ts removal keeps, as it seems, the dredging machine stationed there
entirely occupied.

[Few foreign vessels.] The small number of the vessels in the
roadstead, particularly of those of foreign countries, was the more
remarkable as Manila was the only port in the Archipelago that had any
commerce with foreign countries. It is true that since 1855 three other
ports, to which a fourth may now be added, had gotten this privilege;
but at the time of my arrival, in March, 1859, not one of them had
ever been entered by a foreign vessel, and it was a few weeks after
my visit that the first English ship sailed into Iloilo to take in
a cargo of sugar for Australia. [14]

[Antiquated restrictions on trade.] The reason of this peculiarity
laid partly in the feeble development of agriculture, in spite of the
unexampled fertility of the soil, but chiefly in the antiquated and
artificially limited conditions of trade. The customs duties were
in themselves not very high. They were generally about seven per
cent. upon merchandise conveyed under the Spanish flag, and about
twice as much for that carried in foreign bottoms. When the cargo
was of Spanish production, the duty was three per cent. if carried
in national vessels, eight per cent. if in foreign ships. The latter
were only allowed, as a rule, to enter the port in ballast. [15]

[Discouragements for foreign ships.] As, however, the principal wants
of the colony were imported from England and abroad, these were either
kept back till an opportunity occurred of sending them in Spanish
vessels, which charged nearly a treble freight (from L4 to L5 instead
of from L1 1/2, to L2 per ton), and which only made their appearance
in British ports at rare intervals, or they were sent to Singapore and
Hongkong, where they were transferred to Spanish ships. Tonnage dues
were levied, moreover, upon ships in ballast, and upon others which
merely touched at Manila without unloading or taking in fresh cargo;
and, if a vessel under such circumstances landed even the smallest
parcel, it was no longer rated as a ship in ballast, but charged on the
higher scale. Vessels were therefore forced to enter the port entirely
devoid of cargo, or carrying sufficient to cover the expense of the
increased harbor dues; almost an impossibility for foreign ships,
on account of the differential customs rates, which acted almost as a
complete prohibition. The result was that foreign vessels came there
only in balla