The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-09-09 00:00:00

DESCRIPIVOIf OF MANILLA.

[Wm= " The Csleutte Jolene."]

Manila, the• capital of the Spanislovettlements
in the Philippine., is situated on the island of Si;.
~r Lakonia. the largest of the group. The.
ee,:tre of the island is in 14. 98. N. lat. 120. 50.
E. flog., the restent
.point is in 13. 38. and the
rvirot northern in 19. 0. lat. It is reckuued by the
Spaniards to be 160 Spanish leagues long, 33 or-40
h-a and 350 in circumference. Its situation IS
extremely advantageous in a commercial point of
% hew. being placed between the eastern and western
.A.eitinents, having China on the north. the islands
i Japan out the N.E. the ocean on the east. the
Philippines on the south, and to the west
Al daces, Patane, Simi, Cochin China, &c.
'ltd. city is large, and contains some handsome
i•hoirrher. which are numerous in proportion to its
ze ; these, with the monasteries, occupy the best
I,4ri of ir. The private houses are built on pile.,
inairquence of the frequency of earthquakes, by
ohieti to the year 1645, one third _of the city was
• destroyeil,•and three thousand of the inhabitants
per.thed in the ruins. In the lower stories, the mince
hetween the pile* is filled with masonry, the habit-
:tole trait above consists of wood with sliding hit.
wed windows; in tome the squares (of about two
err three inches in diameter) are filled with a sort of
11.3ov:went shell, similar to the inside of the oyster
shell. •
The two best houses in the place are the property
of respectable merchants, one in the Fort, the
re-
sidence of Messrs. Rowley., natives of Chanderna.
gore, ultich is built of .tone, the other in the town,
111 it.e occupation of Signior Brllette (a native of
Italy). an enterprising individual. who, previous to
the war, carried on an extensive trade with Nladnta,
was possesird of several vessel:l, and brought ern-
tieets from the British settlements lei erect hie
house, which is a handsome modern building; these
.ire the only house', furnished with glass sashes.
A fortnu. Viceroy, whose enlightened mind and
liberal principles induced hint to check the vin.
(fictive measures of the Inquisition as her as the
relent of his authority would permit, had by that
iiieano brought on himself the resentment ofsthe
11(4 Office, whose members-at length came to the
determination of deposing him and substituting
one more subservient to their wishes ; with thug
view thee summoned him to appear before them.
The Viceroy, 'who was informed of all their
had resolved, if he fell. that the Doty
V.-idlers should share his fate ; he therefore directed
his sea, or some near relative in whom he could
-.lace implicit confidence, to have a party of troops
its trodinisa, on whose fidelity lie could depend,
tsith two field pieces provided with ammunition,
and on the morning of his attending at the loquisi.
hen to draw them up at the bock of the house, and
it he did not appear by a specified time to raze it
to the ground. Every thing bring prepared, he
appeared before his judges, and for some time
listened with calmness to the ch irges alleged *veinal
(qui ;us theSime approached for the execution of
the orders given to- the officer in coonnand of the
-hoops. looking at his watch, he told them lie
wee not partial to long harangues; if lie had
beep guilty of the crime, laid to his charge he
would pay the usual finer fur maser.. &c.; but if
they had any thing further to communicate, they
cruet be brief, as there were but feO minutes to
soreee.. Euruged at his cool intrepidity, they
it:neatened him with the anathemas of the
chard' for his contumacy, and were proceeding
in. their design, when one of them accidentally
looking through the window, saw the troop.
aid held piece', with lighted matcher. An ex-
-I.l..ration then- took place. and they dismissed
him for an incorrigible heretic, with the bitterest
invevtivea. The Viceroy returned in triumph to
his rilace, and the two pieces of ordnance were
pieced before the gate, where they hare continued
eier since as u memorial of the tirmnesa of a man
wito was beloved by the people. This anecdote
oas v-lated to me by a respectable inhabitant, whose
reAteity might be depended oti.
The houses of the natives are built on posts about
All feet above the ground, of split bamboos cover-
ed is;`li leaves; they are entered by a ladder which
is usually. drawn up at oight, and warty of the
14:,i.t:irri.L have houses in the suburbs of a similar
4 onstructiou. The river winding through the town,
most of the houses have flights of steps leading to
the 'water's edge. and many where the breisdili of
G e river will admit,; have baths. There are a
Loteber of small canoes with awnings, called ban-
constantly plying for hire, which enables
the inhabitants who have not the means of keeping
soy other conveyance to visit each other with the
greatest convenience.
The Viceroyalty of the Philippines is said to be
one of the best in the gift of the King of Spain.
Tlfetity is• governed by two Alcsithre, the depen-
dant cities and towns have one, and every village
has a Coiregidor. Appeals from their decree are
made to the Royal Court of Manilla. which con-
sists of four Judges and a Fiscal. The Viceroy is
tlmPresedent, but has no vote; if the Judges are
equally divided, the President newel a Doctor of
Civil Law, who, by virtue of his appointment, has
a dectsise vote.
Foreign vessels were formerly burdened with
peck heavy duties, that they amounted almost to a
prohibition, and the exports were only dollars;
latterly jihad received greater encouragement, and
they export cordage. pitch, tar, cloths. rattans.
indigo, and. sugar. Of the imports,. Madras cloths,
particularly cowboys, are most in demand ; but the
markers were overstocked with both Europe and
country goods, the French having imported the
eitgoes of their prizes.
The population is estimated at from 36 to 98
thousand souls, but of which there are not more
thou 1.200 Europeau Spaniards, the remainder are
hlslattoes, Chinese, and Toggles, who cultivate the
land and carry on the arts of industry. The
tioarriardii have by no menus entirely subduer:raw
island, the. natives of the nioutitwitir are still inde-
pendent, Thee are a brave wad hismane race of
people..go..prerfectly naked, filing under trees or
iii caves ott-ihe fruits of the earth, changing them
iiii;:cosirinieuce of procuring food, or
caprice aired.. The inhubitaiits of the city Hie iii
general .lusispiloble to strawgehr. Their habil% are
iidolent ; they rise early mid transact busiuese
midil ten or Pleven o'clock. they then take- their
...butt:title, at twelve • they dine, after which they

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