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. 48]

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VIANA'S MEMORIAL

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we have experienced from abandoning them; and
even he who is least versed [in such matters] will
concede that the latter is vastly greater than the former. For ten years' expenditures for preserving the
Molucas are not equal to the increase of strength
which we have given every year to our enemies since
they gained possession of those islands. I assert that
we would not have abandoned that valuable piece
of territory if our Spaniards had been as industrious
and assiduous in trading as are the Dutch; or if they
had realized what they lost, which has been the immense treasures which the Dutch have gained. But
ours is the singular misfortune that we regard the
land as useless that does not abound in silver; nor
will we consent to be convinced that commerce is
the most safe of mines, if the products which our
provinces yield are promoted, cultivated, and worked
up.
13. The importance of the Molucas was not thoroughly understood until we lost them; nor will the
loss resulting from the abandonment of the Philipinas be realized until they are in the power of some
other nation, less indolent and negligent than ours.
Then their exceedingly rich products - cinnamon,
cloves, pepper, nutmegs, cotton, gold, iron, and the
others which are yielded in great abundance (as will
be said in its place) - will be cultivated and gathered
up; those foreigners will sell us these very fruits,
which now we cannot appreciate, and with them will
take away our money; and in any war we shall be
ruined by the gains which our abandonment [of the
islands] will produce to those [who possess them].
I4. I believe that in view of these reflections, and
of what I am going to explain, every good Spaniard