Marian islands, where it waits for intelligence from Manila, renews its water, and takes in provisions: it then continues its way, making for Cape Espiritu Santo, in the island of Samar, enters the ftrait of San Bernardino, and arrives at Manila in June. On its arrival there is constantly another veffel ready prepared to depart.

The galeons are the property of the King: they measure from twelve to fifteen hundred tons, and mount from fifty to fixty guns. The King appoints the officers, and pays the crew. The captain has the title of general, and bears the standard of Spain at the main maft; his place produces him annually twenty thousand dollars; on this account it is given by the governor only to thofe he favours. Each failor receives three hundred and fifty pieces of eight, of which feventy are paid him at Manila and the refidue at Acapulco. The complement of men, including paffengers, is fix hundred. On returning, as the cargo is not bulky, the lower tier of guns is mounted, which when outward-bound is lodged in the hold, and the veffel is reinforced by the addition of two companies of marines.

It is aftonishing that the Spaniards, in quitting the ftrait of San Bernardino, do not bear to the north-east, or even more towards the north, instead of eaft-north-east, which is their common practice; and that when they attain thirty degrees north they fhould continue to preferve that latitude, fince, if they afcended as high as thirty-fix or even forty degrees, they would have stronger winds from the weft, and would confequently much shorten their voyage; but the captain of the galleon is obliged to follow his inftructions, however unfavourable to his speedier arrival in the region of rain, an article indispensable for the prefervation of his crew. Will it be believed that men can

Humata in April 1787: the circumference of the ifland is from thirty to forty (Spanish) leagues; the port is denominated San Luis de Apra; three leagues diftant from it is the city of Agana, the capital of the Marianas. Of the islands which form this chain, feventeen in number exclufive of islets, the only ones peopled are Guam, Rota or Scypan, called alfo St. Jofeph.

Thefe islands were called originally de los Ladrones (the Iflands of Thieves) by the Spaniards, who first vifited them on account of the pilfering difpofition of the natives. Magellan difcovered them in 1521; Legafpi fubjected them to the dominion of Spain in 1565; and the Jefuits introduced Chriftianity in 1668. The miffion of this order was under the fpecial patronage of the Queen Dona Mariana of Auftria, in memory of whom they afterwards received their prefent name, and who founded an annual bequest of twentyone thousand dollars for the fupport and defence of the colony; feparate from one of three thousand for the maintenance of a college dedicated to the inftruction of the Indians; and another for the ftipend of five monks, formerly of the order of St. Ignatius, but now Augustins.

In no part of the world are colonists treated in a better manner. They are maintained by the crown, but pay no tribute; and are regarded as his scholars by a careful mafter, his children by a benevolent father.

When Mr. Marion in 1771-2 failed on the expedition to the South Seas, in which he unfortunately, with twenty-two failors and fome officers, perifhed by the hands of the natives of New Zealand, and when the command in confequence devolved on the Chevalier Duclefmeur, the latter, after fuffering great hardships, had the good fortune to reach the island of Guam, which appeared to him a terreftrial paradise. And at this distance from any civilized country, it furely could be deemed no fmall bleffing by a diftreffed crew to arrive at the only port in the vast expanfe of this fea, in which the fickly and exhausted mariner could hope fpeedily to recruit his ftrength, where all provifions and neceffary refitments were in abundance, and where a city was to be found, built in the European manner, with ftraight ftreets, a church, fortifications, public buildings, and a civilized population. The healthiness of the ifland is beft evident from the proof afforded on this occafion. Of two hundred men fick of the fcurvy (according to the account rendered by M. de Crizet, of the Mafcarin, the compiler of the narrative of this voyage,) not one died, but all speedily recovered, thanks to the air, the food, and the liberal affiftance afforded by Don Mariano Tobias, the governor of the islands.

The Abbé Raynal, who received his information refpecting thefe iflands, moft probably, from officers in this expedition, however prone thereto in most inftances, has here nothing exaggerated in his account of them. Hift. Pol. de los Estab, Ultram. de las Naciones Europ. per Edv. Malo de Luque, tom. v. P. 141, et feq. Madrid, 1790.

