THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 
61 
9. Government and Eevenue. 
The supreme authority in the colony is vested in the 
hands of a G-obernador Capitdn General , under the direc¬ 
tion of the Crown and Cortes. Under his orders a 
General of Division commands the army and a Kear- 
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 “ Military 
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 Gobernadoreillo , elected biennially, who is 
very often a native; and every little 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 gobernadoreillo is unpaid, but much coveted 
for its position and the wealth it brings. The Real 
Audiencia at Manila constitutes a final Court of Appeal. 
