Recollections of Manilla and the Philippines

R >> Robert Mac Micking >> Recollections of Manilla and the Philippines

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There is another advantage which the Chinese have found from the
system they pursue,--that large purchasers of goods from the merchants
who import them for sale are frequently able to buy them for less
money than those smaller traders who are not in the habit of making
purchases to the same amount from the importers,--as the credit of
a small dealer is not sufficiently good to induce a merchant to sell
them more than he imagines he is likely to be paid for.

In these Chinese shops, the owner usually engages all the activity
of his countrymen employed by him in them, by giving each of them a
share in the profits of the concern, or, in fact, by making them all
small partners in the business, of which he of course takes care to
retain the lion's share, so that while doing good for him by managing
it well, they are also benefiting themselves. To such an extent is
this principle carried, that it is usual to give even their coolies
a share in the profits of the business in lieu of fixed wages, and
the plan appears to suit their temper well; for although they are
in general most complete eye-servants when working for a fixed wage,
they are found to be most industrious and useful ones when interested
even for the smallest share.

The amount of business done by some of these Chinamen with the
principal importers of manufactured goods, who are the British
merchants, is very considerable, some of them frequently making monthly
purchases to the extent of ten or fifteen thousand dollars from one
person, nearly all of the goods being sold to them on credits of
three, four, or six months after the date of purchase and delivery
of the merchandise. Occasionally, however, some of them break down,
and those importers who have been trusting them for large amounts,
of course burn their fingers; Chinamen, as a general rule, being
honest and trustworthy only so long as it appears to be their own
interest to remain so. Most of them at Manilla are people who have
made everything for themselves, from nothing except their hands to
begin with, as no rich Chinamen, such as are met with in their native
country, and occasionally in Java and Singapore, are found at Manilla;
for nearly all those who come there have originally arrived as coolies,
earning their bread by manual labour, but very few of them indeed
having inherited anything from their fathers, except the arts of
reading and writing, which nearly the whole of them, however poor,
understand and are able to perform. Whenever they make money, they
invariably return to China, the Government holding out no inducements
for them to remain in the Philippines, as they do elsewhere in the
Archipelago, where greater freedom and protection are allowed them.

CHAPTER IV.

The streets of Manilla have at all times a dead and dull appearance,
with the exception of the two already mentioned as being in the
business part of the town. The basement-floor of the houses being
generally uninhabited, there are no windows opened in their walls,
which present a mass of whitewashed stone and lime, without an object
to divert the eye, except here and there, where small shops have
been opened in them, these being generally for selling rice, fruit,
oil, &c., and entirely deficient in the glare or glittering colours
of gay merchandise, nearly all of which is confined to the shops of
the Escolta, Rosario, and Santo Christo.

The houses here, as elsewhere in hot climates, are arranged with great
regard to ventilation and coolness, and are mostly large edifices;
but are seldom well laid out, and are deficient in many respects. The
entire white population, which amounts to upwards of 5,000, resides
either in the city, by which is meant that portion of it within the
walls, or in the principal part of the town outside the walls, and
on the other side of the river from the city within the walls; and
in this district is comprehended the great bulk of the population,
which amounts to upwards of 200,000 souls.

Those resident within the walls are principally government servants,
&c., induced, by the proximity of the public offices, regimental
cantonments, &c., as well as a lower house-rent, to brave the greater
heat usually felt there, from the confined space within the walls,
and the narrow streets, not permitting so free a circulation of air
as is enjoyed in the houses _extra muros_.

The largest description of houses, being the residences of Europeans,
are spacious, and in many cases built on one plan, most of them
being quadrangles inclosing a court-yard within their squares. Here
the stables, &c., are usually situated; and, as may be supposed,
the smell and view of them, should they happen to be in the least
negligently kept, as they frequently are, afford but very little
gratification to persons whose windows happen to be near.

