MANILLA. 
279 
brated and for ever royal city of Manilla.” In 1595, the charter was 
confirmed by royal authority; and all the perogatives possessed by 
other cities in the kingdom were conferred upon it in 1638. The 
members of the city council, by authority of the king, were constituted 
a council of advisement with the governor and captain-general. The 
city magistrates w T ere 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 members of the council w r ere 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 
inhabitants. 
In 1834, the Royal Tribunal of Commerce was instituted, to super¬ 
sede the old consulate, wffiich had been established since 1772. The 
Royal Tribunal of Commerce acts under the new commercial code, 
and possesses the same privileges of arbitration as the old consulate. 
It consists of a prior, two consuls, and four deputies, elected by the 
profession. The three first exercise consular jurisdiction, the other 
four superintend the encouragement 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 government, two of whom are removed annually. 
The prior of the Tribunal presides at the Junta, whose meetings are 
required to be held twdce 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. 
