Recollections of Manilla and the Philippines Part 10

No doubt some of them prefer keeping their money in this way, as it is easily transportable, and is always about their persons, to leaving their dollars or gold ounces concealed somewhere about their houses, from which they may frequently be obliged to be absent. Though, as it is a common custom for the natives to have a piece of bamboo in which to deposit their ready-money, and as there is so much bamboo work about the house, of course it is not very difficult for them to select one piece, which from its being out of the way, and rather unapproachable, renders it a secure deposit for their h.o.a.rds.

Towels, napkins, and table-cloths, are also manufactured by them, from the cotton of the country, and Governor Enrile taught some of their weavers how to make canvas from cotton. It is now very extensively used by the native s.h.i.+pping, and bears the name of the distinguished and philanthropic individual who taught them how to make it, being known by the name of _Lona de Enrile_, which name may it long bear, and remain as the most honourable memento any governor could leave behind him, of his beneficent and wise interest in the affairs and administration of an important colony.

At several places in Luzon, and in Cebu, &c., the natives make a species of cloth from the plantain-tree, known by the names of _Medrinaque_ and _Guiara_ cloths. The former description is in the greatest consumption, being stouter and more valuable than the other sort, and is mostly all bought up by the natives themselves, although a small portion of it is also exported.

The bulk of all the _Medrinaque_ exported goes to the United States, to the extent of about 30,000 pieces annually; and sometimes as much as double that quant.i.ty is sent, although last year there were only about 23,000 pieces purchased for that market, a large quant.i.ty having gone to Europe, which is a novel feature of the trade in the article.

Although the silkworm is bred to some small extent in the country, the silk manufacture is not extensively carried on, as the market can so easily and quickly be supplied from China with any description of goods in demand. Some articles of dress are, however, successfully made by the Indians, to oppose the China silks in the market, such as tapiz for the women, and panjamas for the men.

In various parts of the country, the manufacture of earthenware is pursued to a small extent. It is generally of a very coa.r.s.e description for cooking purposes, water-jugs, &c., and does not interfere with the sale of the finer China ware, with which the natives are supplied for most of their household purposes by the Chinese dealers in the article, that of China make being very much finer than any they have as yet produced in the country.

In the colours and patterns of their dresses the natives are great dandies; the women, as usual, being more particular in those affairs than the men. Very seldom, indeed, does a native Indian or Mestiza beauty sport the same saya for two gala days consecutively. And a very large proportion of their earnings are spent in self-adornment, their _tanpipes_, or wardrobes, being very well supplied with clothes, all of them of different patterns. Blue and purple appear to be the colours most admired, because, although the tastes and caprices of the people may vary in an infinite degree as to the patterns or styles of their dresses, they do not differ much in their choice of the colours which compose them. A dark complexioned beauty is never improved by a yellow dress; and any woman at all old or ugly looks hideous indeed when dressed in that colour. Apparently the Government were not ignorant of this when they imposed a heavy duty on blue, purple, or white articles of dress, and allowed yellow and other colours disliked by the natives to come into the country on the payment of a less duty. They have even gone the length of allowing yellow cotton twist of foreign manufacture to be imported duty free.

Truly this was very cunning of them--this apparent liberality to a foreign nation, ignorant that the colour would scarcely ever be used. Its affected moderation would most certainly tend to stop any complaints which might be made about the high duties imposed on our manufactures imported into the colony.

But perhaps the authorities had some design on the native beauties, when they held out such an inducement for them to wear unbecoming dresses. Who can say if the official who drew the scheme up had not a wife, jealous of the influence of some dark Indian beauty, to whom she thus held out the inducement of cheap dress, to disarm the power of her charms! Or, it may be, as the priests are at the bottom of most things in Spain, who can tell but their influence was exerted to get this law pa.s.sed in the pious hope of inducing those feelings of self-abas.e.m.e.nt and humility which the sense of being ugly, or even plain-looking, generally induces among the fair?

CHAPTER XXVII.

Besides those already mentioned, there are several other branches of manufacture successfully pursued in different places throughout the country, although none of them are very extensive.

Among others, that of hat-making may be mentioned. It is practised princ.i.p.ally at a village called Balignat, in the province of Bulacan; and is also carried on to a smaller extent in Pangasinan, Camarines, and Yloylo.

