Chinese cannot avail themselves of the silver of Nueva Espana. For
it is a fact that the Chinese do us no other harm than to keep the
silver; and that the merchants do not consider that by that other
road all tends to come into the hands of him who exerts himself with
it in order to attempt and compass to acquire what remains.

Let us examine, then, what interest would accrue to Espana in
the other point, the appropriation to itself of the trade with
the Philipinas. The consulate says that Espana will be enriched
with the exportation, to Manda [60] and Xapon, of its products and
other merchandise that will go to those islands, where they also
desire so ardently to have an abundance of what is brought from there
[Espana?] and from China; and this will easily prevent the loss of the
great quantities of silver that pass by this road from Nueva Espana.

To the first, sufficient answer is made with what experience, that
great teacher in such matters, has taught us to the contrary--to me,
at least, during the time while I governed in Mexico. For, since
your Majesty was pleased to order me in a decree, dated December 17,
604, to give my opinion as to whether export duties would better be
levied on the merchandise sent to the Philipinas from the port of
Acapulco--since all the other merchandise sent thence, to Guatimala
and Peru, pays two and one-half per cent--and that in order to do this
I should investigate the quality and nature of the said merchandise,
I made special efforts to ascertain these facts. After examining the
registers of several years I found that, even if the duty should be
collected from the Philipinas exports as from the others, it would not
amount to two hundred pesos of eight reals each year; for all those
goods were articles of luxury, and in very small quantity. I sent
your Majesty an official report of this in my letter of February 17,
606. On August 19 of the same year, I received a reply, ordering me to
make no change so long as the trade did not increase to such an extent
that I thought it inadvisable; and in such case to advise your Majesty
of it confidentially. Consequently, since there will be no greater
exportation from Nueva Espana of like commodities from that kingdom
[_i.e._, Espana]--where there are no others, and whence only these
would be sent--the same thing would result. [61] One errs in saying
that those goods are desired in Manila and Xapon, since cloth stuffs
(the only thing lacking t