The captain-general of the artillery claims that he can issue warrants on the treasury as well as I, because of his office. The royal officials oppose that, as there is no money assigned for it, and they are not subordinate to any other but the governor, and that was not done in the time of his predecessor. It will be fitting for your Majesty to declare what is your pleasure, considering the fact that this treasury is poor, and that it is troublesome to have many giving warrants on it. May God preserve the royal person of your Majesty, as is needful to us your vassals. Manila, August 10, 1634.
On the twenty-second of October, I informed your Majesty of military affairs. Now I shall do the same in detail, with the zeal of a true and faithful vassal; in accordance with which I say that the conservation of these islands consists in not embarking in new enterprises, but in keeping the presidios well defended which cannot be dispensed with, and to abolish those of least importance. By so doing there will be men in this camp for undertaking great things, as has been done in other times by your Majesty's governors; while the contrary is true now, for the aforesaid reason, and the governors content themselves with not losing anything that is in their charge.
I imagine that there will be difficulty in abandoning the forts of the island of Hermosa; nevertheless, by my remarks in my letter on government affairs, to which I refer, that seems advisable. Accordingly, that can be reduced to but two posts, thus saving most of the rations which are consumed; but in my opinion all that may be done is superfluous.
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.