78 DAHLGREN, THE DISCOVERY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



In 1730, "on account of certain proposals offered by the Marquis de Monte Castro", 

 the Spanish government had resolved to obtain information as to these islands in Manila 

 from pilots and other experts: they were to answer the following questions: 1 — 



1. Whether the same reasons which in the year 1606 were supposed to cxist for making a 

 settlement on the Rica de Oro and Rica de Platå did then continue? 



2. Whether the navigation to New Spain continued to be performed by the same route as at 

 t hat time? 



3. What was known concerning the said islands? 



To these questions four answers came in, which are given by Burney in the 

 following excerpts: — 



The navigation from the Philippine Islands to New Spain, not being performed with the general 

 trade wind, b ut with all winds, there can be no fixed route. But it is always the practice to sail towards 

 the north, leaving now as formerly the Islands [Rica de Oro and Rica de Platå] on the right hand. An 

 intermediate port between the Philippines and New Spain would at all times be convenient. Manila, 

 18 November, 1733. Signed Henrique Herman. 2 



By the marking of the sea charts, the island Rica de Oro lies from Cape del Espiritu Santo, 

 ENE 7, N., distant 660 leagues; and is in latitude 29° 45' N. And Rica de Platå lies from the same 

 Cape, NEbE., distant 760 leagues; and is in latitude 33° 36' N. November 25, 1733. 



Signed Geronimo Riomero. 3 



According to my spherical chart, Rica de Oro bears from the Volcan de San Agustin. which is 

 in 19° 25' N. (one of the chain of the Ladrones), NEbE., and is in latitude 29° 25' N., and distant 

 from the Volcano 342 French leagues. Rica de Platå hes NEbE. 3° N., distant 420 leagues from the 

 Volcano; and is in latitude 32° 50' N. They will be of the same utility as was formerly supposed, if 

 they lie in the aforesaid parallels, which I hold to be very uncertain. December 2, 1733. 



Signed Pedro Laborde Faujias. 4 



In four voyages that I have made from the Philippines to New Spain, I have passed between 

 the islands Rica de Oro and Rica de Platå, leaving one to the north and the other to the south; that 

 is, keeping between the parallels of 30° and 36° N., in which those islands are situated. December lOth. 



Signed Manuel Galvez. 



When the question was afterwards brought forward for settlement, there was also 

 a representation made by some merchants at Manila against the proposal of the Marquis 

 de Monte Castro, which they affirmed would pro ve, if accepted, injurious both to the 

 Royal revenue and to commerce; and the Governor of Manila too had reported against 

 the proposal. The royal decision, given on 12 December 1741, is to the following effect: 5 — 



From all the information received, there appears no reasonable encouragement to attempt the 

 aforesaid discovery; since in so long a time as from the year 1606, in which notice was received of these 

 islands, to the present hour, the galleons have navigated this passage without being under the necessity 



1 Burney, op. dt., II, p. 263. Cf. Nachod, op. dt, p. 433. 



2 He is known as pilot on the galleons in the years 1709, 1717, 1727, and 1730. Cf. below Chap. VII. 



3 Possibly a clerical error for Geronimo Montero, the commander of the »Nuestra Senora de Cobadonga^, 

 captured by Anson in 1743. 



4 This evidently means Pedro Lavor de Tancios, who was Piloto segundo on the galleon "Nuestra 

 Senora de Guia" in 1732; see below p. 119. 



5 See Burney, op. dt., II, p. 264. 



