was baptized, and made a subject of the Spanish crown. He
solicited aid against one of his brothers named Bantilan, by saying
that the latter had revolted with the kingdom. However it is hoped
that the truth of the whole thing will be discovered in time. [100]
It was resolved by a royal provision of May 29, 1720, that all the
prisoners made among those nations during the war should be declared
slaves forever.

Besides the above, the governors of these islands have absolute
authority privately to provide and attend to all that pertains to
the royal estate, government, war, and consultations in difficult
affairs of the auditors of this royal Audiencia; to try in the first
instance the criminal causes of the soldiers; and to appoint alcaldes,
corregidora, deputies, and chief justices of all the islands for the
exercise of government, justice, and war, together with the chief
scrivener appointed by his Majesty for government and war matters. The
governor also enjoys the privilege of a permanent body-guard of twelve
halberdiers, with a captain of the guard, who always accompany him,
besides many other preeminences conceded by royal decrees to the
presidency of the royal Audiencia and Cnancilleria. He is, finally,
captain-general of all the archipelago. For these his employments,
his Majesty assigns him annually a salary of eight thousand pesos
de minas--or thirteen thousand one hundred and thirty-five pesos,
three granos of common gold--besides the many profits and gains
assigned to him by domestic and foreign fees and privileges, which
amount annually to great sums of money.

Administration of Government and the Captaincy-General

[The following is taken from Sinibaldo de Mas, [101] _Informe
sobre el estado de las Islas Filipinas en 1842_ (Madrid, 1843), tomo
ii. Portions of it are apparently embodied in translation and abstract
in Bowring's _Visit to the Philippine Isles_ (London, 1859), p. 87-93.]

The government of the Filipinas Islands, together with the group of
the Marianas, is in charge of a military chief, who, to the title
of governor, joins those of president of the Audiencia, and royal
vice-patron; subdelegate judge of the revenue, and of post-offices,
posts, and express [_correos, postas y estafeta_]; and director of
the troops, captain-general, and commander-in-chief of the navy. His
authority, then, embraces all the powers derived from these titles,
both for administration and for the security and defe