ll manned gun-boats are sent in pursuit of these
robbers; which expend plenty of ammunition with very little effect.

It is said that six thousand Chinese inhabit the suburbs of Manilla, to
which they are restricted. The greater part of them are clever and
industrious mechanics; the rest are merchants, and some of them very
rich: they are the Jews of Lucon, but even more given to cheating and
all kinds of meanness than are the Israelites, and with fewer, or rather
with no exceptions. They enjoy no privileges above the lowest of the
people, but are despised, oppressed, and often unjustly treated. Their
covetousness induces them to submit to all this; and as they are
entirely divested of any feeling of honour, a small profit will console
them for a great insult. The yearly tax paid by every Chinese for
liberty to breathe the air in Manilla, is six piastres; and if he wishes
to carry on any sort of trade, five more; while the native Indian pays
no more than five reals.

The Philippines also did not follow the example of the American
colonies; for some disturbances among the Indians here, were not
directed against the government, and an insurrection soon after
attempted proved unsuccessful. The former were occasioned by a few
innocent botanists wandering through the island in search of plants; and
an epidemic disease breaking out among the Indians about the same time,
of which many died, a report suddenly spread among them, that the
foreign collectors of plants had poisoned the springs in order to
exterminate them. Enraged at this idea, they assembled in great numbers,
murdered several strangers, and even plundered and destroyed the houses
of some of the old settlers in the town of Manilla. It has been supposed
that the Spaniards themselves really excited these riots, that they
might fish in the troubled waters.

The late governor, Fulgeros, is accused of not having adopted measures
sufficiently active for repressing the insurrection. This judicious and
amiable man, who was perhaps too mild a governor for so rude a people,
was murdered in his bed a year after by a native, of Spanish blood, an
officer in one of the regiments here, who followed up this crime by
heading a mutiny of the troops. The insurgents assembled in the
market-place, but were soon dispersed by a regiment which remained
faithful, and in a few hours peace was re-established, and has not since
been disturbed. The present governor, Ricofort, was sent out to