alled the Audiencia.

The islands are divided into provinces, each of which has a
military officer with the title of governor, appointed by the
governor-general. They act as chief magistrates, have jurisdiction
over all disputes of minor importance, have the command of the troops
in time of war, and are collectors of the royal revenues, for the
security of which they give bonds, which must be approved of by the
comptroller-general of the treasury. The province of Cavite is alone
exempt from this rule, and the collection of tribute is there confided
to a police magistrate.

Each province is again sub-divided into pueblos, containing a greater
or less number of inhabitants, each of which has again its ruler,
called a gobernadorcillo, who has in like manner other officers under
him to act as police magistrates. The number of the latter are very
great, each of them having his appropriate duties. These consist in the
supervision of the grain fields, coconut groves, betel-nut plantations,
and in the preservation of the general order and peace of the town. So
numerous are these petty officers, that there is scarcely a family of
any consequence, that has not a member who holds some kind of office
under government. This policy, in case of disturbances, at once
unites a large and influential body on the side of the government,
that is maintained at little expense. The gobernadorcillo exercises
the municipal authority, and is especially charged to aid the parish
priest in every thing appertaining to religious observances, etc.

In the towns where the descendants of the Chinese are sufficiently
numerous, they can, by permission of the governor, elect their own
petty governors and officers from among themselves.

In each town there is also a headman (cabeza de barangay), who has
the charge of fifty tributaries, in each of which is included as
many families. This division is called a barangay. This office forms
by far the most important part of the machinery of government in the
Philippine Islands, for these headmen are the attorneys of these small
districts, and become the electors of the gobernadorcillos, and other
civil officers. Only twelve, however, of them or their substitutes,
are allowed to vote in each town.

The office of head-man existed before the conquest of the island,
and the Spaniards showed their wisdom in continuing and adapting it to
their system of police. The office among the natives was hereditary,
but the