of this, and along its outer margin, extending toward the south, there is a grand highway, which at its beginning is joined with another but small road, which lies between the outer ditch and the river; and both of these connect with a little bridge, next to a small fort which was erected for the guards stationed at the large bridge which, close by, crosses the river.

The ditch of the half-curtain (of which mention was reserved for this place, in order to avoid confusion) is formed by the waters which overflow from the river at the rise of the tides. It starts from the angle defended by the bastion San Gabriel, and extends until it is very near the Parian gate, with a counterscarp--which there leaves it, bending toward the crown-work, and thus is left almost isolated, with a small arm. This, a little farther, adds all its waters, as if on deposit, to the outer ditch already mentioned. Not thus the main ditch; for this, overflowing the right side according to the amount of water which it receives [from the river], continues its course along the margin of the grand highway, more or less closely according to its curves, until, coming close to the walls, it ends its course round about them, close to the bastion San Diego. At this place art has imposed restraints on it, having in mind, no doubt, the frequent inundations to which that vicinity would be exposed if (as was easy for it) this ditch should come to unite its waters with the sea. From this measure of prudence resulted two benefits of special importance, in which both the fortified post and the public are directly interested--the former, on account of the advantage which it enjoys (as may be seen in the plan) in the fact that the ditch serves it as a moat on the eastern and southern sides; and the latter, because it is utilized for the great number of vessels which, aided by the rising tide, come up to the Puerta Real to discharge their lading.

This is one of the two principal gates already mentioned. It is located on the southern side of this town, in the curtain which defends the bastions San Diego and San Andres, although nearer to the latter; and it much resembles the gate of the Parian (although built in different style) in its convenience and its fortifications--for it has, like the former, a guard-station and watchtower, similarly arranged and equipped. It is only noted that this curtain, peculiar among all, is the only one which is furnished with terreplein; for this reason some cannons (which defense the others lack) have been placed in it.

Its other exterior works, arranged according to their order, are reduced to a bridge that can be raised, a moat with its counterscarp faced with stone [revestido], and at a little distance a ravelin in condition for defense--notwithstanding which, on account of masking the gate it is not found in front of the half of the curtain which was its proper place. Although this gate had the remaining features of covered way, parapet, palisade, and esplanade, they were entirely in ruins at the time when this government began--which induced us to plan them anew, in modern style, and of much better quality than were the old ones.

All the curtains which face the western and northern part of this fortress are, without question, the weakest part of its defenses; but on the supposition (which is believed to be a remote contingency) that European armies may move to attack it in earnest--and it may be regarded as an enormous undertaking by our enemies here, who are most laughable on account of their lack of discipline and of forts--the natural defenses are apparently even more than sufficient. For it has on the west the waters of the bay for a moat, and on the north a river that is broad and deep; and with this all fears may be laid aside.

There is also maintained in this city, at the expense of the royal treasury (as being a necessity), a foundry for artillery, grenades, and cannon balls of all calibers; and an iron-furnace, where men are continually forging, according to the occasion, many hand-weapons and some firearms. The metals for these are transported from countries beyond the sea. Besides these, a scant half-legua to the south, is the powder-factory, which is enclosed by a triangular redoubt of stone and mortar, with seven mounted iron cannons, and fortified by three demi-bastions. This factory supplies gunpowder to Manila and the forts dependent on it; to the ships of his Majesty which sail annually to the port of Acapulco and the Marianas Islands; to the armadas which, when any danger from enemies arises, are made ready on the opposite shore; and to the public festivals. More than enough to cover the expense is received from those who wish to buy it, to whom it is furnished for their money. The ingredients of its composition are produced in the country, except the saltpetre, which is brought from foreign countries.

