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. 44]

I700-I736] COMMERCE OF PHILIPPINES

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be smaller duties; or not registering the silver,
which he can allow to be shipped outside the amount
permitted. But as in both cases there is no one to
make objection besides the very parties who are interested - and it suits these to be silent, because their
profit depends on that- nor is there a witness to state
what occurs, nor document to prove it, the transaction goes on, under a system of confidence to which
neither proof nor even suspicion can be opposed.
"In some accounts, I have learned, certain sums
have been credited to your Majesty, under the title
'Amounts in excess of the permission,' which is ten
per cent of the excess over the 600,000 pesos which
your Majesty allows to be transported; but whether
these items are punctually credited or not, or
whether under cover of these other and larger sums
were received which were profitable to the judge, it
is not easy to ascertain. I take abundant precautions
to prevent these things from being done, but if they
are done, or are hidden, I cannot prevent it; and I
go on, sincerely believing that the minister [in whose
charge this matter is], of whose fidelity I have had
experience in other directions, will exercise that
faithfulness in this also.
"For the future, your Majesty commands that the
merchants refrain from transgressing in what is prohibited; but the very nature of the subject leaves
some openings that cannot be repaired, through
which the greed for gain thrusts itself, not only
among the officials but in the merchants; and thus
the most sagacious understanding does not perceive
or suspect them, and thus does not correct them. I
will specify some cases to your Majesty which will
make this point clear.