The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 13]

I604-I605]

ACUNA TO FELIPE III

239

of any use at all, but rather it will cause great injury to the service of your Majesty and the welfare
of this commonwealth. Even if the two were not
rivals, I doubt very much if the Audiencia could be
maintained without there being great deficiency in
everything else, if their salaries are to be paid here.
I consider it more advantageous and safe to spend
what the said Audiencia draws in salaries, to aid in
paying the soldiers and maintaining the fleet of galleys which [MS. defective] we defend, and not the
presence of the said auditors and Audiencia, as they
themselves assert who were of the opinion that the
Audiencia should again be established; for this
country is not even in a state to be able to bear such a
burden, as it is so ill provided, as I have said, and so
borne down with troubles and even with war.
Likewise another difficulty is presented, as the
treasury is always straitened; and, on account of the
great care which the auditors take to collect their
salaries, as it cannot be so prompt as they would wish,
they seek borrowed money from the citizens-who
give it to them, willingly or unwillingly, each one
according to his means or designs. From this follow
difficulties, to which they pay no heed; as some of
them demand these loans from persons who are parties to suits at the time, who grant these to the auditors
in order to place them under obligations, and profit
by them.
The difficulty which presents itself to me in this
matter is that, if theAudiencia is abolished and everything left in charge of the governor, there will be but
slow and poor remedy for the grievances and disorders which may occur. For they must be taken to the
Audiencia of Mexico, which is so far away that the