A naval officer, Sebastian de Pineda, sends from Nueva España (1619)
to the king a paper on ships and shipbuilding in the Philippines. He
begins by describing various kinds of timber used for this purpose;
then enumerates, the shipyards in the islands, and the wages paid to
the workmen. Fourteen hundred carpenters were formerly employed at
one time in the Cavite shipyard alone; but half of them were killed
or captured by the Moros in 1617, many have died from overwork, and
many others have fled to parts unknown because they had been unpaid
for five years. Iron is brought to Manila from China and Japan,
and wrought by the Chinese and Indian artisans; the Chinese smith
"works from midnight until sunset," and earns less than one real a
day. Iron should be imported from Biscay, however, for some special
purposes. Much useful information is given as to the material, quality,
and prices of rigging and canvas. Pineda makes recommendations as
to the shipment to Manila of various articles, showing how present
expenses may be lessened, and waste avoided, in many ways. He states
that the naval defense of the islands is quite inadequate, and they
are consequently in danger of being seized by the Dutch. But it is
at present impossible to build in the islands the ships needed there;
for the natives are exhausted by the labors and exactions imposed upon
them in previous years, and by the deaths of so many at the hands of
the enemy or through the hardships of enforced naval service. Pineda
recommends that the ships needed for the islands be built in India or
Cochin, and that slaves be brought thence to serve on the Philippine
galleys. Many Filipino natives are migrating to Nueva España, which
should be checked. One reason for this is the fact that these Filipinos
distil palm-wine, which will soon ruin the wine-trade of Spain in Nueva
España. The incursions of the Mindanao pirates have also been a serious
obstacle to shipbuilding in the Philippines; and they have rendered the