The upper part of the house, or second story, as we would say in
Scotland, is in general the only portion of the house inhabited by
its residents. The rooms below, being considered unhealthy, are in
general converted into warehouses or shops, if they can be let as such
from happening to be conveniently situated, or serve as coach-houses,
lumber-rooms, &c. &c. The masonry of the lower walls is usually very
substantial and strong, being calculated to resist the shocks of
earthquakes, which occasionally happen. Those of the upper stories,
which rise from them, and form the habitable part of the house above,
are much slighter than the lower ones, and the joists and wooden-work
about the roof are adapted for security against such accidents,
by their being fastened with bolts on either side of the masonry,
thus enabling it to give a little play to the motion of the shock,
without being displaced by it, and coming down, as thick and heavy
walls would most certainly do.

However, on the occurrence of an earthquake, it is usual to run down
stairs, and have the protection of the thick lower walls against
any accident, such as that of the roof giving way. As the house I
lived in while there may be taken as a specimen of many others, I
shall describe it. After entering the gateway, the door of which is
always very stout and heavy, and under the constant protection of a
porter, for security's sake, you reach a flight of steps leading to
the habitable part of the house, and enter a gallery running from
the top of the staircase, and a suite of rooms facing the street,
to the gala or drawing-room at the other end of the house, and a
suite of rooms facing the river. The entire length of the gallery
is about a hundred feet, by twenty broad, and it looks into the open
court-yard forming the centre of the building, on one side. There are
several large and spacious bedrooms on the other side, the windows of
which are lighted from a narrow street running to the river. Facing
the gallery, and on the other side of the house, across the central
court-yard, that entire side of the building is appropriated by the
servants for cooking and sleeping-places.

The beams supporting the upper or habitable floor extend four or
five feet beyond the outer wall, towards the street, forming a sort
of verandah, or corridor, as it is called in Spanish as well as in
English, round the entire building, affording a considerable protection
against the sun's rays. The outer side of this corridor is composed
of coarse and dark-coloured mother-of-pearl shell of little value,
set in a wooden framework of small squares, forming windows which move
on slides. Although the light admitted through this sort of window is
much inferior to what glass would give, it has the advantage of being
strong, and is not very liable to be damaged by the severe weather
to which it is occasionally exposed during some months of the year.

There are few buildings distinguishable for architectural beauty,
and those few are for the most part churches. The governor's house,
or the palace, is a large and spacious building within the walls,
and forms one side of the Playa, the other three being formed by
the cathedral, the Cabildo, and some private houses, whose irregular
height detracts considerably from the appearance of the square. In the
centre of the square stands a statue of I forget what King of Spain,
well executed in bronze.

It is usual for a military band to perform before the palace on
Sunday and feast-day evenings, and on these occasions many carriages
go there from the drive, about eight o'clock, to enjoy the music,
and give people a good opportunity for either gossip or love-making,
as their tastes or the moonlight may incline them.

The native Indians appear to have a good ear for music, and execute
many of the finest operas with spirit and taste; and the amateur
musicians in particular, who train the casino band, have brought the
native performers to a very high degree of perfection in most of the
pieces performed by them. A good deal more attention, however, appears
to be paid to training these military bands, than in perfecting the
troops themselves in their evolutions.

Religious processions are as frequently passing through the streets,
as they are in all the Roman Catholic countries of Europe, but
the features of all are very nearly identical, and so need not be
particularly described.

When one of these processions takes place during the day, an awning
is spread along the streets it will pass through, to protect the
bareheaded promenaders from the sun, the canvass being attached to
the house roofs along the streets; making them incredibly hot to pass
along, so long as it remains there.

A good deal of display in silver and gold ornaments may be seen in
some of the churches, the collections of many successive years, as
every incumbent shows his piety and zeal by adding something to them
during the time he holds the cure.

The jewels in some of the dresses of the figures, especially those of
the Virgin, are valued at, or amount to, a considerable sum of money,
and I have heard twenty thousand dollars mentioned as the value of
those belonging to one church in Manilla.

