55.  The Japanese and Chinese strive to take many deerskins as merchandise from these islands to Xapon.  They hunt for these, and buy them from the Indians and even the religious, who give and sell them.  This traffic must be stopped, for it is very injurious to the country, as the animals are killed solely for their skins, and thus the supply of game will become exhausted.

56.  The flour, biscuits, and wax brought from Xapon are suitable commodities for this country.  Some persons have already become so keen in their plans to dispose of these goods that they buy them by wholesale, store them, and retail them.  This must be prohibited, and an order issued to the effect that this state shall be provided and supplied with them at moderate rates.

57.  It does not appear that the alcaldes and regidors of Manila use their offices to the good of the state, but each for his own private interests.  They must be instructed in their duties, and punished for any negligence.

58.  There is no system in regard to the provision of beef, for there is no one who is compelled to provide it.  What there is, is not properly cleaned.  It is not cut, divided, or weighed with equality and fairness.  As the regidors and people in authority are the owners of the cattle, they weigh and sell them as they please, without observing any system.

59.  There is likely to be a scarcity of rice, for the city does not make the necessary provision for it.  Those who have this grain—­the encomenderos—­hoard it and make a profit from it, selling it to the Sangleys at high rates; and thus it becomes dear.  The same thing is true of fowls.  The rate fixed is not observed, and no one takes any pains to enforce it.

60.  Fish is the most abundant and most general food supply.  The Indians do not occupy themselves, as formerly, in fishing, but leave this work to the Chinese.  These avaricious and interested people have raised the prices, an evil that must be restrained and checked.

61.  The fishing is done with salambaos, [7] and with fine-meshed nets; with which they block up the bay and kill the small fish.  These nets ought not be employed, and the size of the mesh should be regulated so that the supply of fish will not be exhausted; for already experience has demonstrated that they are not so abundant as formerly.

62.  We have gardeners and kitchen-gardens now.  Although there were none before, yet the price of vegetables has increased beyond any former price.  This occurs because of the lack of fixed rates, and because a man is kept on guard in the market-place to prevent robbery by the soldiers and other people.  Now this man allows whatever price the Sangleys may name, which results to his profit; for they pay him for it, while he strives only to keep them satisfied.

63.  Considerable trouble exists here in regard to the current silver money, because the Sangleys generally cut and clip it, and because they cut into many pieces the single reals for the trade in small articles, for which formerly they bartered with rice.  This truly serious abuse must be corrected by an ordinance.