APPENDIX, NO. II. 25 



fatigues of the voyage, or attracted by the delights of that 

 country. Besides this it has also another great advantage ; 

 namely, that your Majesty, (trading with all the spiceries of 

 the Moluccas, the archipelago and other parts,) by means of 

 this strait, might have sole possession of that trade with 

 the greatest ease ; and storing its produce up in the maga- 

 zines of Seville, it would yield more than five millions a year, 

 obliging many nations to come to Spain for that com- 

 modity, — and, in return, they w^ould bring in abundance all 

 things necessary for those kingdoms, rendering it need- 

 less to export the silver which comes every year from India, 

 by which Spain is left in such great want of specie. Let 

 it be remembered also, that by navigating this strait it 

 is in our power to prevent the trade between China and 

 India, and to transfer it to Spain, which will also extend 

 to the Philippines and the countries in those parts ; for the 

 trade of China with India has been most disadvantageous 

 to Spain, since it has obstructed the greater part of the 

 trade Spain used to carry on. This is proved to be the 

 cause why your Majesty's commerce is so much diminished; 

 while China and the Philippines carry on this trade with 

 India to such an extent, that it is impossible for us to 

 maintain our possessions there, as is requisite, in order to 

 resist our enemies, who are numerous ; in consequence 

 of which they must decline and fall to nothinjr : — 

 whereas, on the contrary, by navigating this strait, they 

 might increase so much in number, wealth and power, that 

 they would attract fleets of merchant ships in as great 

 numbers as those which go to India, producing to Spain 

 great abundance of the products of China and Tartary, and 

 of other lands at a very cheap rate; for of gold alone 

 we may obtain two millions every year, from which 

 we may derive great profit, since gold in China is of less 

 than half the value that it is here ; added to which, many 

 other commodities may be acquired, which now these 

 kingdoms are supplied with by their very enemies, who 



