Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 51).djvu/39

1801-1840] those in their neighborhood. In order to relieve the public anxiety and impatience caused by the dearth of news from the mother-country, the authorities of the colony undertook to publish a sort of gazette containing such information as was available from Europe – mostly received through English publications that came from Bengal. Accordingly, "the first newspaper in Filipinas made its appearance on August 8, 1811," the second number appearing three days later; it was published during the rest of 1811 and part of 1812, and must have ceased for lack of material. "On account of the war which España was sustaining against the French invaders, the religious corporations agreed to contribute with their donations toward the expenses of so great an undertaking; the Order of Dominicans gave with that object, in August, 1812, the sum of 36,000 pesos. On March 19 the Constitution of 1812 was promulgated at Cádiz, and orders were issued that allegiance to it should be sworn in all the towns of the monarchy. The deputies signed it on the eighteenth, and among the signatures appears that of Don Ventura de los Reyes." The Constitution was solemnly proclaimed in Manila on April 17, 1813, and the oath of allegiance was taken on the following day. A decree in