JOHN ANDERSON. 81 



South American colonies won their final victory over Spain. On the 

 1st of January, 1825, he sailed in command of a squadron composed 

 of the ship Asia and the brigantines Aquiles and Constante, bound for 

 the Philippines. The water of the squadron becoming scarce, they 

 anchored in the roadstead of Umata and filled their casks. On the 

 night of March 10, while weighing anchor, the crews suddenly rose, 

 set fire to one of the vessels, maltreated the commanding officer, and 

 drove him ashore, together with his officers and 100 loyal men. 

 Ganga-Herrero, the governor of Guam, went on board and tried to 

 restore discipline, but they put him ashore, hoisted the flag of the 

 insurgent republics of America, and set sail for Peru to join the inde- 

 pendents. The general, accompanied by his officers and loyal men, 

 proceeded in a whaling vessel to Manila, where they arrived April 4, 

 and were received with great hospitality by all classes of people." 



D'Urville states that Governor Ganga-Herrero was much regretted 

 by the natives, whom he permitted to trade on their own account with 

 vessels anchoring at the island. His successor, Medinilla, on the other 

 hand, was universally disliked. He forbade all traffic with visiting 

 vessels, monopolizing it for himself. Among the officials visiting the 

 ship was the captain of the port, a Scotchman named John Anderson, 

 who had come to the island with Freycinet. He had served tem- 

 po rarity on the Uranie as chief quartermaster, and was allowed to 

 remain in Guam at his own request. D'Urville describes him as a 

 fine-looking man, well-behaved, and speaking French pretty well. 

 Anderson knew Quo}^ and Gaimard, having been shipmates with them 

 on the Uranie. He came to investigate the sickness on board, fearing 

 that some contagious disease might be introduced into the island. He 

 gave d'Urville information regarding the hydrography of the region. 

 As an illustration of the conditions in Guam, he said that Medinilla, the 

 governor, on his return from Manila had brought back more than 

 60,000 pesos worth of goods of all kinds to sell to the natives of 

 Guam, and that he conducted a very profitable business, since he per- 

 mitted no competitors in trade. 



This monopoly [says d'Urville], which according to our ideas would not be very 

 honorable on the part of a governor, does not cause surprise in the Mariannes. The 

 governors have had this privilege from time immemorial. 



D'Urville attributed the lack of enterprise and progress on the island 

 to the absurd laws and this disheartening monopoly. 



How should industry flourish? [he says]. The governor is the sole trader. He 

 receives annually money for the salaries of the officers, which he sends back, giving 

 them instead inferior goods at prices fixed by himself. 



This account is taken from the narrative of Dumont d'Urville, supplemented by 

 the report made to the Queen Regent, inserted in the work "Los diez y seis meses 

 de mando superior de Filipinas," por el Mariscal de Campo Don Andres Garcia 

 Camba: Cadiz, 1839. 



