The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803/Volume 3/Requisitions of supplies

REQUISITIONS OF SUPPLIES FOR THE
SPANISH FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES—1570-71 (circa)

Memorandum of the articles asked for by the governor of the Felipinas islands—with a note of what can be supplied from Nueva España, and what must be brought from España. This memorandum was brought last year by the advice ships.^[1]

First, he asks for rigging. We must buy some of that brought by the merchant fleet; for none was sent here from España on his Majesty's account. A supply must be sent, for it is very expensive here.

(Six hundred and forty-five arrobas and fourteen libras of small rigging were taken.)

They ask also for pitch. It will be sent from here.

(A large quantity of pitch and tar was taken.)

Tow. We have very little of it in this country.

(There were taken c xxx vii arrobas of tow, and cvii arrobas of old rigging for the same purpose.)

Saltpetre. We shall send what we have from here.

(Six quintals, nine libras were taken, because they need it there only to refine the powder; likewise xi arrobas of sulphur.)

Powder. We have it here.

(There were taken cl quintals^[2] and three arrobas.)

Two shipmasters to build ships and galleys. Ship-masters are not to be found in this land.

(Only one carpenter was taken, for we could not supply more.)

Twelve carpenters for the same purpose. We shall look for them here although it will be difficult to find any.

Twelve calkers. They also will be supplied from the merchant ships.

(Four were taken.)

Two overseers. They will be procured here.

(Enough men were sent for that purpose.)

Galley captains who know how to make lateen-sails. They are not to be found in this land, unless some come on the merchant ships.

Fifty bombardiers. There are none here, except those who are in the port. We shall try to send some.

(Five were taken, and these are sufficient; for Robles, who went there as artillery founder after having served all his life in these royal houses, will instruct enough of the soldiers going from here so that they may serve whenever it is necessary.)

Two artillery founders.

(One went, Robles by name—he who is mentioned above.)

Two military engineers to fortify a stronghold. They are not to be found in this land.

(Some of the soldiers who went there can make valuable suggestions in that respect.)

Five hundred pikes. We shall send the iron heads from here, for the wood can be found in the islands.

(Three hundred pikes were sent; for we heard afterward that the wood of that land was of an inferior quality. Therefore may your Majesty be pleased to order that a thousand pikes be sent us, for the wood of this country is irreparably worm-eaten.)

Corselets. Any quantity. There are very few of them in our military stores.

(None of them will be found here, unless your Majesty orders that they be sent from España. It is not right that the military stores of these royal households be left without corselets.)

Large artillery, six pieces, averaging forty quintals; and two swivel-guns. We do not have them here, and it is very difficult to transport them to the wharf; so that it will be better to cast them in the islands.

(The governor wrote that he had there a number of pieces of artillery which he had bought; and others that had burst, from which some might be made. Eighty arrobas of tin were taken; and now they are taking cc quintals of copper, for we had no time to extract it last year.)

A good arquebuse officer. He will not be easily found here.

(He was sent.)

Thin wrought iron for forelock plate-bolts. We shall send it from here, although Valero said that it would be less expensive if it came from España.

(Ninety-two quintals, two arrobas, and nine libras were taken.)

Thin iron plates. We will send them also from here.

(The ninety-two quintals, two arrobas and nine libras contained a quantity of iron plates.)

Fine steel for carpenters' axes and other tools. All of this that comes in the merchant ships will be sent from here.

(Twenty arrobas of steel were taken.)

Two pairs of bellows of the best kind. We have them here.

(Four pairs were taken.)

Two screws. We shall send them from here.

(They were taken.)

One anvil. It will be sent from here.

(One large anvil was taken.)

Two screw plates to make screws for arquebuses. We shall send them from here.

(One was taken.)

Two grind-stones. They will be sent from here.

(Two were taken.)

Two dozen carpenters' axes. We will send them from here.

(They were taken.)

Six French saws. They shall be sent from here.

(They were sent.)

Oil. We must send some of that which comes in the merchant ships.

Lead. We have it.

(cc quintals were taken. But this is the first time that we have been asked for lead; for each time that soldiers go, they take with them all the lead they wish; and it was never known that they needed it there. The vessels here are leaded, but not there; for never until now has any vessel been launched there, that has to sail on this course [between the Philippines and New Spain].)

Tin. We must buy some of that which comes from España, for we have none here.

(Eighty arrobas were taken—those above-mentioned.)

Copper. We have it here.

(cc quintals are being taken now; for it had not been extracted when the ship sailed.)

Tallow.

(ccxix quintals and three arrobas, less a small quantity used in repairing the ship in the port, were taken; and more of it will be taken this year.

Trumpeters and mechanics.

(At the time we had no Indians to send them, nor do we have any now.)

Indian workmen of all trades: tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, masons.

(At the time we had no Indians to send them, nor do we have them now.)

In addition to all the above the vessel took the founder who was going to cast artillery.

One tulcapoté, to cover the clay mould for the artillery. Two levels. One claw hammer. One medium sized saw. One quintal of steel to make files, punches, and drills, for boring the artillery. Twenty-nine arrobas and ten libras of wrought iron for the manufacture of animas, sledge hammers, tongs, and hammers with which to work the iron for the artillery. A screw-plate with seven holes; and seven sledge-hammers. One anvil and forge. Another small forge and three screws.

[Endorsed: "Without date or signature."]

[All these items apparently refer to articles subse-quently added to the list; for on the MS. each one is checked off.]

