The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-05-05
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
4 REPORTON THEIR L ESOURCES BY
 AMERICAN CONSUL.
Area of the Islands is About 150,OoO Square Miles and Their Population 15,- 0,0OO-Twenty-two Consulates Repre- senting the Leading Commercial Coun- tries of the World Are Established at Manila.

Washington, May 1.-The under standing at the state department is that Consul Oscar F. Williams, our representative of Manila until the re- cent war began, is now aboard the flagship Olympia in Manila harbor, having accompanied Acting Read Ad- miral Dewey from Hong Kong, so that the advices may come from him to the state department as well as from Act ing Rear Admiral Dewey to the navy department. A mail report from Con- sul Williams reached the state depart ment recently dated Manila, February 2S last. It gives full description of the Philippine islands, their resources, growth of American trade, etc., and will be incorporated in the next volume issued by the bureau of statistics of the state department. MT. Williams report says: Local and European au- thorities estimate the area of the Phil ippine islands at 150000 square miles, and their population at 15,0O0,00O. The island of Luzen on which the city of Manila is situated, is larger than New York and Massachusetts and has population of 5,OOOO0O and the island of Mindanao is nearly, if not quite as large There are scores of other is- lands.'
 MT. Williams states that twenty-two consulates, representing the leading commercial countries of the world, are established at Manila. He adds the surprising statement: "The volume of the export trade, coming under my official supervision, equals that of my twenty-one consular colleagues com bined." He then shows in detail how the trade of the Philippines with the United States exceeds that of all other countries combined, and is growing in a remarkable rate. As indicating the extent of this trade, he says:
 To-day I have authenticated in- voices for exports to the United States amounting to $13S,0O0."
 He says the exports to this country average $1,000,000 month. The report states that 216,000 bales of hemp were exported during the last three months. Of these 13S,792 went to the United States and 7S,00O to Great Britain and other countries. He says that last year the increase of shipments to the United States was 133000 bales and the de- crease to Great Britain 22,000 bales. He adds: "Of increased shipments from the Philippines, those to the United States were 54 per cent. greater than to all other countries combined.' He also gives details of the large shipments of sugar, cigars, tobacco woods, hides, shells, indigo and cof- fee. In the item of sugar, which is second in importance, the shipments to the United States were 55 per cent of the total to all points. In a previ- ous report dated February 10 MT. Will Hams stated that Manila had just passed through devastating fire the total loss being $2, 2,5000o0 He said the city would have been totally destroyed had it not been for the splendid ser vice of an American fire engine brought from Seneca Falls, N. Y. In another report Mr. Williams gives the railroad and ocean steamship facilities of the Philippines. The railroads, with few exceptions, are all first class The steamship lines to Honk Kong and a l monthly line from Manila to Liverpool are classed as excellent.