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be fo venturefome as to undertake a long voyage without a due ftore of water, and with the fole dependence for fupply on what may fall from the clouds? Yet this is the fact. The Spaniards avail themselves of every vacancy in the veffel to ftow their goods in ; and inftead, like us, of carrying out ftore-cafks of water, they merely carry out jars which are fufpended from the rigging to catch the rain when it falls.

After the commerce of Acapulco, comes that carried on by mafters of coafters and different individuals of Manila. These dispatch small veffels laden with rice to Macao, which they exchange for various merchandize of China. The Spaniard here is rarely himself an adventurer; either he lends his money to the Indians who put it to profit, or lays it out in the purchase of raw fugars to fell again.

The rich perfons of Manila do not carry on trade even with Acapulco with their own money, but borrow funds for the purpose of the convents, which they return with intereft on the return of the galeon. In this cafe the net profit of the fhipper is eftimated at from twenty-five to thirty per cent.

Commerce of Foreigners.

At times the port of Manila has been open to all friendly nations, but, most commonly, trade with foreigners* has been prohibited. When I was there, it was free. The English trafficked thither under the Swedish and Danish flag, Armenians likewife from the Indian coaft, the Portuguese, and the French. The Chinese at all times trade thither in junks.

Importation.

The import trade confifts of various articles from Europe, to wit: anchors, sheet, fquared, and bar iron, and iron wire, grapplings, anvils, German steel, nails from one to ten inches long, cabinet makers' and carpenters' tools, fheet-copper and copper fastenings, tin in plates, brafs wire, fail cloth, thread, needles, knitting-needles, cables, cordage, lead in fheets and in pigs, fand hour-glaffes, window-glafs, drinking-glaffes, European cloth, wines, brandy, liquors and fweet wines, effences, eau de Cologne, hats, filk ftockings, glafs lamps, pearl and coral for rofaries, rofe-diamonds, and brilliants unset, lace, and Brittany linen.

The articles imported from India are cambayas, handkerchiefs, malmoles, plain, embroidered, and worked with gold and filver, cambricks, elefantas, cotton cloths from the north, percalas, bordered petticoats, basquinas, handkerchiefs with devices, bafetas, garras, and Mafulipatam handkerchiefs without glofs, with fome handkerchiefs and cambayas from Anticour, &c.

The merchandize brought from China is, different filk stuffs, filk stockings, nankeens, gold and filver plate, porcelain, &c.

Exportation.

The fhipments outwards are compofed chiefly of fugar, indigo, tobacco, leather, tallow, honey, wax, rice, chocolate, corn, biscuit, cattle, wax candles, dying woods, ebony, birds'-nests, pearls, mother of pearl, and rattans*.

That is to fay, Europeans.-TRANSLATOR.

On

The following is an account of the articles, the produce of the Philippines, imported into Old Spain, in the years feverally affixed to them:

In 1788, by the fhip Conception:-indigo 1100lbs. ; filk 113lbs.; cotton 180lbs.; Sibucao wood 700lbs; chintzes 150 pieces.

On the arrival of a ship at Manila it has to produce its manifeft within twenty-four hours; and the captain fhould fee that it be exact, for if any article be landed not mentioned in his declaration it is confifcated. The lift of the cargo is commonly fhewn first to the governor, and the officers of the crown, who mark the articles they wish to purchase; to fell these to any one elfe would be conftrued an offence. The governor and the officers pay very regularly; and the merchant would have reason to be fatisfied if they took the whole cargo, but they fcrupulously exact, on the other hand, and with justice, that the bulk of what they buy fhould correfpond with the fample.

The cargo is discharged at the custom-house and depofited in warehouses, to which the carriage is expenfive, as the porters are very flow in their movements. At the custom-house there are but five perfons to take cognizance of what is landed, and to receive the duties; it follows, as a confequence, that the goods are long in being examined, so much so, indeed, that were twenty veffels to arrive at Manila it would take a year to clear them. When once the goods have paffed the examination they may be removed. The custom dues are eight per cent. on the prefumed fale price, and the affeffment of them depends on the chief cuftom-officer. This affeffment fometimes exceeds the price for which the goods fell, but should it, no reftitution is made, as the fiat of this plenipotentiary is irrevocable. At times, however, this officer is found, fo complaifant, for inftance when I was there, as to allow the goods to remain in the custom-house without paying duty, except in cafe of fale.