The hats are made from the cane, the fibres of which, employed in their construction, very much resemble the materials of those made at Leghorn, of straw. They are made both black and white, and are used almost universally by the native population, at times when the heat of the sun does not require the _salacod_ as a protection to the head. These are made of cane also, but are much thicker, heavier, and wider, and are shaped like a flat cone, so that the rays of the sunbeams are deflected from it, in place of being concentrated on the brain, as they are by the shape of the European hat.

A large number of Balignat hats are exported to the Australian colonies, and to China and Singapore, as well as a few to the United States.

Cigar cases, or covers, are made to a small extent in the neighbourhood of Manilla, and most of the patterns used for them are pretty, gay-looking affairs. The fineness of these pouches or cases varies to an almost infinite extent, and so does the price they sell at.

The mats on which the natives all sleep are largely manufactured, and employ a great number of people, as everybody throughout the island uses one or more of them. Some of those made in Laguna province are finer and better finished than any others I have seen elsewhere. They are plain or coloured, and of all patterns, and could be manufactured to any degree of fineness, according to the price promised to the workmen.

Ropemaking is extensively carried on; the best cordage manufactured in the islands being made from the fibres of the plantain-tree, which is known in commerce by the name of Manilla hemp.

At Santa Mesa, in the neighbourhood of Manilla, the rope is spun up by the aid of steam and good machinery, established there for the purpose, and still carried on by an old s.h.i.+pmaster, who produces by far the best rope of all that is made. It is also manufactured in several other places by the common hand-spun process, but from being unequally twisted when made by the hand, it is very much inferior to what has been subjected in its manufacture to the uniform steadiness of pull which the regularity of the steam machinery occasions, all of which is consequently much more suited to stand a heavy strain, from being twisted by it. The price of this rope is altogether dependent on the price of hemp, as the value of the labour employed seldom or never varies, although the raw material of which it is composed constantly does; the usual addition made to the current price of hemp being four dollars a pecul of 140 lbs. English, for the machine-made rope, generally known as "Keating's patent cordage," supposing the material so spun to be converted into an a.s.sorted lot of from one to six-inch cordage.

The hemp employed in the manufacture of the patent cordage is generally selected for its length of fibre, and lightness or whiteness of colour; and when whale-lines are made, only the very finest lots of hemp procurable at the time are used; but the charge for spinning them is increased to six dollars a pecul, the extra labour being so considerable, that even with the additional charge, the maker, Mr. Keating, informed me that he was much better recompensed by the larger sizes of the rope he spun than by these.

Bale or wool las.h.i.+ng is also made to a small extent for s.h.i.+pment to Sydney, &c.; the quality of the hemp used in making it being of an inferior description, and of a brownish colour. As it is very much more loosely twisted than any other descriptions of rope made here, the charge for spinning it is reduced to two dollars per pecul, and the cost of it will be that amount added to the price of hemp at the time of its manufacture.

The hand-spun rope never sells so well as that made by machinery, and is usually obtainable at from one to two dollars per pecul less than the latter, according as it is well or ill spun.

The export of rope varies from about 9,000 to 15,000 peculs annually; by much the largest quant.i.ty usually going to the United States, although there are considerable s.h.i.+pments to the Australian colonies, China, Singapore, and Europe. A large quant.i.ty of it is also taken by vessels visiting the port, for their own use.

The manufacture is encouraged by its freedom from any export duty, to which hemp exported in an unmanufactured state is subject, to the extent of 2 per cent.

Besides this cordage, there is another sort of rope made at the Islan de Negros, from a dark-coloured plant,--a description of rush,--which is found growing there in abundance; and as it is not damaged by exposure to the influence of water, it is very extensively used by the native coasting-vessels of small size for cables, for which it is found to answer very well.

Soap is made to a small extent at Quiapo, in Manilla; and is, I understand, s.h.i.+pped to Sooloo and Singapore for sale. But it is not consumed to any great extent in the Philippines, except for was.h.i.+ng clothes, &c., the natives preferring to employ a red-coloured root, called _gogo_, for their own personal ablutions.

