Last year the Audiencia wrote that one galleon and one galley had been finished.  It is a fact that more than thirty thousand pesos have been spent in their construction, having been commenced in the time of Don Juan Nino de Tavora.

There is nothing of so great importance in this government, as that the port of Cavite be well provided with the necessary naval supplies; and that this matter be charged to a competent and very intelligent person; for the other offices are bestowed as favors, but for this one we are looking for a person whom we can ask to accept it.  Accordingly, we have found him, in the person of him who is commander of the fort there and river-master, namely, Captain Juan de Olaez.  He has so borne himself that the port has never for many years been found so well supplied and more faithfully administered—­which is quite different from the utterly destitute condition in which I found it.

The rewards of Philipinas are poor, and especially those which I have had to give, because I have had no power to provide encomiendias.  Consequently, on this account, and because of the events that have occurred in my time, I have promoted some worthy soldiers with the titles of infantry captains, in consideration of the fact that they are those who have toiled in what is most necessary, and who have, besides their pay, only their simple posts, as before.  Some, under warrant of this honor, have become married and settled as citizens; that is a matter that ought to receive much attention.  The sons of influential men have been encouraged to enlist as soldiers, and have begun to serve in the infantry, which was considerably in decline.  I have taken special precautions not to appoint my servants to these posts, except in the case of my captain of the guard, as was done by all the other governors.  The judicial posts have been bestowed upon the worthy and old settlers, but those who ask for them are very few, for they do not care to go far from the city; and it is at times necessary to beg them to accept those posts which are far away.

No ship has come from Yndia as yet, for they are late.  That causes us to doubt whether we may expect the return of three citizens [who have gone] from this place, besides those who generally cross these seas.  I think that they are detained in Malaca, and that they have not gone past that place, because they found the enemy on the sea.  At least, I am assured by letters from the king of Macasar that fourteen urcas were on his coasts on the tenth of January of last year, where they remained for forty days.  They asked him for refreshment, but he denied it to them.  He said that the enemy had returned to the strait with another ship (with which they had succored Malayo), and the one that had fought.  At that same time the king of Cochinchina wrote me that twelve other urcas had left his shores, which on their way from coasting along China, brought at least six which had been lost in a storm; but that they were rich with the booty captured from the Sangley prizes they had made.  All those ships took their station in the strait of Malaca, and consequently, I do not expect any from Yndia this year.  May our Lord preserve and prosper the royal person of your Majesty, as we your vassals desire and need.  Manila, August 10, 1634.