The native Indians who act as smiths are
paid twelve reals per month, and the Angley [_i.e._, Sangley] Chinese
smiths twenty-eight reals per month, and their ration of rice, which is
equivalent to one-half a Spanish celemin. Each of these Chinese works
one arroba of rough iron into nails daily, and is paid only the said
twenty-eight reals per month. That does not amount to one real per day,
and they work from midnight until sunset, which is their workday.
The nails and iron shipped to the said islands from Nueva Espana cost
your Majesty, delivered in the city of Manila, more than twenty reals
of eight per quintal, while there they are made, as above stated. But
notwithstanding the above, I assert that it is necessary to ship
annually from Nueva Espana to the said islands two hundred quintals
of rough and sheet and rod iron for some necessary articles, such
as borers for the artillery cast in Manila, and rudder-pintles and
rudder-gudgeons for the ships and galleys; for the iron of Bizcaya
is more ductile than that of those regions [_i.e_., China and Japon]
because it is as strong as steel. The other iron things above mentioned
that are sent from Nueva Espana to the said islands are unnecessary,
for their cost per quintal, when delivered in Manila, will buy four
quintals in the said islands. The said two hundred quintals could be
shipped on your Majesty's account from Sevilla where it costs three
or four ducados per quintal, and be carried by the flagships and
almirantas; thus it would not be necessary to buy it in Bera Cruz,
at nineteen ducados per quintal.
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