Artillery, mounted and dismounted, of this fort, with whatever is necessary for handling it

Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber
cannons

1 3 2 2
1 4 13 4
1 5 6 5
2 8 10 6
1 9 11 8
1 14 4 10
1 16 4 12
15 8 4 14
7 20 5 18
3 22 4 20
2 24 2 30
6 25
2 stone-mortars, 90
for moat-guards
-- --
43 bronze cannons 65 iron cannons

Military supplies kept in reserve, independent of those used in actual service

20,370 iron cannon-balls, as reserve for the said artillery.
18 bronze stone-mortars, with their chambers.
5 iron esmerils.
4 iron pinzotes.
458 match-lock arquebuses.
409 flint-lock guns and [hand-] cannons, with bayonets.
34 pairs of pistols.
20 blunderbusses, bronze and iron.
2,267 short swords, cutlasses, and broadswords.
1,097 iron grenades.
50,342 lead bullets, of suitable size.
800 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.

The fighting men who serve in the said royal camp of Manila comprise nine companies of Spanish infantry. The first is under command of the captain-general; the second, of the master-of-camp; the third, of the sargento-mayor; and the rest, under six captains who are appointed by this government. Each company has its alférez, its sergeant, and also its minor posts of page, standard-bearer, fifer and drummer; and, in all, there are six hundred and seventy-five soldiers. There are also a captain and thirteen halberdiers, the personal guard of the governor and captain-general; two paid adjutants, and seven supernumeraries; one deputy-commander of artillery, with his head gunner, and thirty-six artillerists. There is a military engineer, and an overseer of the royal works; and there are masters and a suitable number of workmen for casting artillery, operating forges, and making gunpowder. There are also, to serve as workmen in the said shops, a company of Pampango infantry, with their captain, alférez, sergeant, standard-bearer, and two hundred and forty-three regular soldiers--more or less, according to circumstances.

The wages and rations of the said soldiers are paid monthly, excepting the captain-general, who receives his pay every four months and at the rate of 8,000 pesos (each of 450 maravedis of silver) a year. The amount each one receives is stated thus:

Officers: The master-of-camp, 137 pesos, 6 tomins; the sargento-mayor, 30 p.; the six captains, each 15 p.; the captain of the guard, 24 p.; the deputy commander of artillery, 25 p.; the military engineer, 25 p.; the overseer of works, 20 p.; two paid adjutants, each 8 p.; the seven supernumeraries, each 6 p.; the alferezes, each 4 p.; the sergeants, each 3 p.; the head gunner of the artillery, 8 p.; the Pampango captain, 4 p., 4 t.; his alférez, and his sergeant, each 2 p., 4 t.

Soldiers: The Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the halberdiers, each 3 p.; the artillerists, each 2 p.; the drum-major, 3 p.; the pages, standard-bearers, one fifer, and the other drummer, each 2 p.; the Pampango soldiers, each 1 p., 2 t., and some of them have extra pay; one Pampango standard-bearer, with [blank] p., 6 tomins.

To all the above are furnished respectively a ration of rice, excepting the captain of the guard, the engineer, and the overseer of works--for which purpose are used 7,4543 1/2 fanegas of rice a year--and the wages amount annually to 34,139 pesos, 3 tomins; the latter are paid from the royal treasury of Manila, which, as it has to meet the other charges which are imposed on the amount of the royal revenues, has not, it is acknowledged, funds adequate for this purpose, as will be made manifest in the proper place.

THE CASTLE OF SANTIAGO

It has a circuit of 2,030 feet; its shape is almost triangular. Its fortifications on the southern side, which faces the city, include a curtain with terreplein, flanked by two demi-bastions; it has a fausse-braye, and a ditch which communicates with the river. On the northern side, toward the entrance of the ditch, in place of a bastion is raised a cavalier with three faces or batteries; one of these fronts the sea (the anchorage included), another the said entrance, and the third the river itself. This last side of the cavalier joins a large tower of the same height as the walls; and through the tower there is a descent to a semi-circular platform or battery, at the level of the water, with which the aforesaid triangular figure of this castle is completed. Through these sides the fort has the necessary communication with the city, through its principal gate, which faces that way; with the river, and with the shore or beach of the sea, by a postern gate which furnishes passage to it. All the above will be better understood by referring to the proper plan folio [blank in MS.] where also will be found, placed in their order, the guard-stations, the barracks of the troops who garrison it, and the quarters of the warden and his subalterns. The reduced size of the plan has not allowed room for showing other buildings distinctly, such as the chapel, various storehouses (among these the powder-magazine, which is bomb-proof), the dungeons, the reservoirs of water, etc.

