July, 191 2. Chinese Pottery. 5 



purchased. From their captives they learned that three more Chinese 

 boats were trading only three leagues away. Later, on crossing to 

 Luzon, at a point near the town of Balayan, they found that two Chinese 

 ships had just been trading there, and that in a quarrel two Chinamen 

 had been made captives and others had been killed. Proceeding to 

 Manila bay, the Spaniards found four Chinese vessels, with earthenware 

 jars and porcelains, trading. In the city they learned that forty Chinese 

 and twenty Japanese were regular residents there. Friendly relations 

 appeared to have been established when the Moro raja treacherously 

 attacked the Spaniards. In return the Spaniards burned a part of the 

 city, in the ruins of which they found many objects of porcelain. 



After the Spaniards had become established in Manila, the trade 

 with China steadily increased, l not only in that city but in other ports 

 of the Islands. At first the articles dealt in were of little value to the 

 Spaniards, for "they brought some trifle, although but a small quantity, 

 as the natives with whom they come principally to trade commonly 

 use, and for them are brought only large earthen jars, common crockery, 

 iron, copper, tin and other things of that kind. For the chiefs, they 

 brought a few pieces of silk and fine porcelain." 2 Of such little use 

 were these articles to the newcomers that it was proposed, in 1574, to 

 stop the trade. 3 However, the Chinese were quick to accommodate 

 themselves to the new conditions, and we soon find them supplying 

 many articles, such as "sugar, barley, wheat, and barley flour, nuts, 

 raisins, pears, and oranges; silks, choice porcelains and iron; and other 

 small things which we lacked in this land before their arrival." 4 Each 

 year this trade increased until the number of the traders was in the 

 thousands, and the Spaniards became dependent upon them for their 

 sustenance. Even the natives relied on this trade to such an extent 

 that the old industries languished and the colony became each day less 

 able to support itself. However, in addition to the foodstuffs which the 

 colony needed they brought silks and other articles which entered into 

 direct competition with the products of the mother country, and this 

 resulted in the royal decree of 1586, which prohibited all such trade. 5 

 This edict failed of its purpose, and in hopes of devising a plan whereby 

 the competition would be eliminated, the outflow of gold to China be 

 stopped, and the return of the natives to their old pursuits be accom- 

 plished, a meeting was called, and leading Filipino were summoned 



1 Ibid., pp. 167, 172, 181, 225. 



2 Blair and Robertson, Vol. II, p. 238; Vol. Ill, pp. 243-5. 



3 Ibid., Vol. Ill, p. 226, note. 



4 Letters of Lavezaris, Ibid., Vol. Ill, p. 276. 



5 Blair and Robertson, Vol. VI, pp. 28, 29, 90, 150, 283, 286. 



