Admitting the above, my opinion is that, allowing that Nueva-Espana could be maintained, although with difficulty, without trade with the Philipinas, it must be by means that would prove harmful to those islands alone—­which would lose this aid without any resultant good to Espana; since they would not ask for those products of Espana which they at present demand, or increase those which they are now exporting because of the increase of money [in Nueva Espana].  And we have already stated that Nueva-Espana is incapable of consuming more wine and oil than it now uses.

But if all this should cease, and Espana should have to supply the above-mentioned necessities because of shutting the door to the trade in the Philipinas, the bulk of silk stuffs would have to be brought from Francia and Flandes, to whom Espana always gives her treasures in exchange for this merchandise.  For Constantinopla is so far from Italia, and so little do gold and silver suit that route—­or else the French and the rebels [59] are so skilful in getting this product away from us, that one may doubt whether they do not take it all with them.  According to this, he who is not suspicious enough to believe that the merchants of Sevilla alone consider as enemies prejudicial to your Majesty’s crown those who do not trade much with them, should be astonished that they direct and regulate the reform so that the Chinese cannot avail themselves of the silver of Nueva Espana.  For it is a fact that the Chinese do us no other harm than to keep the silver; and that the merchants do not consider that by that other road all tends to come into the hands of him who exerts himself with it in order to attempt and compass to acquire what remains.

Let us examine, then, what interest would accrue to Espana in the other point, the appropriation to itself of the trade with the Philipinas.  The consulate says that Espana will be enriched with the exportation, to Manda [60] and Xapon, of its products and other merchandise that will go to those islands, where they also desire so ardently to have an abundance of what is brought from there [Espana?] and from China; and this will easily prevent the loss of the great quantities of silver that pass by this road from Nueva Espana.

To the first, sufficient answer is made with what experience, that great teacher in such matters, has taught us to the contrary—­to me, at least, during the time while I governed in Mexico.  For, since your Majesty was pleased to order me in a decree, dated December 17, 604, to give my opinion as to whether export duties would better be levied on the merchandise sent to the Philipinas from the port of Acapulco—­since all the other merchandise sent thence, to Guatimala and Peru, pays two and one-half per cent—­and that in order to do this I should investigate the quality and nature of the said merchandise, I made special efforts to ascertain these facts.  After examining the registers of several years I found that,