Artillery mounted and dismounted, with the necessary articles for its handling

Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber
cannons

4 2 1 3
2 4 1 4
1 6 1 5
3 8 1 6
1 10 2 16
3 16 2 25
8 18 4 32
3 20
4 25
-- --
29 bronze cannons 12 iron cannons

Reserve supplies

1,534 iron cannon-balls, kept in reserve for the said artillery.
1 bronze mortar, carrying a 300-libra ball.
95 muskets.
85 match-lock arquebuses.
3,414 balls for these guns.
161 grenades.
80 bar-shots.
80 lanterns (a contrivance for [using] fire and stone).
148 Turkish swords, pikes, broad daggers, hand-spikes, lances,
and gun-forks.
200 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.

The troops in the regular garrison of the said castle are composed of one company of Spanish infantry, commanded by the warden (who is appointed by his Majesty), with a lieutenant-commander, an orderly aide-de-camp, an alférez, a sergeant, and five minor posts--those of page, standard-bearer, fifer, and two drummers. It has sixty regular soldiers, one head gunner, and twelve artillerymen. The fort has also, as workmen in the shops, Pampango soldiers in a company of infantry, with their captain, alférez, sergeant, the three minor posts of standard-bearer, fifer, and drummer, and ninety regular soldiers, three of them receiving extra pay.

The wages and rations of the said troops are paid monthly, in the form which is shown in the following schedule:

Officers: The warden, 66 pesos, 5 tomins; his lieutenant, 15 p.; the aide-de-camp, 5 p., 6 t.; the alférez, 4 p.; the sergeant, 3 p.; the head gunner, 4 p.; the Pampango captain, 6 p.; the alférez and the sergeant, each 2 p., 4 t.

Soldiers: The sixty Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the twelve artillerymen, each 2 p.; the page, the standard-bearer, the fifer, and the drummers, each 2 p.; the Pampango soldiers, and the men in the minor posts, each 1 p., 2 t.

These wages amount in the year to 4,595 pesos in cash; and the rice, of which rations are issued to all, to 1,219 1/2 fanegas. All this expense is met from the royal treasury and storehouses of Manila; the exact statement regarding it will be found at the end.

DESCRIPTION OF CAVITE

In sight of Manila, and south-southeast of it, at a distance of three leguas by way of the waters of the bay, and six short leguas by land--in 14° 31' of north latitude, and 158° 38' of east longitude--is the port of Cavite, which is formed by a tongue of land, curved from east to west; it is 5,100 feet long, and 1,200 feet broad. It is the ordinary anchorage for the ships of his Majesty and of private persons, as well as for the pataches belonging to the commerce of the various Oriental peoples, who come here to carry it on every year, at regular times.

Its population is composed of the soldiers who garrison its castle, and those of other posts; the sea-faring men who serve in the vessels of the [Acapulco] trade-route, and in various other vessels, in the royal service; and the men who compose the force of the navy-yard, for the repair and the building of ships. Among so many, the citizens of most prominence are the pilots, boatswains, and other officers of the ships and the Ribera. The entire government--political, military, and social--is in the hands of a warden and chief magistrate, who is not responsible to any one except the captain-general.

Its principal fortification consists of the fort San Phelipe, the shape of which is an irregular quadrilateral; it is situated toward the point of the Ribera, at a distance from it of about 1,100 feet. It has four bastions with orillons, in old style; its western curtain, in which is its gate, has a fausse-braye; and its southern curtain, on the shore of the Ribera, has a barbette battery of twenty mounted cannons. A similar account of the two remaining curtains is omitted, because in them there is nothing new for notice. The circuit of the fort is 1,410 feet; and within it are located, in due order, lodgings sufficient for the soldiers in its garrison, an armory, a powder-magazine, a water reservoir, and other offices necessary to the service.

