Occupations of the inhabitants. 



MANILLA. 



City government. Discovery of the 

 Philippines. Magelhaens. 



315 



large space, being built around a patio or court- 

 yard. 



The ground-floors are occupied as storehouses, 

 stables, and for porters' lodges. The second story 

 is devoted to the dining-halls and sleeping apart- 

 ments, kitchens, bath-rooms, &c. The bed-rooms 

 have the windows down to the floor, opening on 

 wide balconies, with blinds or shutters. These 

 blinds are constructed with sliding frames, having 

 ' small squares of two inches filled in with a thin 

 j semi-transparent shell, a species of placuna ; the 

 I fronts of some of the houses have a large number 

 of these small lights, where the females of the family 

 may enjoy themselves unperceived. 



After entering the canal, we very soon found 

 ourselves among a motley and strange population. 

 On landing, the attention is drawn to the vast 

 number of small stalls and shops with which the 

 streets are lined on each side, and to the crowds of 

 people passing to and fro, all intent upon their 

 several occupations. The artisans in Manilla are 

 almost wholly Chinese ; and all trades are local, so 

 that in each quarter of the Biuondo suburb the 

 privilege of exclusive occupancy is claimed by 

 some particular kinds of shops. In passing up the 

 Escolta (which is the longest and main street in 

 this district), the cabinet-makers, seen busily at 

 work in their shops, are first met with ; next to 

 these come the tinkers and blacksmiths ; then the 

 shoemakers, clothiers, fishmongers, haberdashers, 

 &c. These are flanked by outdoor occupations ; 

 and in each quarter are numerous cooks, frying 

 cakes, stewing, &c., in moveable kitchens ; while 

 here and there are to be seen betel-nut sellers, 

 either moving about to obtain customers, or taking 

 a stand in some great thoroughfare. The moving 

 throng, composed of carriers, waiters, messengers, 

 &c., pass quietly and without any noise : they are 

 generally seen with the Chinese umbrella, painted 

 of many colours, screening themselves from the 

 sun. The whole population wear slippers, and move 

 along with a slip-shod gait. 



The Chinese are apparently far more nume- 

 rous than the Malays, and the two races differ as 

 much in character as in appearance : one is all 

 activity, while the other is disposed to avoid all 

 exertion. They preserve their distinctive character 

 throughout, mixing but very little with each other, 

 and are removed as far as possible in their civilities; 

 the former, from their industry and perseverence, 

 have almost monopolized all the lucrative employ- 

 ments among the lower orders, excepting the sell- 

 ing of fish and betel-nut, and articles manufactured 

 in the provinces. 



On shore, we were kindly received by Mr. 

 Moore, who at once made us feel at home. The 

 change of feeling that takes place in a transfer 

 from shipboard in a hot climate, after a long cruise, 

 to spacious and airy apartments, surrounded by 

 every luxury that kind attentions can give, can be 

 scarcely imagined by those who have not expe- 

 rienced it. 



As we needed some repairs and supplies, to at- 

 tend to these was my first occupation. Among the 

 former, we required a heavy piece of blacksmith- 

 work, to prepare which, we were obliged to send 

 our armourers on shore. The only thing they could 

 procure was a place for a forge ; but coal, and 

 every thing else, we had to supply from the ship. 

 I mention these things to show that those in want 



of repairs must not calculate upon their being done 

 at Manilla with despatch, if they can be accom- 

 plished at all. 



The city government of Manilla was established 

 on the 24th of June, 1571, and the title under 

 which it is designated is, " The celebrated and for 

 ever royal city of Manilla." In 1595, the charter 

 was confirmed by royal authority ; and all the 

 prerogatives possessed by other cities in the king- 

 dom were conferred upon it in 1638. The mem- 

 bers of the city council, by authority of the king, 

 were constituted a council of advisement with the 

 governor and captain-general. The city magistrates 

 were also placed in rank next the judges ; and in 

 1686 the jurisdiction of the city was extended over 

 a radius of five leagues. In 1818, the number of 

 the council were increased and ordered to assume 

 the title of " excellency." Manilla has been one 

 of the most constantly loyal cities of the Spanish 

 kingdom, and is, in consequence, considered to 

 merit these additional royal favours to its inha- 

 bitants. 



In 1834, the Royal Tribunal of Commerce was 

 instituted, to supersede the old consulate, which 

 had been established since 1772. The Royal Tri- 

 bunal of Commerce acts under the new commercial 

 code, and possesses the same privileges of arbitra- 

 tion as the old consulate. It consists of a prior, 

 two consuls, and four deputies, elected by the pro- 

 fession. The three first exercise consular juris- 

 diction, the other four superintend the encourage- 

 ment of commerce. The " Junta de Comercio " 

 (chamber of commerce) was formed in 1835. This 

 junta consists of the Tribunal of Commerce, with 

 four merchants, who are selected by the govern- 

 ment, two of whom are removed annually. The 

 prior of the Tribunal presides at the Junta, whose 

 meetings are required to be held twice a month, or 

 oftener if necessary, and upon days in which the 

 Tribunal is not in session. The two courts being 

 under the same influences, and having the same 

 officers, little benefit is to be derived from their 

 double action, and great complaints are made of 

 the manner in which business is conducted in 

 them. 



Of all her foreign possessions, the Philippines 

 have cost Spain the least blood and labour. The 

 honour of their discovery belongs to Magelhaens, 

 whose name is associated with the straits at the 

 southern extremity of the American continent, 

 but which has no memorial in these islands. Now 

 that the glory which he gained by being the first 

 to penetrate from the Atlantic to the Pacific, has 

 been in some measure obliterated by the disuse of 

 those straits by navigators, it would seem due to 

 his memory that some spot among these islands 

 should be set apart to commemorate the name of 

 him who made them known to Europe. This 

 would be but common justice to the discoverer of 

 a region which has been a source of so much 

 honour and profit to the Spanish nation, who 

 opened the vast expanse of the Pacific to the fleets 

 of Europe, and who died fighting to secure the 

 benefits of his enterprise to his king and country. 



Magelhaens was killed at the island of Matan, 

 on the 26th of April, 1521; and Duarte, the second 

 in command, who succeeded him, imprudently 

 accepting an invitation from the chief of Febri to 

 a feast, was, with twenty companions, massacred. 

 Of all the Spaniards present, only one escaped. 



