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

Don Fausto Cruzat y Gongora, of a distinguished family in Pampeluna, took possession of his government in 1690, with the accustomed pomp on these occasions. On his arrival, he found that the royal establishments were very badly administered, the superintending officers paying more attention to their own individual interests than to those of his Majesty, whose control was too remote to produce any salutary check on their proceedings. He set immediately about collecting the arrears of the annual tribute remaining due to the King, with which he re-built the Governor's palace, enlarged the hall of the Royal Audience, and the offices of the auditors. Under these he established the respective prisons, and begun the royal store-houses.

In the year 1692, the ship Santo Christo de Burgos arrived, sailed the following year, and was never more heard of. In 1694, the galleon San Joseph, richly laden, was wrecked on the island of Luban in a severe storm, in which the ship, cargo, and four hundred people were lost.

In the Marianas, the Indians, with the soldiers of the fort, and the galley-slaves which came in the admiral's ship which was wrecked there, all rose in rebellion. They had determined to murder all the Spaniards that were in the islands, and take possession of them; and which they would have executed, had not one of their party discovered the conspiracy, when a stop was effectually put to it by the valour and conduct of the Spaniards and friars. The Indians were compelled to confine themselves to the islands of Guajan, Rota, and Saypan, all of which have been since deserted.

From 1690 to 1701, ecclesiastical disputes solely occupied the public attention.

Don Domingo Zabalburu took possession of his government on the 8th of September, 1701. He finished the royal magazines which had been begun by his predecessor, re-built the redoubt of San Antonio Abad, and repaired the fortification of Cavite, the inhabitants of Manila contributing with their accustomed generosity by presents for the purpose. At this time the Kings of Jolo and Mindanao had a serious misunderstanding, each requesting assistance from the Governor, which, however, he declined, knowing that by taking part with one, he exposed these islands to the enmity of the other. He sent the Jesuit Antonio de Borga to reestablish harmony between these two nations upon any justifiable ground, as war had been declared by Spain against the English and Dutch, and it was deemed necessary to maintain a respectable maritime force to defend these islands, and in particular to protect our galleons, exposed as they were in their voyage from New Spain, to be captured by the ships of these nations, as happened with the Rosario, which was attacked by two English ships among the islands of Nativity and Salagur, in December, 1704; but she compelled them to fly, and she pursued her voyage to Acapulco. The following year the galleon San Xaviar was wrecked, which was severely felt in Manila.

Don Martin de Ursua y Arismendi Conde de Lizarraga took possession of his government on the 25th of August, 1709. His first care was to send out of the islands all those Chinese who had been hitherto in the habit of remaining annually after the departure of the junks, to the great prejudice of the Spaniards. The safety of the state required this step, and all were expelled except those who were mechanics, or in the service of the public. The indulgence granted to these, was ascribed to the advantage the Governor derived from the licences he issued for that purpose. This step taken by the Governor was of great service to the country, as the Chinese came into it on the pretext of cultivating the land, and on this ground were allowed to remain; but it was soon found that they were even less active than the Indians, and that for one who applied himself to agriculture, a thousand were dealers of different descriptions, and in this they were extremely expert. They adulterated the weights and measures, as well as the different articles of sugar, wax, and almost every other commodity, so as not to be easily discovered. They were all monopolizers, watching narrowly the wants of the inhabitants, and the demand for different articles of consumption, which they kept back until they rose to their price. All this they had long practised with impunity, as, by virtue of presents duly applied, they were able to secure powerful protectors; and although sometimes they were fined, they took care that, even on the very day the fine was exacted, they should be reimbursed by the advanced price they fixed on the very goods in question. By this means they became rich in a short time, and either remitting their money to China, or returning with it themselves, they thus defrauded the Philippines annually of immense wealth [1].

The Jesuits of Manila, in 1696, had made an attempt to reduce the islands of Palaos, or Pelew, which were understood to consist of thirty-two in number, and to be very populous; but it was not till 1710 that they were enabled to make good a landing on them, when a patache, sent by the Governor, at last effected this desirable end.

These islanders appeared so friendly, that the pilot who had been sent on shore with an Indian to discover a good landing-place, was persuaded to go up the country to the chief, who receiving him with cordiality, the favourable report he made to the fathers determined them immediately to land and plant the cross. They accordingly departed in the launch, accompanied by twelve of the people, with an intention of returning to the ship as soon as the object was effected; but the pilot, after making repeated signals, having protracted his stay until the setting in of the periodical hurricanes, was compelled to abandon the mission in this state of uncertainty, and return to Manila; since which time nothing has been heard of the Jesuits or the Spaniards who accompanied them. Two ships, indeed, have been sent in search of them, but one was lost, and the other failed in her attempt to reach the Palaos, the only result of her voyage being the discovery of a few insignificant islands.

In the year 1710, three English ships arrived on the coast of California, and our squadron on that station having been separated, were attacked singly by them. The admiral, whose captain was a Frenchman, struck without opposition. The other ship, Nuestra Señora de Begoña, Captain Francisco de Angulo, being deficient of his complement of men, and even those in a sickly state, after a gallant resistance, was compelled to retire. Our loss on this occasion was eight killed and eight wounded. Our galleon mounted twenty-four guns and twenty patereros, and the largest English ship thirty-six; the second twenty-four, and the third twenty-two guns. The King, irritated by this disgraceful loss, severely censured the Viceroy for his imprudence in confiding a Spanish ship of war to the command of a stranger.

On the 4th of February, 1715, deeply regretted by all, after an administration of five years, died the Conde de Lizarraga, and the Oidor Torralba succeeded him ad interim. He rendered himself extremely useful to the colony in casting artillery, and in other public works; but he had the misfortune to be on very indifferent terms with his colleagues in office. Señor Pavon, who had been divested of his office by the concurrence of the Royal Audience, in the views of Señor Torralba, appealed to his Sovereign, who acquitted him, and permitted him to return to his office. The royal order to this effect arrived during the governorship, ad interim, of Señor Torralba, who refused to put it into execution, and so persecuted Señor Pavon, that he compelled him to take refuge in the convent of St. Augustine. He likewise proceeded, in a most hostile manner, against the Oidor Villa, on a most ridiculous pretext.

The Field-Marshal Don Fernando Bustamante Bustillo y Rueda, late alcalde mayor of Tlascala, in New Spain, took possession of his government on the 9th of August, 1717. He was a man who knew how to make himself obeyed, and the more difficulties he encountered, the more did his resolution impel him to meet them with effect. He began by issuing some strong decrees, and others still more severe were expected. These were principally directed to the recovery of above two hundred thousand dollars, which he found were due to the royal treasury by different people, both by those in office, and generally by the public. These parties finding he was determined on the measure, began to murmur at his proceedings. Without, however, allowing himself to be influenced by any consideration of this nature, he laid an embargo on all the silver that came in the galleon from Acapulco, and required from the public functionaries correct statements of their accounts with the royal treasury. By an examination of those names which appeared as owners of the silver, he found it an easy matter to cover all those debts, and by this dexterous management recovered about three hundred thousand dollars to the treasury. Many of those, however, then indebted to the government, having died, or being reduced to poverty, their securities of course became responsible, and this extended the consequences of his measures to so many in Manila, that he became an object of general hatred, particularly as he went so far as to punish delinquencies by confining individuals as prisoners in their office, and by seizing their property. He ordered the late secretary of Torralba to give an account of what had been received for licences granted to the Chinese, and as this was not complied with, he seized all his effects, and committed him to prison, practising many other acts of severity too numerous to mention.