On the western side, which is contiguous with the village of San Roque, this fort is also fortified by a curtain 540 feet long, which, with the two large towers which flank it, occupies the entire width of the tongue of land, and, with a revetted moat, leaves Cavite almost isolated; it would be feasible to make it entirely so by the union of the two bodies of seawater--with experience of fatal results, if the double defense of a counterscarp were not interposed. This curtain has, as a mask to its gate, a half-star work with its own gate, which is the one that people call Puerta Vaga; and these two entrances furnish, for the said town and Manila, the only passage by land that is found in this port.

To this fortification is added another, and of no less importance, the necessity of which was made evident by warnings; and the plan of its structure was thought out by experience. For, having noted in less than fifty years the repeated ravages caused in this port, on the north side, by the violence of the sea when driven by the north winds--which indicated its entire destruction in the future--the superior government decided to construct a stable barrier, by which the so great damage that was feared might be prevented. This was carried out by the engineer then in charge, by constructing in the water a barrier of stone and mortar, large enough to be able to resist such attacks, and of height equal to that of the highest tides, on a foundation of pile-work and beams. This work extended from the point of the Ribera, on the side which was endangered, until it reached the northern tower of the curtain which is mentioned in the preceding paragraph--that is, the entire length of Cavite. Upon this breakwater he raised a parapet with its banquette, in which were formed the bastions, demi-bastions, flanks and curtains, as this line gave opportunity, and in the plan of Cavite they are indicated; but all these works were at the level of the water. For its greater permanency, command was given to cast into the water outside, at the foot of the pile-work, a number of stone-heaps; since these are always multiplying themselves, an evident benefit has resulted.

The arms and supplies for the maintenance of these forts are those which here are scheduled.

Artillery, mounted and dismounted, in the port of Cavite, with all that is necessary for its handling

Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber
cannons

10 1 6 1
1 2 43 2
1 3 9 3
1 4 21 4
2 6 46 6
26 8 25 8
4 10 35 10
15 12 15 12
4 14 8 14
1 16 1 16
19 18 41 18
10 25 1 20
7 30
2 35
2 40
1 stone-mortar,
of 300 libras.
--- ---
109 bronze cannons. 257 iron cannons.

Military supplies kept in reserve, independent of those used in actual service

2 esmerils of bronze, of 8-onza caliber.
4 small iron cannon, of the same caliber.
101 swivel-guns, with 216 chambers and quoins, of iron.
16,905 iron cannon-balls, suitable for the said artillery.
207 bar-shots of iron, "diamond point."
67 iron crowbars.
22 iron angelots. [7]
190 iron grenades.
142 muskets.
221 match-lock arquebuses.
16 guns, some with bayonets.
9 pistols.
1 blunderbuss.
6,672 balls corresponding to these weapons--2,910 of iron, 62
angel--[i.e., double-headed] shot, and the rest of lead.
480 hand-weapons--Turkish swords, broadswords, cutlasses
[machetes], lances, pikes, halberds, partisans, half-moons,
spears, languinatas, and spontoons.
400 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.

The fighting men of the said port of Cavité and its fortress (who are in one body, just as the above-mentioned supplies are considered collectively) comprise three companies of Spanish infantry--one commanded by the warden, another by the sargento-mayor, and another by a captain--with 180 soldiers in all, with their leading officers and minor posts. There is also a captain of artillery, with twenty-four artillerymen; the deputy of the castellan; three orderlies; two carpenters for the gun-carriages of the artillery; and one military notary. There is, besides, a company of Pampango infantry with its master-of-camp, sargento-mayor, and other officers, with two hundred and twenty regular soldiers, one hundred and twenty of whom are assigned to work as sawyers. All the officers and soldiers, both Spaniards and Pampangos (except the warden and the notary) receive a suitable ration of rice and their pay in cash monthly. The wages amount to 11,500 pesos, and the rations to 3,084 fanegas of rice. These are furnished from the royal treasury and the storehouses in Manila, according to the list here set down.