This root may be said to be a sort of natural soap, as it serves the same purposes. After being steeped in water for a few minutes, if the water be violently agitated, or if the _gogo_ be rubbed between the hands in the water, a white foam is produced, which exactly resembles soap bubbles, and a.s.sists the purification of the skin even better than soap does, being a.s.sisted by the fibres of the root, which are usually made to do the duty of a flesh-brush in the bath. When using it, however, it should not be allowed to get into the eyes, as any water impregnated with its bubbles, will inflame them very severely.

So far as I recollect, those that I have quoted are the most important articles manufactured in the country, and they are more numerous and important, considering the state of society in Manilla, than might be looked for. They well exemplify the ingenuity of the people, which is very much more lively than that of any other Oriental nation within the limits of the Indian Archipelago.

Although cigars may be considered as manufacture, I propose cla.s.sing them with tobacco, which will be found in the list of the agricultural produce of the islands.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The import trade of Manilla is almost entirely in the hands of the British merchants established there, so far as the great staple articles of manufactured goods are concerned; although a quant.i.ty is regularly furnished to supply the demands of the market by the Chinese, whose earthenware, iron cooking utensils, silks, cloths, and curiosities, are very plentiful at Manilla, and are indeed obtainable over all the country without much difficulty.

Among the produce of our looms, especially those of Manchester and Glasgow, which are at all times saleable here, may be mentioned s.h.i.+rtings, both white and grey, long-cloths, domestics, drills, cambrics, jaconets, twills, white and printed, bobbinet, gimp lace, cotton velvet, sewing thread, cotton twist of certain colours, princ.i.p.ally Turkey red, Turkey red cloth, prints of various sorts, chiefly Bengal stripes, furniture prints, and Turkey red chintz prints, kambayas, and ginghams, which being cheaper, are gradually taking the place of kambayas; indigo blue checks, imitation pina cloth, blue and striped chambrays, grandrills, trouser stuffs of various sorts, chiefly of cotton, and mixed cotton and wool; handkerchiefs of many descriptions, known as Kambaya handkerchiefs, Turkey red bandanas, fancy printed, light ground checked handkerchiefs, Scotch cambric handkerchiefs, &c.; broad-cloth, cubicoes, lastings, orleans, gambroons, long ells, camlets, carriage lace, both broad and narrow, canvas, cordage, iron, lead, spelter, steel, cutlery, ironmongery, earthenware, gla.s.sware, umbrellas and parasols of cotton and silk, &c., as well as India beer, which, though last mentioned, is not the common sort of beer, nor the least profitable or pleasant of them all.

It may be well to mention here, that the provincial traders generally arrive at Manilla in the month of November, soon after the rains have ceased, although they sometimes do not make their appearance till December, when they set about making their purchases, and returning to their places of abode as quickly as possible, to sell the merchandize they take with them. If they are successful, and drive a prosperous trade, which is regulated by a variety of accidents, the princ.i.p.al features affecting it being probably the success of the rice crop, they then write to their agents in Manilla to continue purchases of the goods which they find to be of the most saleable descriptions in their different districts, so that it is not until they have ascertained the temper of the market, during the sale of their first lots, that their largest purchases begin to be made, through their agents at Manilla, who, from this circ.u.mstance, usually do their most extensive business during the months of February, March, and April; and, in consequence, these months may be considered as the best seasons of the year for the sale of piece goods in that market.

The rainy season commencing in June, puts a stop to the activity of trade, which usually goes on until its near approach. For although there is a demand throughout the year for plain cottons, and similar articles of general use, the trade in coloured goods is almost suspended during the continuance of wet weather, and as the traffic in kambayas, ginghams, handkerchiefs and all other coloured and fancy goods, is by very much the most important description of trade carried on at Manilla, the commerce of the place languishes considerably during the continuance of the rainy season.

The goods imported from the Peninsula are of very small value, consisting princ.i.p.ally of wines, olive oil, and eatables of various descriptions; for wherever a Spaniard lives, he would be quite unhappy without his _garbanzos_ or _frijoles_.

