The fort of this city is in a state of defense, although not in the perfection that is practiced in these times; but the fortification of the city is ruinous, to the degree of which your Majesty is informed. On the other hand, the location of its settlement is admirable, for more than half of it extends along the seashore where it cannot be approached by any enemies; while another part of the wall is bathed by the river. But on the land side it has a height, and a location suitable for opening trenches up to the walls. The latter has no terreplein, and is seven palmos in height. The redoubts are smaller and have no regularity; on the contrary, the casements of three cavaliers of the said wall are in the way. The moat is filled up, and there is scarcely a sign of there having been one. This is no cause of blame to the past governors, for without doubt much was done in walling the city; for the only purpose then was to assure themselves from the domestic enemy from China and Xapon, and from the natives of the land, without imagining that Europeans would be able to cause any anxiety in parts so remote. But the governors who have successively come here, having experienced the armed wars with which the Dutch have appeared in this port, have tried to repair and improve somewhat the old wall, as is proved by three cavaliers of great importance that they had built. With slight repair the requisite completeness was given to it. Considering the great importance of this post and that building is very cheap and costs less than in any other part, I resolved, after gathering up the remains of what stood there to repair the fortifications, to build a royal cavalier in the modern style at the weakest part of the wall. Without troubling the royal treasury, I began the work some four months ago, and now I hope to have it finished in two more. At the same time, we are opening a suitable moat, and we shall reduce the defense of the city to fewer posts. That it may be more strongly fortified, all the redoubts that impede communication between the cavaliers will be torn down, so that the wall will consist of only four stout bulwarks.
What most surprised me in Philipinas is the careless way in which the powder is kept; for all that there is in the islands is kept in one room in the fort at Manila, and that in a very prominent part of it, that overlooks the wall. And if that powder should explode through any accident (which may God forbid), besides the danger to the city, there would be no powder in the islands, or any material for its manufacture. In order to obviate so extremely great a danger, two towers will be built in one of the four cavaliers, in order to separate and preserve a goodly portion of it.
One of the motives which compelled me to fortify the wall is because the orders have built very near it churches so large that two of them in particular are commanding eminences; and because between one of the churches (which is called Minondo) and the church of the Parian there is generally a settlement of twenty thousand or more Sangleys during the year. They are the people who formerly rose in rebellion. By suitable measures, those of the Parian have aided me in this work, with forty thousand pesos from their communal fund.