Officers: The warden, 100 pesos; the sargento-mayor, 25 p.; one captain of Spanish infantry, 15 p.; the alferezes, each 4 p.; the sergeants, each 3 p.; one captain of artillery, 15 p.; the deputy of the castellan, 15 p.; three orderlies, each 6 p.; one military notary, 8 p.; the Pampango master-of-camp, 10 p.; the sargento-mayor of that people, 6 p., 4 t.; the alférez, sergeant, and adjutant of the said nation, each 2 p., 4 t.

Soldiers: The Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the pages, standard-bearers, drummers, and fifer, each 2 p.; the artillerymen, each 2 p.; two carpenters for the artillery, each 2 p.; minor posts in the Pampango company--standard-bearer, fifer, and drummer--each [blank] p., 6 t.; 220 Pampango soldiers, each 1 p., 2 t. Of the Pampangos the following receive extra pay, with the title of sawyers: three each, 4 p.; another, 2 p., 4 t.; another, 2 p.; and eighteen others, each 1 p., 4 t.

The place which is now called "Ribera of Cavité" includes all the ground from the point of Cavité to Fort San Phelipe. All this is enclosed, with two gates, [which are] at the angles flanked by the bastions--that of the powder-magazine on the northern side, and by that of Cháchara [i.e., "Chit-chat"] on the southern side. Although these passages had formerly been open, it was considered best to shut them off thus, in order to check the frequent thefts that were committed of nails and other furnishings at times when ships were being repaired or built; but in doing so a narrow strip was left, in order to furnish a path for the work-people from the Ribera, thus forming the barbette battery; and this strip has preserved the principal curtain of the fort from the continual former lashings of the waves of the sea.

On this Ribera is located the shipyard, where the galleons, pataches, galleys, and galliots of his Majesty are constructed into ships; also here is the bridge which is used for careening the said ships, and others that belong to private persons. It also includes the royal iron-works, where are forged the iron tools and instruments, of all kinds and sizes, that are necessary for the said construction; and the workshops of the various artisans who are daily at work on this Ribera. There are separate storehouses for the masts, anchors, cables, rigging, and other kinds of cordage; for cannon, and for gun-carriages; and generally for all the military supplies and nautical equipments, with the dwelling-houses of their principal officers. All this was built by the present government, and with so good management that in a short time, and without confusion, everything necessary for this purpose was constructed, repaired, or equipped. Other royal buildings which are not included in the Ribera are indicated on the chart of this port, for which reason I omit notice of each.

All this arrangement for the navy-yard of the Ribera, although it is planned for the benefit of all vessels, whether native or foreign, is chiefly designed for those of his Catholic Majesty, and more especially for the galleons which annually make the voyage to Nueva España; these are built, equipped, and supplied in this port and Ribera. A sufficiently detailed account of these will be given in the following lists.

Ribera of Cavité

Master workmen in the navy-yard: one captain of the Point, yearly, 300 pesos; one alférez of the seamen, 120 p.; one sergeant of the said men, 90 p.; four corporals, and one watchman, 180 p.; two chief pilots, 240 p.; two assistant pilots, 192 p.; one examiner and inspector of the royal works of the port, 300 p.; one constable for the storehouse of provisions, 120 p.; one surgeon, 96 p.; one coxswain of the galley, 120 p.; one chaplain for the galley, 180 p.; one foreman of the royal iron-works, 300 p.; one foreman of rope-making, 120 p.; one foreman of the cooper shop, 240 p.; one foreman for the artisans [8] of the artillery, 120 p.; another overseer of the aforesaid, 30 p.; one head overseer of the carpenters, 360 p.; another, his assistant, 300 p.; one director of works, 300 p. All, except the father chaplain, receive rations of rice.

