The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Facts About the Archipelago, Where
Spain Again Finds Trouble.
From the New York Times.


From the New York Times.
The Philippine Islands-Islas Filipinas.
as they are called in Spansh--form large
archipelago of from 100 to 1,4OO islands in
the southeast of Asia, extending from
degrees 30 minutes to 20 degrees north lat
itude. and from 116 degrees 40 minutes to
126 degrees 30 minutes east longitude, and
the islands cover a land area of 115,528
square miles only 400 of these islands.
however. are inhabited. The population is
estimated at 100000.
On the west and northwest, the archi-
pelago is separated by the China sea from
China and the Indo-Chinese peninsula; to
the east is the Pacific, on the north a num-
Der of small islands stretch toward For
mosa, and to the southwest is Borneo and
the Celebes sea.
The principal islands are Luzon in the
north, Mindanao in the south, and Pata-
wan, Panay, and Mindoro in the middle
of the group. The islands are traversed
by a chain of mountains from north to
south, rising in some of them to nearly
5000 feet.
There is a good deal of mineral wealth
in the archipelago. There are two extern
sive coal fields, one in South Luzon and
another in the western slopes of Cebu and
eastern slopes of Negros, probably ex-
| tending under the straits of Tranon. There
| is plenty of iron ore of excellent purity in
| Luzon and other islands, and there are
| copper mines In the province of Lepanto.
| Gold Is found in many of the Islands, but
| i'm very small quantities.
The climate varies in different islands.
but the characteristics are tropical. and
| three seasons are known--the cold. not
and rainy. The cold or cool season is be-
tween February and March, the hot from
March to June, and then follows the wet,
during which the rainfall Is often very
heavy. Terrific thunder storms often take
place in May and June.
The productions of the islands are man
goes plantains, jack fruit and other Ma
layan fruits, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
gourds, peas and rice which Is the staple
food of the inhabitants and Of which the
natives often do not raise sufficient guam
titles for their own use Other produces
are Manila hemp. coffee and tobacco.
| which Is a government monopoly.
The archipelago Is said to be of volcanic
| origin and several volcanoes still exist.
| Monte Caqua, nearly 1900 feet in hight, on
| the northeast promontory OF Luzon, al
| ways smokes, and there Is a regular vol
cano in Babuyan ClarO. Several craterS
| are situated in a small triangular island
| in Lake Bombon, or Bongbong. Earth
| duakes are frequent. and several very Sc
we're ones have occurred during the press
| ent century.
The islands were discovered by Magel-
| Ian In 1921, and were settled by the Span
iards during the reign Of Philip H., after
! whom they were named.
| Formerly there was a large trade be-
tween these islands and China and Japan,
1 but Spain placed 50 many restrictions IN
/ favor Of its own trade that that was prac-
| tically broken up. The exports from the
| islands now amount to about $l6,0000d0
| annually, and the imports to about $l5,-
| 100000 and consist OF machinery, linens.
coal, iron, earthenware, hardware, WOOL
ems. and apparel.
Manila is the seat Of government and
the residence of the governor general.
| who IL Amounted by the Spanish soyer-
eign. Most of the public revenue is de-
| rived from duties on imports and exports
| tho tobacco monopoly and capitation
| tax.
The governor general is invested with
supreme powers and is assisted by Junta
Of authorities. consisting of the archbish-
OBJ the commander Of the forces, the ad-
| miral and the president of the supreme
court Every Indian has to pay tax OF
Sl.f7. but descendants of the first Chris
| tians Of Cebu and new converts are ex-
| ernnt Chinese are subject to special
taxes and Europeans and Spanish half
castles have to pay poll tax Of $3.50.
The press is under strict civil and &c
cIeslastical control and all discussion OF
Spanish or general European politics IL
/ forbidden
The original inhabitants Of the Philip
mines are supposed TO be the Aetas, or Ne
CRITICS, so-called from the dark complex
| ion, but they are rapidly disappearing
They were driven into the more inacces-
| sible parts by successive invasions OF
Malay tribes, who now form large pro-
portion Of the population.
There are many Chinese, and In Manila
alone they number over 10000. or Euro
peans there are not over 1000. Large
numbers of japanese have immigrated TO
the Philippines, and during the last Chi
nese-Japanese war there was talk OF an
invasion Of the islands by the japanese
after the termination OF the war.