The houses of the Indian and Mestizo population are for the most
part in the outskirts of the business part of the town, those of the
richer sort being built of stone, and those of the poorest class being
composed of _nipa_, or attap. Among houses of this sort, when a fire
takes place, great and rapid destruction is inevitable, and the only
way of saving any portion of them from its fury is by throwing down
all those in the direction of its advance.

Nearly every season, however, some fires happen among them, and
hundreds of families are frequently burned out before its progress can
be arrested. This, however, is not anything like so calamitous an event
for them as such an occurrence would be to the poor of Europe, for as
the chief cost of a _nipa_ house consists in the labour of erection,
after such a misfortune, they are soon replaced by their own personal
labour--for whatever their usual trade or occupation may be, nearly
all of the Indians are quite capable of constructing these houses for
themselves, and often manage to complete them roughly in a few days. No
nails need be used in their construction, everything necessary being
produced in the islands, and easily attainable. Houses so constructed
are very suitable for the climate, affording all the shelter requisite;
and indeed the people appear to be much better lodged than many of
the poor in England, where the cold and damp of the climate demand
a substantial house, which too often they do not possess.

CHAPTER V.

The government of all the Philippine group, including the Mariana
Islands, is intrusted to the charge of a Captain-General, who in
virtue of his office is commander-in-chief of the forces, president
of the Hacienda, admiral of marine, postmaster-general &c., &c. His
power and authority, in short, extend to all those departments,
over which his control, should he choose to exert it, is very absolute.

The civil department of Her Most Catholic Majesty's service, so far
as finance, &c., are concerned, is left to the administration of an
officer who takes the title of Super-Intendente of the Hacienda; and
who, putting the Archbishop aside, is regarded as the second official
person at Manilla, or as ranking next to the Governor, the revenue,
&c., being the branch he has principal charge of; but his acts are
always subject to the control of the Captain-General.

A military officer under the title of segundo Cabo, is under the
Governor as acting commander-in-chief of the forces, and, in the event
of the governor's absence from Manilla, is the person who fills his
situation and succeeds him in his power. A post-captain of the navy
is usually the rank of the person intrusted with the direction and
management of the sea force, but he always has, I believe, the local
or brevet rank of an admiral.

The internal administration of the country is carried on by officials
subordinate to those above-mentioned, the whole of the islands being
parcelled out or divided into several provinces, in each of which
there is an Alcalde, or Lieutenant-Governor, receiving his orders
from, and quite dependent on the Captain-General, to whose favour he
generally owes his appointment.

These officers are invested with the chief civil and military
authority in their own provinces; but although they have always a
small guard of soldiers, the good order and quiet generally prevalent
everywhere throughout the country render their military duties very
unimportant, and their principal care is now required in the collection
of revenue and the administration of justice within their several
jurisdictions. These are not very arduous duties, owing principally
to the efficient assistance derived from the authorities under them.

Every province is divided into districts or parishes, in which there is
some village or town, and in each of these places there is an official
whom I shall call the Major, or _Capitan Gobernadorcillo_, and also
some _Tenientes_ or Aldermen, as well as police alguacils. All
of these have to report to the alcalde of the province any thing
of importance occuring within their districts, and are commanded
severally to assist and promote the views of the cura, or priest,
by every means in their power. Most of the people who fill these
situations are Indians or Mestizos, rather better off in worldly
goods than the run of their countrymen.

These gobernadorcillos, or little governors, possess considerable
authority over the natives, for, besides having the chief municipal
authority in their own districts, they are allowed to decide judicially
in civil cases, when the amount in dispute does not exceed the
value of forty-four dollars, or about ten pounds sterling, and in
criminal cases undertake the prosecution, collecting the evidence
and ascertaining the charges against any delinquent within their
district, all of which is remitted by them to the provincial-governor
and judge for his decision. Their election takes place annually,
on the commencement of the new year, all over the country, and their
power is exactly defined in a printed commission which they all hold
from the Governor of the Philippines.