Commerce at Manila is fubject to much difficulty and obftruction. Every thing relative thereto is carried on flowly, and with great trouble; at every step requests are neceffary on stamped paper; for example, on unloading or loading a cargo, and when laden, for permiffion to fail. It alfo takes a length of time to receive a cargo on board, as the boats are fearful of venturing over the bar in cafe of the wind blowing in the least fresh; moreover, a fhip is not free to fail at pleasure, but must wait for a licence, which on account of the festivals and proceffions fo frequent in this country, and during which no business is tranfacted, is long delayed. Dè efpacio, give breathing time, is the anfwer of the Spaniard to the impatient folicitations of the captain, who must reckon himself fortunate if he leave the bay before the monfoon changes, and confequently before the adverse winds fet in.

Advantageous Pofition of Manila.

The great importance of the Philippines is apparent from what has been described. These islands from their position might carry on an immenfe trade with China, CochinChina, Camboja, Borneo, the Moluccas, the Indian coaft, and that of America; but the Spaniards, intent on their commerce with Acapulco, have fo much neglected every other, that but few veffels are freighted by them of the great number they have means to employ.

The Philippines produce a variety of merchandize for exportation, to which might be added cotton, areca, and pepper. Did they follow a wife policy the Spaniards would ftimulate the industry of the Indians, and induce them to cultivate these three articles. They would fupply them with objects of firft neceffity to barter with China for its

In 1789, by the Ships Santa Rufina, Noftra Senora de las Nieves, and Noftra Senora de la Conception :indigo 45,825lbs.; filk 1587lbs; do. manufactured 364 pieces; Sibucao wood 3550lbs.; cotton 29 bales; 500lbs. fpun; 570 pieces manufactured; pimento 631lbs; fugar 1200lbs. ; nutmegs 244lbs.; wax 1000lbs; algalia 381lbs.; mother of pearl 12,740lbs. ; 2 ingots of gold, and 24 golden chains; 55 tables of different kinds of wood.-Appendix to Hift. Polit. de Las Nac. Europ. tom. v. p. 120. et feq. filks; 3

filks; would prevent the emiffion of filver to that country, and occafion the dollars of America to take their courfe to Old Spain. Nor would these be the only advantages accruing from fuch measures.

The Spaniards by promoting on a large fcale the culture of cotton, would be enabled to underfell the English in China; in this cafe the demand for the cotton goods of Bengal would diminish, and the English Eaft India Company, no longer finding the fame nourishment for its speculations, would be forced to make encreased remittances from London, and confequently have to carry on a trade, prejudicial in extreme to its interests. In this conteft the Spaniards have nothing to hazard, but much to gain. The proximity of the places of intercourfe, and the moderate charge for freight, would neceffarily put it in their power to offer their cottons at a much lower price than the English; and the Chinese would naturally prefer the cottons from Manila, for which they pay in filks, to those they purchase of the India captains, who conftantly receive filver in part payment, and find means, notwithstanding the prohibition of the mandarins, of carrying it out of the country.

Manila might also become an entrepôt, not only for the refort of Spanish but, if government should allow it, of foreign veffels alfo. In fact this colony furnished, with the merchandize of China, either by means of Manila coafters or the Chinese junks, which annually resort thither from Emouy, merchant fhips from Europe would rather take in here their return cargoes than proceed for the purpose to Canton, as by these means they would not only fave time but likewise the charge of the factories and refidence, and of the tonnage payable at Canton.

