For if God permits him to find and destroy that place, many and very important results will follow: First, that immediately word will be passed to all those nations--who love changes and cry "long live" to the conqueror--and they will lose the little affection that they have for the enemy at present; while they will incline toward and join us, turning against our enemy, as they have promised.

Second, that our soldiers, flushed with the beginnings of victory, will be worth after that for other victories just twice as much; nor will they be without military discipline for the first victory, for the Spanish infantry begins its military duty from the day when it establishes its camp, and daily becomes more valuable.

Third, inasmuch as when the vessels of this relief expedition reach Manila, they will necessarily arrive there in need of rest, and already the enemy will be warned to resist whatever sally they try to make, that which will now be made against them with eight vessels cannot later be made against them with many more.

Fourth, because, on the journey they will lay down the complete and fixed route that should be taken by that course, so that your Majesty's fleets may go and come as do those of the enemy.

Fifth, because the enemy are at present not only not sending any fleet to those regions, but are obliged to collect their forces in order to resist those of your Majesty in their own territory, because of the expiration of the truce.