The half-breeds, or people of mixed Chinese and Indian blood, known by
the name of Sangleys, are usually permitted, in districts where their
number is considerable, to elect a Major from among their own class,
whose power over them is exactly similar to that of the captain of
the village where they reside over the aboriginal Indians: they do
not interfere with each other, and are quite independent of any one
save the alcalde of the province. When there are two gobernadorcillos
in the same village, they each look after their own class, whether
Mestizos or natives.

In addition to these local officials there is another curious body of
men, called _Cabezas de barangay_; each of whom has under his charge
about fifty families, whose tribute to government he has to collect,
and for the amount of which he is held accountable.

The persons who fill this office are usually resident in the immediate
neighbourhood or in the same street with those from whom they have to
collect the tribute, and have some slight authority over those who pay
it to them, such as deciding petty quarrels and disputes among them,
&c. The institution of this body is uncertain, and is said to have
been originated by the aboriginal Indians themselves, and to have
been found in full operation at the time of the earliest Spanish
intercourse with them. The probability is, however, that at that
period it was of a military nature, and their duties then were more
to officer the armies of the native kings than for any of the uses
it has been subsequently wisely put to by the white man. The office
is hereditary in their families; but in the event of the person who
exercises it changing his residence, or from other causes becoming
unfit to discharge its duties, a successor is elected in his place.

They are recompensed for their trouble in collecting taxes, &c.,
by being themselves exempted from paying tribute to the state,
and have several privileges by virtue of their office. As a body,
they are always considered the principal people of their village,
and only from among them, and by their votes alone, is the mayor or
gobernadorcillo of the _pueblo_ chosen; that is to say, they choose
a list of three Indians from among their own number for that office,
each of whom should by law be able to speak, read, and write Spanish;
and this list being forwarded to the alcalde, he indicates which
of them is to be chosen, by scratching his name and filling up his
commission. The election of these candidates ought to be made with
closed doors, and must be authorized by the presence of an escribano,
or attorney, to note the proceedings. The parish priest is allowed
to attend if he choose, in order that he may influence the election
of fit persons for the office by speaking in their favour, but he
has not any vote in the matter.

In the capital, owing to the number of Chinamen there, and in the
neighbourhood, they are obliged to choose a capitan from among
themselves, in order that he may collect their tribute and arrange
their petty disputes with each other, which some one conversant with
their customs and language is only fit to do.

There are some fees now attached to this office, but the duties are so
troublesome that the industrious Celestials very frequently find them
incompatible with the management of their own trade or business, and
for the most part are not at all ambitious of the honour of filling
the situation, even although some fees accompany it.

At the same time that the capitan is elected, his lieutenant and a
head constable are also chosen by their countrymen.

All Chinese arriving at Manilla are registered in a book kept for
the purpose, for, as they pay tribute according to their occupation,
the amount of it, and their numbers, are at once ascertained from
that. Should they leave the country, their passports have to be
countersigned by their capitan, who is to some extent responsible
for them while residing in it.

The emoluments of government offices are not very high; much too low,
in fact, to recompense the class of men who are required to discharge
them, and the consequence is, (as usual in such cases), that extortion
and improper means are resorted to in order to increase their amount,
all of which fall much heavier on the people than regularly collected
taxes, sufficient to support their proper or adequate pay, would
amount to.

In the province of Cagayan, for instance, the alcalde's nominal pay
is 600 dollars a-year, which sum is of course totally insufficient to
recompense any educated man for undertaking and supporting the dignity
of governor of a considerable province. But as the best tobacco is
grown there, one of his duties is to collect and forward it to Manilla,
for which he is allowed a commission, and this, with other privileges,
is found to yield him in ordinary years about 20,000 dollars a-year,
being in reality one of the most lucrative situations at the disposal
of the Government.

