THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 61 



9. Government and Revenue. 



The supreme authority in the colony is vested in the 

 hands of a Gobernador Capitdn General, under the direc- 

 tion of the Crown and Cortes. Under his orders a 

 General of Division commands the army and a Eear- 

 Admiral the sea forces. The islands are divided for 

 political purposes into four governments — Luzon, the 

 Bisayas, Mindanao, and the Islas Adjacentes. The first 

 is administered by the Governor-General, the others by 

 general officers under his command. A Council of 

 Administration, composed of the chief Spanish officials, 

 assists the Governor-General in the exercise of his func- 

 tions at Manila. 



These four districts are subdivided into provinces, 

 fifty-three in total number, which are variously admin- 

 istered by " Civil Governors," " Politico-Military Gover- 

 nors," " Politico-Military Commandants," and " jMilitary 

 Commandants," whose powers are sufficiently indicated 

 by their titles. Eoughly speaking, the rule of the Luzon 

 district is civil, that of the others military, but to this 

 there are many exceptions. Each province is again 

 divided into pueblos, which word should be rendered 

 rather as small canton than as village. Each pueblo is 

 ruled by its Gobernadorcillo, elected biennially, who is 

 very often a native ; and every httle village or hamlet 

 has its Teniente, responsible in turn to his gobernador- 

 cillo. The latter acts as a magistrate, trying small cases 

 and remitting the more important to the Alcalde, who is 

 often at the same time the Governor of the province. 

 The office of gobernadorcillo is unpaid, but much coveted 

 for its position and the wealth it brings. The Ileal 

 Audiencia at Manila constitutes a final Court of Appeal. 