Workmen in the navy-yard: 226 seamen (of whom 16 serve as captains), with different rates of pay according to their various employments, and, with corresponding rations of rice; this amounts each year to 5,201 p., 4 t., 6 granos; 166 common seamen, with the same pay and ration of rice, yearly 2,490 pesos; to the convicts on the royal galleys are issued rations of 516 cavans of clean rice, which with 22 p., 4 t. for oil for the lanterns, and 300 p. a year for fish, salt, and vinegar, will be worth 580 p.; eight ropemakers, with rations of rice and different rates of pay according to their different kinds of work, amounting yearly to 198 p.; 16 coopers, with different rates of pay and rations of rice, receive yearly 351 p., 9 granos; 152 men for using the augers, at various rates of pay, including rice, receive yearly 3,920 p., 4 t.; tool-grinders, at various rates of pay, receive yearly, including the value of the rice, 594 p.; 305 artisans [pandayes] (15 of them in the artillery), with various rates of pay, and the amount of the ration of rice, receive yearly 372 [9] p.; 33 painters (two in the artillery), according to their different rates of pay, with rations, 495 p.; 135 blacksmiths, with rations and various rates of pay, amount to 4,644 p.; 31 Lascars, barraqueros, [10] at different rates of pay, receive annually 709 p.; 16 carpenters, at various rates of pay, with the value of their rations, receive 1,452 p.; 4 overseers, at various rates of pay, with rations, 300 p.; the hand-sawyers and the calkers (not only natives, but Sangleys) receive, according to the day-wages for which they work, without a ration of rice, wages amounting in one year to 14,922 p., 3 t., 6 granos; the galagaleros, [11] the Indians who work in repartimiento as ropemakers and woodcutters, and the raftsmen, at various rates of pay according to their work, and in rice, receive each year 2,714 p., 1 t.

All the aforesaid people in the navy-yard on the Ribera of Cavité receive yearly 49,948 p., 3 t., 8 granos, in which is included the value of 26,174 cavans, 11 gantas of rice, which is consumed in the rations given to each person; but from this are excluded the father chaplain, the sawyers, and the calkers. This amount, in summary form, is the same which the royal officials now certify, omitting the details of each item on account of the great prolixity which would be caused by stating the various assignments of pay which correspond to the various offices and work, and reserving the full statement for the annual report with which the royal officials fulfil their duty.

Preparation of the ships: Since the chief employ of the navy-yard at the Ribera at Cavité is the building and equipment of his Majesty's ships, and, specifically, those which are annually despatched to Nueva España with the merchandise that is allowed to that commerce and for the royal situado--in which construction is expended the amount from the royal treasury already mentioned--to it also belong the expenses of the entire outfit for the ships, the pay of the naval and military officers, great and small, the men for the crews, and the provision of necessary supplies. As regards expense caused by these things, it is included in the certification of the royal officials in their general statement of purchases; this brief relation refers the reader to that account, avoiding the annoyance of so long a schedule, and here is given only the list of the men assigned to this employ--the computation being now made from the two pataches, the flagship and the almiranta, which in the year 1736 were manned in this form:

Officers of the ships: The commander of the flagship ("Nuestra Señora de Cabdalonga") with salary of 4,125 pesos; the captain of the almiranta ("Nuestra Señora del Pilar") 2,750 p.; the chaplains of the two pataches, each 75 p., 150 p.; two chief pilots, each 300 p., 600 p.; two assistant pilots, each 150 p., 300 p.; two mates, each 150 p., 300 p.; two head gunners, each 150 p., 300 p.; two boatswains, each 150 p., 300 p.; two carpenters, each 150 p., 300 p.; two calkers, each 150 p., 300 p.; two divers, each 150 p., 300 p.; two notaries, each 100 p., 200 p.; two storekeepers, each 100 p., 200 p.; two surgeons, each 100 p., 200 p.; two stewards, each 100 p., 200 p.; two water-guards, each 100 p., 200 p.; two additional pilots, each 150 p., 300 p. Total, 11,025 pesos.

