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]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. I3

auditor and the fiscal of my said Audiencia, and two
regidors of the cabildo of the said city of Manila,
among the citizens of the said islands who may have
property to invest. This allotment shall be made
in the most equitable manner, and without aggrieving anyone (as we are confident they will do), for
it is just that all should enjoy this benefit and convenience for their maintenance and benefit; and their
object should likewise be that the country be peopled
with useful colonists, such as will remain there.
I also command that my viceroy of Nueva Espafia
and the governor of the said Philipinas Islands, each
so far as this concerns him, shall moderate and regulate the freight charges to be paid on what is laded
in the said ships on their voyages to and fro, according to the expenses thereof - conformably to the reduction that is made in the tonnage of the said ships
and the number of men who are to sail in them, and
the other expenses incurred - in such manner that no
superfluous or unnecessary expenses shall be incurred
(but not so that necessaries or conveniences shall be
lacking), and that it shall not be necessary to supply
anything from my exchequer for the expenditures
for the said fleet. For this reason the duties now
levied and collected on the merchandise shall be
raised two per cent, and that on silver another two
per cent, by way of averia " as is done on that carried
from the Indias via the Northern Sea in the fleets
and armed vessels; for this is conformable to the
profits of those that trade in the said Philipinas route.
The proceeds of this shall be a special fund, with a
separate account carefully kept, in the said city of
36 Literally, " average;" a certain duty levied on merchandise in
the India trade.