are consumed in it and in China, where it is situated.  Besides for the maintenance of Portugal’s state of Yndia, the helpful proximity of the Philipinas is of much more importance to it than one or two towns of that state, for it has been very evident, for some years past, how important are the forces of the Philipinas to cope with the common enemy of both states, namely, the Dutch.  Those forces have been sufficient to defeat the Dutch more than once.  Since money is what enables war to be carried on, it is advisable for both states that Philipinas have considerable of it, at so little expense to the state of Yndia as the possession of a town—­at least, one of the importance and advantage which we have mentioned—­and also at little expense to the treasury of his Majesty and of his kingdoms.

Only two objections can be opposed to this, but they are only apparent objections.  The first is that two ships are wont to ply between Goa and China every year for cargoes of silk, which are afterward consumed in India.  That is the chief trade of the Portuguese in India.  Those vessels anchor at the city of Macan, and thus it seems as if [the abandonment of] that city would cause the lack, [of a port] there for this trade.  But I answer that this is not so; for the Chinese would not deny the port to the Portuguese, since they do not deny it to many other nations who trade in their country without having a town of their own there.  On the other hand, the Chinese use that town of Macan so harshly, that were it not for the large amounts that its inhabitants owe them for the goods that the Chinese have supplied to them on credit, the latter would already have driven the inhabitants of Macan out of their country.  But the Chinese act thus toward the Portuguese, and treat them like negroes, so that they should go away [of their own accord].  That town is rather a very great injury to the Portuguese merchants who sail from Goa in the said ships—­so much so, that they avoid trading with its inhabitants, who generally sell the goods that they have bought from the Chinese during the year, to the Goa merchants at higher prices than the Chinese themselves ask.  For several years, the merchants in that region have been wont to go with all their silver twenty leguas up stream in small boats to the city of Canton, in order to trade with its natives, leaving their vessels in the port of Macan—­the inhabitants of which are mocked and disappointed in the profit that they expected from the coming of the ships.

The second objection is that, were that town abandoned, all hopes for the conversion of that great kingdom—­which seems to have made a beginning through Macao—­would be crushed.  But to that I answer, that Macao is rather the great hindrance to the conversion; for the infidels only see in that town evil examples.  It is a great inconvenience to have the Portuguese so prominently before the Chinese, for the latter judge from them that all other Christians must be like those whom they see there.  Besides the ministers of the gospel, who would have to conduct the conversion, cannot enter the interior of the country unless in native costume—­as is done there by some fathers of the Society—­and under protection of certain natives who conceal them.  That can also be managed from Manila, in the return voyage of the Chinese ships, as well as from Macan.