From Germany and France also various descriptions of manufactures are sent, such as cutlery, toys, gla.s.s, furniture, pictures, &c., &c., in fine, an endless catalogue of small wares of that description. Having never seen any complete statement of the quant.i.ty, value, or proper description of the merchandise imported into the Manilla market, on which I should be inclined to place any reliance, owing to the absolute impossibility of collecting correct statistical information of the sort at that place, I do not presume to furnish such to the reader, even with that explanation.

The goods imported from Liverpool or Glasgow, from which very large quant.i.ties of coloured goods are sent here, are always s.h.i.+pped in Spanish vessels at a very high rate of freight, being generally about double what British s.h.i.+ps would be glad to take them for, did not the differential duties in favour of the Spanish flag put all this carrying business beyond their reach. A very large--in fact, probably by much the greatest--quant.i.ty of goods, is in consequence of this navigation law, carried by British s.h.i.+pping from our seaports at home to Singapore and Hong Kong, where, after having to stand several charges for coolie hire, landing, storing, and warehouse rent, till such time as a disengaged Spanish vessel for Manilla makes her appearance, and the number of goods at either of these intermediate ports acc.u.mulates in sufficient quant.i.ty to form a cargo to load her, they have to remain of course at a considerable loss, not only of the interest of money locked up in them, but besides the new charges for freight, insurance, &c., which must be incurred upon them, when trans.h.i.+pped to the place of their destination.

In order further to protect their own s.h.i.+pping against the compet.i.tion of other countries, they hold out the inducement to merchants exporting manufactures to Manilla, to embark them in a Spanish s.h.i.+p in Europe, by making the duties less on the goods so imported, to those merely brought from a short distance from our settlements in the neighbourhood of Manilla. The following are the rates:--

When coming in a Spanish vessel direct from Europe, they pay 7 per cent.

When coming from Singapore, their voyages to that place and back again, occupying about three months, including the time the vessel is in that port,--as although the monsoon is fair one way, it is certain to be opposed to the s.h.i.+p on the other, except just at the time of its turning,--goods from it pay 8 per cent.

When coming from Hong Kong, to and from which place the monsoons are equally favourable at all times of the year, and the usual average voyage of Spanish s.h.i.+ps is about ten days either going or coming, they pay 9 per cent.

These regulations are hard enough on our s.h.i.+powners, whose vessels, going over to Manilla to load cargo there for all parts of the world, seldom or never can procure any freight to that place; or if they do, it is only to a very insignificant amount, only consisting of something which the owner is in a hurry for, and is willing to pay the large differential duty upon, to get it quickly, which of course is a case of very rare occurrence. But to prevent the frequent occurrence of this, any foreign s.h.i.+p bringing no more than even one small package of inward cargo, is required to pay heavier port charges than she would do if coming in without it.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Besides the sale of foreign manufactures and merchandise in the Philippines, there exists a great outlet for it in the islands of Sooloo and Mindanao, although in the present state of society in those islands, where the insecurity of life and property is very great, the natural advantages of these countries have not been at all adequately developed. In front of Zamboanga, the last town towards the south which recognizes the authority of the Government of Manilla, is situated the island of Sooloo, which, although not of great size, is the centre of an active trade during certain months of every year, as great numbers of the natives of the neighbouring islands frequent it at those seasons, in order to dispose of the produce of their fisheries or to sell the slaves whom they have kidnapped or captured during their piratical cruizes and attacks on their neighbours, if at war with them, as some of them usually are with each other. From Manilla some small vessels are annually fitted out for the trade, which is nearly altogether in the hands of the Chinese dealers, as no persons except themselves would stand the bad treatment they are subjected to by the authorities of the place; the character of the Celestial people leading them to suffer any amount of bad usage provided they are paid for it, or can make money by it, which they somehow manage to do, even in Sooloo, although they are exposed to the almost unlimited plunder and extortion of the Sultan and Datos, or native chiefs, who, on the least occasion, or pretext for it, capture and enslave or confine them, only allowing these unfortunates to regain their very unstable liberty by presents or extortionate bribes.

The vessels engaged in the trade, being brigs or schooners, commonly start from Manilla in March or April for Antique, Yloylo, or other places, where they can complete a Sooloo cargo, after doing which they steer for Zamboanga, to report their cargoes and provide themselves with pa.s.sports at the custom-house there, should they not have done so at Manilla.