Court next below him; also the Archbishop, or
in his stead the Dean of the Cathedral; an ordinary Judge, a Municipal
Councillor, and _one merchant_ as Commissioner in representation of
the eight who formed the _Consulado_ of merchants.

The expulsion of the non-christian Chinese in 1755 (_vide_
p. 111) caused a deficit in the taxes of P30,000 per annum. The
only exports of Philippine produce at this date were cacao, sugar,
wax, and sapanwood. Trade, and consequently the Treasury, were in a
deplorable state. To remedy matters, and to make up the above P30,000,
the Government proposed to levy an export duty which was to be applied
to the cost of armaments fitted out against pirates. Before the tax
was approved of by the King some friars loaded a vessel with export
merchandise, and absolutely refused to pay the impost, alleging
immunity. The Governor argued that there could be no religious
immunity in trade concerns. The friars appealed to Spain, and the
tax was disapproved of; meantime, most of the goods and the vessel
itself rotted pending the solution of the question by the Royal
Indian Council.

There have been three or four periods during which no galleon arrived
at the Philippines for two or three consecutive years, and coin became
very scarce, giving rise to rebellion on the part of the Chinese
and misery to the Filipinos. After the capture of the _Covadonga_ by
the British, six years elapsed before a galleon brought the subsidy;
then the _Rosario_ arrived with 5,000 gold ounces (nominally P80,000).

However, besides the subsidy, the Colony had certain other sources
of public revenue, as will be seen by the following:--

PHILIPPINE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1757

Income.
P cts.
Stamped Paper 12,199 87 1/2
Port and Anchorage Dues 25,938 00
Sale of Offices, such as Notaries, Public
Scribes, Secretaryships, etc. 5,839 12 1/2
Offices hired out 4,718 75
Taxes farmed out 28,500 00
Excise duties 4,195 00
Sale of _Encomiendas_, and 22 provincial
govts. hired out 263,588 00
Divers taxes, fines, pardons, etc. 18,156 00
Tribute, direct tax 4,477 00
Sudsidy from Mexico