In his book A Voyage to Cochin China, John White gives somes information dealing with the small Spanish naval force available in the Philipines and an astonishing description of the arsenal at Cavite. White departed 2 January 1819 from Salem and arrived in May at Batavia (nowadays Djakarta, Indonesia) to continue from there his voyage.
P. 98: "Cavite, which is the port of Manilla, contains also the marine arsenal, and is the naval depot of all the Spanish possessions in the East: it is situated on the eastern extremity of a low, bifurcated peninsula, of a semilunair shape, which extends to the sea, bout three miles on the south-east side of the great bay of Manilla, and terminates towards the east. Between the two extremities or points is the outer harbour of Cavite, where merchant ships generally lie. It is tolerable safe, though of no great capacity or depth, the deepest water being four fathoms, and that only in the outer and most exposed situations; the general depth is from two or three and a half fathoms
"p. 100: "The arsenal is on the south-eastern side of the point on which the town is built, and overlooks the inner harbour. It is constructed on an extensive and excellent plan, and possesses great facilities for building, repairing, and equipping the largest ships: but the increasing poverty, apathy, and neglect of the government, , with the devastating hand of time, have combined to stamp on every feature of this once noble and magnificent establishment the rude
p. 101: and melancholy characters of desolation and approaching ruin: and the visitor, instead of being saluted with the busy hum of industry, the cheerful sounds of various implements of the mechanical arts, and crowds of people employed in the several occupations of a dock-yard, finds himself ushered into the cheerless abodes of silence, and the "demon of ennui": and the sallow and meagre visages of the few half-payed, half-starved, and half-dejected officers, in tarnished uniform, who, like so many spectres, flit by him, or meet his view, in listless groups, exhibiting the most striking assemblages of half-subdued pride, profound gravity, and forces resignation, proclaim, in a language the most emphatic, these objects as the legitimate vassals of the gloomy domain".
p. 155: "The naval forces of these islands [Philippines] consists of a frigate and sloop of war, not in commission, and a few small vessels and gun-boats, of handsome and strong construction and adequate armament, but, in regard to management, of a contemptible character. They answer well enough the purpose of keeping the piratical Moors at bay, when the latter are not so presumptuous".
Source
A Voyage to Cochin China. London, 1824. Digitized by Google.