 

Memorandum of what we need in this camp of his Majesty which is stationed and has its residence in the Western Islands, in addition to the requests made in the letters and memoranda which have been sent in the past. It is as follows:

Bellows: First of all we need four pairs of bellows—two pairs made of dressed leather, and the other two of rawhide. They should be sent wrapped in coarse frieze, and placed in their jars, so as not to be gnawed by worms.

Tubes: Four pairs of bellows-tubes large enough for the forges.

Axes: One hundred Viscayan iron axes for the carpenters.

Anvils: An anvil weighing about one quintal or six arrobas.

Pitch: Three hundred quintals of pitch.

Tar: A large quantity of tar.

Tallow: Tallow in quantity, as may be needed, to be sent in suitable skins or casks.

Nails: Item, nails one span in length, and for crosswise timbers. Item, spikes and clinch nails.

Sail-cloth: A quantity of sail-cloth.

Paper: A large bale of paper, for we have none.

Books: Twelve books of large paper, bound in parchment, for the accountant.

Twine and sail needles: Some sailmaker's twine and long sail-needles.

Saws: A dozen carpenters' hand-saws.

Steel: Some good steel, for the kind we have here is worthless.

Tacks and leather: Tacks and some pieces of tanned leather for the pump.

Hoops, casks, and staves: Casks and hoops suitable for this land, because we have used a third of those brought here by the ships, in repairs for the return voyage. Let a large quantity of staves be sent.

Coopers: Item, two coopers.

Carpenters: Item, some ship-carpenters, provided they be good workmen.

Rope-maker: Item, a rope-maker, for we are in great need of one to make rigging here.

Tarpauling-nails: A quantity of tarpauling-nails.

Grappling-irons: Some grappling-irons, for the frigates have lost those brought by Captain Juan de la Ysla in the year seventy. Let some be of five arrobas' weight, and the others from four to six arrobas.

Anchors: Some anchors, of three or four quintals each.

Boilers: Half a dozen pitch boilers, for we have none of them.

Wine: Wine for the sacrifice of the mass, and for the sick; also some vinegar.

Assayer: Item, an assayer, for we are in much need of one.

Negroes: We are in great need of negroes for the labors of this camp, so as to avoid the inconveniences that arise from [depending on] the natives.

Soap: One or two quintals of soap; we greatly need it for the rigging which is being made in this land.

Padlocks: A dozen padlocks, for they are not to be found here.

Mariner's compasses: Half a dozen of mariner's compasses.

Hour-glasses: Twenty hour-glasses indicating one to one-and-a-half hours.

Screws: Two good screws for filing arquebuses.

Iron wire: Six libras of iron wire to repair arquebuse locks.

Tin: Two libras of sheet-tin for the tinning of locks.

Rigging: All sorts of rigging.

Sawyers: Sawyers.

Smiths: A smith who knows how to make crowbars, adzes, axes, and chisels, and how to sharpen tools.

Gunpowder: A large quantity of gunpowder.

Sulphur and saltpetre: Sulphur and saltpetre.

Medicines: Some medicines for the sick and wounded.

Lead: Lead, both in bars and in sheets.

Gunners: Gunners are much needed.

Pickaxes, shovels: Pickaxes and crow's-foot shovels.

Kettles: Large and small mess-kettles, for there are none.

Balances: Two new balances, one of them small.

Weights and denominations: Weights to weigh gold and silver, graduated from two to four libras.

Bells: Small and large bells for churches.

Measures: Measures of one arroba, half-arroba, azumbre, and quartillo.

Half-hanega: Two half-hanegas, one celemin, and one half-celemin.^[3]

Fishing-nets and fishermen: Two fishing-nets and a couple of fishermen [pescadores], if they are to be found.

Stamps for the tithes: Stamps for branding the tithes, for those which were sent are out of order; also a small anvil and hammers, for marking the fifths.^[4]

Tow: A large quantity of tow, for we have none.

For the main church: Item, we need a pair of chalices with their silver pitchers, two missals, and some altar-cloths and linen for the main church of this city. We need them because all that was sent us was taken by the Augustinian religious, and we are unable to get any of them.

Andres Cauchela
Salvador de Aldave

1. Internal evidence indicates that this list was prepared in New Spain. In the MS., in the right-hand column are enumerated the articles demanded for the Philippines; on the left is a statement of articles sent—various memoranda being made on each side. As here presented, the items in the left-hand column follow (within parentheses) the corresponding items on the right hand.
2. The Spanish quintal (100 libras), varied in different provinces; that of Castilla was equivalent to 101. 6097 United States pounds. Other denominations: 25 libras = 1 arroba; 4 arrobas = 1 quintal; 20 quintals = 1 tonelada.
3. Of these measures of capacity, the first set are for liquid measure: 4 copas = 1 cuartillo; 4 cuartillos = 1 azumbre; 8 azumbres = 1 arroba mayor or cantara. This arroba equals 4.26304 gallons, and is supposed to contain the weight of 35 libras of pure (i. e., distilled) water. The arroba for oil, however, is only 3.31853 gallons.
   The other measures are for dry substances. Hanega is only another form of fanega (= 1.599 bushels), which is described in vol. ii, note 72; the celemin is the same as the almude (note 20, ante). Table: 4 ochavillos = 1 racion; 4 raciones = 1 cuartillo; 2 cuartillos = 1 medio; 2 medios = 1 almude; 12 almudes = 1 fanega; 12 fanegas = 1 cahiz.
4. References to the shares, in goods discovered or produced, which were to be set aside for the king and the church.

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