Chapter seven.  Of the forts and presidios needed in this country

1. That Manila should be walled, and the ease with which this can be accomplished. First:  His Majesty should be informed of the ease and cheapness with which stone buildings are made and can be made.  He should urgently and imperatively order that this city of Manila be enclosed with stone, on the side where that is needed, and on the other sides with water; that the fort be built where it shall be determined by the advice of all; and that a tower be erected on the point at the junction of the river and sea.  The part where a wall is necessary is very little, extending from the beach to a marsh of the river—­about sixty brazas; but it will never be done, unless his Majesty so order.

2. That until forts are built, the country will not be settled. Second:  Having this and the garrison for the fort, not only will the city be secure from the perils that have hitherto menaced it, and its present dangers from revolts; but the natives (like the Chinese and foreigners—­Madrid MS.) and the Chinese, the foreigners, and all others, will cease to devour it, and will despair of our having to depart or perish, as they may desire, and of their hopes and designs (which they continually cherish—­Madrid MS.) of expelling or putting an end to us.  With this stronghold, the whole country will be greatly quieted, and the neighboring peoples will be afraid and have less inclination to resist, or resolution to attack the city.  Occasion will not then be given for either natives or foreigners to regard us as so barbarous and not able to govern—­which they impute to the weakness and negligence of our king, when they see, as now, everything here so unprotected, with but one small wooden fort, dilapidated and liable to be burned easily in one hour, and, in another part of the city, part of a small tower begun with small stones (and, although belonging to an estate of the country, it remains unfinished—­Madrid MS.), and that the city is, at the very least, in a ruinous state.

3. Five dangers that are feared from revolt, and their remedy. Third:  There are five dangers to be feared from revolts or invasions.  The first is from the natives, who are numerous, heavily oppressed, and but thinly settled; the second, from the Chinese, of whom four or five thousand reside here, and have ingress and egress.  The third is from the Japanese, who make a descent almost every year, and, it is said, with the intent of colonizing Lucon; the fourth from the inhabitants of Maluco and Burney, who are infuriated and irritated, and have quite lost their fear of us, having driven us twice from their lands; and it is feared lest they unite, as they have threatened, in order to drive us from our own.  The fifth is from the English, who were in Maluco and noted our weakness (who, when in Maluco, had information of