I believe that most people will concur with me in the opinion that the
system of reducing the fixed official pay below a remuneration that
will induce men of standing and education to undertake the duties
which their situation requires them to exercise, and to trust to
exaction supplying its place, is extremely impolitic, and much more
expensive to the country than a more liberal scale of pay would prove.

The alcaldes are allowed to trade on their own account, and for this
their position affords them many facilities; but for the permission
to do so, they are required to pay a considerable annual fee to
Government, ranging from about one hundred to three thousand dollars.

The wisdom of granting them this permission is very doubtful, as it
not unfrequently happens that the privilege is abused by rapacious
men, eager to make the most of their time and collect a fortune,
and occasionally it gives rise to much oppression.

The poor Indian cultivators of the soil, accustomed all their lives
to look upon the alcalde of their native province as the greatest
and most powerful man they know of, have very little redress for
their grievance, should that person, in the pursuit of money-making
and trade buy up all their crop of sugar, rice, or other produce,
whatever it may be, and in a falling market refuse to receive the
articles contracted for, or to complete the bargain agreed upon with
them. On the contrary, however, should anything he may have contracted
to buy be rising in value at Manilla, the poor Indian, who has sold it
too cheap to him, has no chance of getting clear of the bad bargain he
may have made with the alcalde, should it appear to that individual
worth his while to keep him to it, as every means are at his command
or beck, aided by all the force of the executive, and the terrors of
a law administered by himself, to compel him to ratify his contract.

In these circumstances the alcalde never makes a bad bargain, or loses
money on any of his transactions, and there is little wonder that
rapid fortunes are made by men holding these situations, when such
scandalous means are constantly resorted to by them, so that generally,
after a very few years of office, these people are upon very easy terms
with the world, although nominally only receiving a wretchedly low pay.

Notwithstanding these abuses, however, the government of the people
is on the whole much more effective, and consequently better, than
it is in many places of British India. No such thing was ever known
as disaffection becoming so generally diffused among them as to lead
to a rebellion of the people, or an attempt to shake off the leeches
who suck them so deeply; and this can only be attributed to the sway
the priesthood have over the minds of the Indians, as without their
influence and aid, beyond a doubt, such an attempt would be made;
and if it should ever come about, it would be no very difficult
affair for the natives, if properly led, to overthrow the sway of the
Spaniards. Although there is very little religion among the Indians,
there is abundance of superstitious feeling, and fear of the padre's
displeasure; indeed, the church has long proved to be, upon the whole,
by much the most cheap and efficacious instrument of good government
and order that could be employed anywhere, so long as its influence
has been properly directed. In the Philippines there appears to be
little doubt but that it is one of the most beneficial that could
be exerted as a medium for the preservation of good order among the
people, who are admonished and taught to be contented, while it is
not forgetful of their interests, as they very generally learn reading
by its aid--so much of it, at least, as to enable them to read their
prayer-books, or other religious manuals.

There are very few Indians who are unable to read, and I have
always observed that the Manilla men serving on board of ships,
and composing their crews, have been much oftener able to subscribe
their names to the ship's articles than the British seamen on board
the same vessels could do, or even on board of Scottish ships, whose
crews are sometimes superior men, so far as education is concerned,
to those born in other parts of Great Britain. This fact startled
me at first; but it has been frequently remarked upon by people very
strongly prejudiced in favour of white men, and who despise the black
skins of Manilla men, regarding them as inferior beings to themselves,
as strongly as many of our countrymen often do.

CHAPTER VI.

From old prejudices, and other causes, the Spanish people have not
as yet learned how to work the more liberal form of government now
enjoyed by their country. But there is no doubt that the experience
necessary to do so is daily being acquired by them at home, and when
it becomes prevalent, its effects may be expected to be shown by the
class of men selected to administer the government of their colonies,
the white population of which are of considerably more advanced
intelligence than their countrymen in Spain.

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