made and can be made. He
should urgently and imperatively order that this city of Manila be
enclosed with stone, on the side where that is needed, and on the other
sides with water; that the fort be built where it shall be determined
by the advice of all; and that a tower be erected on the point at the
junction of the river and sea. The part where a wall is necessary is
very little, extending from the beach to a marsh of the river--about
sixty brazas; but it will never be done, unless his Majesty so order.

2. _That until forts are built, the country will not be settled._
Second: Having this and the garrison for the fort, not only will the
city be secure from the perils that have hitherto menaced it, and its
present dangers from revolts; but the natives (like the Chinese and
foreigners--_Madrid MS._) and the Chinese, the foreigners, and all
others, will cease to devour it, and will despair of our having to
depart or perish, as they may desire, and of their hopes and designs
(which they continually cherish--_Madrid MS._) of expelling or putting
an end to us. With this stronghold, the whole country will be greatly
quieted, and the neighboring peoples will be afraid and have less
inclination to resist, or resolution to attack the city. Occasion will
not then be given for either natives or foreigners to regard us as so
barbarous and not able to govern--which they impute to the weakness
and negligence of our king, when they see, as now, everything here so
unprotected, with but one small wooden fort, dilapidated and liable
to be burned easily in one hour, and, in another part of the city,
part of a small tower begun with small stones (and, although belonging
to an estate of the country, it remains unfinished--_Madrid MS._),
and that the city is, at the very least, in a ruinous state.

3. _Five dangers that are feared from revolt, and their remedy._ Third:
There are five dangers to be feared from revolts or invasions. The
first is from the natives, who are numerous, heavily oppressed, and
but thinly settled; the second, from the Chinese, of whom four or five
thousand reside here, and have ingress and egress. The third is from
the Japanese, who make a descent almost every year, and, it is said,
with the intent of colonizing Lucon; the fourth from the inhabitants
of Maluco and Burney, who are infuriated and irritated, and have
quite lost their fear of us, having driven us twice from their lands;
and it is feared lest they unite