When a fleet was being prepared in Cavite there were generally one thousand four hundred of these carpenters there.  Just now there are very few, for when the Mindanao enemies burned one galleon and two pataches in the past year, one thousand six hundred and seventeen, which were being built in the shipyard of Pantao, sixty leguas from the city of Manila, they captured more than four hundred of the workmen, and killed more than two hundred others; while many have died through the severe work in the building.  And because, they have been paid for five years nothing except a little aid, many have fled from the land; and so few remain that when the last ships sailed from the city and port of Manila last year, six hundred and eighteen, there were not two hundred of those Indians in Cabite. [47]

The iron used in the construction of these ships and galleys is brought from China and Japon to the city of Manila.  Don Juan de Silva sent patterns of all the nails, and excellently made ones were brought, and cost your Majesty but eight reals per arroba.  Iron is brought in the rough and is wrought in Cabite, and costs your Majesty but twenty-four reals per quintal of five arrobas.  There all the nails and bolts are wrought, as well as estoperoles, [48] tacks [tachuelas], and everything else needed.  The native Indians who act as smiths are paid twelve reals per month, and the Angley [i.e., Sangley] Chinese smiths twenty-eight reals per month, and their ration of rice, which is equivalent to one-half a Spanish celemin.  Each of these Chinese works one arroba of rough iron into nails daily, and is paid only the said twenty-eight reals per month.  That does not amount to one real per day, and they work from midnight until sunset, which is their workday.

The nails and iron shipped to the said islands from Nueva Espana cost your Majesty, delivered in the city of Manila, more than twenty reals of eight per quintal, while there they are made, as above stated.  But notwithstanding the above, I assert that it is necessary to ship annually from Nueva Espana to the said islands two hundred quintals of rough and sheet and rod iron for some necessary articles, such as borers for the artillery cast in Manila, and rudder-pintles and rudder-gudgeons for the ships and galleys; for the iron of Bizcaya is more ductile than that of those regions [i.e., China and Japon] because it is as strong as steel.  The other iron things above mentioned that are sent from Nueva Espana to the said islands are unnecessary, for their cost per quintal, when delivered in Manila, will buy four quintals in the said islands.  The said two hundred quintals could be shipped on your Majesty’s account from Sevilla where it costs three or four ducados per quintal, and be carried by the flagships and almirantas; thus it would not be necessary to buy it in Bera Cruz, at nineteen ducados per quintal.

It would be of the highest importance to cover the ships with lead at Manila, which would obviate careening them every year.  Don Juan de Silva neglected to do that, because he was always in haste to resist and attack the enemy.