The Spaniards of Manila might even themselves proceed to the coaft of India with filver, indigo, and merchandize from China, and there obtain in exchange cambayas, muflins, cloths, and handkerchiefs, either for investments on European fhips or on thofe for Acapulco. Trade conducted in this manner would become brisk, and be profitable to the colony. Still if any great advantage be fought it will be requifite to place the colony on a respectable footing of defence by maintaining fome European troops; by fortifying the entrance of the bay, and the island of the Corregidor; by fitting out fome frigates to cruize along the coafts, and prevent the Moors from making incurfions upon the Spanish territory; and by diminishing and fimplifying the custom duties, and affording greater facility and difpatch to commercial tranfactions. High duties payable on articles of import into any country are not a tax on the foreigner but on the subject, as the vendor conftantly augments the price of what he fells in proportion to the impoft he pays; thus the purchaser pays the duties, and fo much more money goes out of the country*: moreover, proportionally as the duties are heavy is the importer encouraged to elude them; and as in what is fmuggled the whole duty is loft, the ftate becomes the lofer.

Let the duties exacted, as well from the natives as from foreigners, be leffened to a trifle, and let a greater facility be affected to purchases and sales, and commerce will increase a hundred fold: moreover, in proportion to its increase will be the augmentation of the duties; and the revenue will be found not only to equal the expences, but the fovereign, in addition, will withdraw an excess from a colony which at present annually exacts a remittance from Spain for its support.

*This laft conclufion is erroneous. If a hundred pounds be the value of a parcel of goods imported, and the duty on them be eight pounds, when the buyer pays for thefe goods one hundred and eight pounds, only one hundred pounds leaves the country, as eight had before been paid by the importer to the treafury of the country.-TRANSLATOR.

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For the internal difcipline, the government fhould nominate as alcaldes none but men of probity; a council compofed of merchants fhould be inftituted for the fuperintendence of commerce, for propofing useful measures, and putting them in execution; a fimilar council fhould be established for the furtherance and fuperinspection of agriculture; and lastly, the Indians be endeared to the government by being placed on par with Spaniards in refpect to tribute, and thus be induced to marry. Thefe fhould be roufed from their fluggishness, and infpirited to an active life, by presenting them a profitable market for their productions; they fhould be encouraged by premiums to addict themfelves to agriculture, to works of art, and to become gold and filver smiths, black and white smiths. But for the promotion of this object a reduction of the Chinese refidents would be indifpenfable: a certain number of these might be tolerated. It would alfo perhaps be advisable to invite ftrangers, and afford them afsistance in establishing themselves. But in both these cafes much caution would be required; for too great a number of foreigners might introduce danger, and originate a combination with the Indians for the expulfion of thofe who received them with kind

nefs.

By measures fuch as I have proposed the Spaniards would be awakened from the lethargy which appears to absorb their faculties; commerce, in a languishing state, and nearly at its laft gafp, would be called into life and activity; individuals, in a free communication between China, Acapulco, and Manila, would find an immense source of wealth; and government, in feconding their efforts, would be a gainer of money and failors, would acquire a refpectable navy, and with it competence to repel any attack, however unexpected.

From what I have faid it is eafy to perceive that with flight efforts the Spaniards might carry on a very extenfive commerce in the Philippines, and reap confiderable profit from a colony, the productions and refources of which are incalculable; but they are fo regardless of the advantages to be derived from these islands, that under Philip II. and Philip III. it was a fubject of deliberation, in the council at Madrid, whether or no Manila fhould be abandoned.

Nothing could have been more defirable than that these islands fhould have been ceded to the French. Their poffeffion of them, according to Cardinal Alberoni in his political will, would not have been lefs ufeful to the French themfelves than beneficial to the colony. But, if the Spaniards are to remain mafters of them, that they fhould look with diligence to their fecurity is moft effential. A nation, ambitious of monopolizing the commerce of the world, looks with anxious eye on the island of Manila: once for a fhort period miftrefs of this rich colony, fhe repents its reftitution, and should it a fecond time come under her dominion, will never yield it again. Spaniards! look ferioufly therefore to the prefervation of the Philippines: the lofs of them would be irreparable; anticipate the confequence of a disaster, and have not to seek a remedy when too late.

DEPARTURE FROM MANILA, AND RETURN TO THE ISLE OF FRANCE.

WE left Manila the 7th of March 1797*, at five in the evening, and on the 13th doubled Pulo Sapate, keeping its western fide. This courfe fhould be avoided on ac

*The fhoals of Boulinao and Maffinlou, without the port of Manila, are laid down too much towards the eaft in the charts; they lie more wefterly, and nearer to Scarborough bank.