The men of the crews: 64 artillerymen, each 100 p., amount to 6,400 p.; 160 mariners in the crews of the said pataches, at the rate of 75 p. each, 12,000 p.; 72 Spanish common seamen in the said crews, at the rate of 50 p. each, 3,600 p.; 120 deck-hands in the said crews at 25 p., 3,000 p.; extra pay issued to the royal official timekeeper, who made these payments, 25 p. Total, 25,025 pesos.

Adding together these amounts for pay of officers and crews, the total is 36,050 pesos.

DESCRIPTION OF FORT SAN PEDRO IN THE CITY OF SANTISSIMO NOMBRE DE JESUS, IN ZEBÛ

In the island of Zebû, which is regarded as the center of all the islands of Pintados--it is thirty leguas long, twelve wide, and eighty in circuit--is the city of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus. It is the capital of this province, wherein, amid the evident ruins of its former opulence, is preserved, close to the city, the fort of San Pedro. It is built of stone and mortar, with a terreplein, and is situated on a point on the shore of the sea, in 10° of north latitude, and 161° 47' of east longitude; [12] it is distant from the capital, Manila, ninety-six leguas to the southeast, and is five degrees south of that city.

The shape of this fort is triangular, with three bastions having straight flanks; it is 1,248 feet in circuit. Its curtains are of unequal length, and in that one which fronts the city, toward the northwest, is the gate of the fort. This is masked by an outer work of stakes, of square shape, with its gate to the city; and a palisade extends the whole length of the curtain, in the form of a fausse-braye.

This fort contains the necessary buildings, as they are indicated on its plan; it has also arms and soldiers, as herewith stated.

Arms and supplies

13 pieces of bronze artillery, caliber 2 and 4.
18 iron cannons, caliber 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, and 14.
2 bronze mortars, with iron pivots.
6 bronze stone-mortars.
12 chambers.
50 pinzotes.
250 arquebuses and muskets.
1,826 iron balls for the artillery.
14,055 lead balls for the muskets, arquebuses, and pinzotes.
294 grenades.
500 arrobas of gunpowder, with small-arms and hand weapons, are
kept in reserve, as is certified by the royal officials.

All the above, with the clothing [for the soldiers], and the replenishment of arms and gunpowder, is provided from the capital, Manila, in accordance with the orders of this government.

The military force

A captain of Spanish infantry, who is the alcalde-mayor, with monthly pay of 25 pesos; an alférez of the said company, with 3 p.; a sergeant, 2 p.; an orderly, 4 p.; a lieutenant of the fort, 4 p.; 57 regular soldiers, each 1 p.; 4 minor posts--page, fifer, drummer, and standard-bearer, each 1 p.; 6 artillerymen, each 1 p.; a captain of the Pampango company, 4 p.; his alférez, 1 p., 4 t.; the sergeant, 1 p.; twenty [Pampango] soldiers, and three minor posts--page, drummer, and standard-bearer--each 4 t.; one position as overseer of the iron-forge, 3 p.; two others, as shoremaster and overseer of buildings, 2 p.; another as pilot, 1 p. Each one of the said persons receives a monthly allowance of half a fanega (which is one cavan) of rice.

The maintenance of this military post amounts to 1,584 pesos and 624 fanegas of rice every year; this expense is paid out of the proceeds of the tributes and other revenues which are collected on his Majesty's account in the said province of Zebû.

DESCRIPTION OF FORT NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PILAR AT SAMBOANGAN

This fort is in the town of Samboangan, [13] a separate jurisdiction with a chief magistrate, who is the governor of this military post. It is situated in the great island of Mindanao, near the promontory which is called Punta de la Caldera, in 7° 4' north latitude, and 160° 30' east longitude; [14] it is distant from the capital, Manila, 134 1/2 leguas south by east, and four degrees to the east.