New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-20
TRADE OF THE PHILIPPINES.
COMMISSION SENT FROM PHILADELPHIA
TO INVESTIGATE 1T
INFORMATION TO BE Collected AND coMMuNI

INFORMATION To BE COLLECTED AND coMMUNI-
CATION OPENED WITH BUSINESS HOUSES.
The Philadelphia Commercial Museum has or
gained trade commission to the Philippines, the
head of which is his way to Manila from
San Francisco. The object Of this commission VIII
be to secure Information of benefit to American
business men in extending their trade 10 this group
OF islands. The commission will spend several
months I'm the Philippines visiting all the Islands
Of any importance. and will collect general ana de-
tailed information about the commerce OF the ISL
ands their natural resources and the native in
dustries Opportunities for building mp new lines OF
trade with the United States will he carefully In
vestlgatcd and communication arranged between
business houses in the Philippines which are favor
able 10 the United States and the Commercial MI
scum. The commission will also collect samples OF
products Of the Philippine Islands and Of the goods
finding ready sale there. which manufactured
I'm foreign countries other than the United States.
The head Of the commission Is an American who
has had the advantage Of eight years residence IN
the Philippines. whore he was In close connection
with American business houses He had during
his stay in the islands every opportunity 10 famii-
iari2e himself with the tastes and wants Of the
natives and the methods Of business pursued by the
merchants.
Tho islands. with their population of 100000
people present a number Of attractive opportunities
for the sale Of American manufactured products.
The commerce OF the Philippines has been calculated
AT $lOruocD imports and s20.oocn exports for 1896
80 although the average value OF the trade is prop
ably greater the islands having suffered for the
last few years on account of political conditions
Nearly onc-third ~ the exports go TO Great BIT tain
and over one-fourth Of the imports come rom that
country The trade Of Spain with the Philippines
has been about the same for imports and exports.
each class amounting to nearly s5.coso in value.
The United states is third In the order o. I'M
In tbp Inn %
products OF the Philippines into the United States
were alued at nearly sl.5o1GO. nearly 10000 OF
which consisted Of Mania hemp and cane sugar
The EXPORTS from the United States for the same
year were valued less than $4,000 and consisted
chiefly OF petroleum II should be- noted. however,
TINT American trade ls really much larger, "sp"-
c!ay I'm the item OF exports to the Islands. than IS
Indicated by those figures Large quantities Of
provisions are sent 10 Hong Kong or other ports
FOR transshipment. and credited to those ports
instead of Manila
The two thousand or more islands in the arch-
nclaco have an aggregate area Of over ono hun
dred thousand square miles. The island Of Luzon
on which Manila is situated and which Is likely
10 become q part OF the United States. is larger
than New-York and Massachusetts and Mindanao
II is OF interest 10 note that the city OF Manila
which has three hundred thousand Inhabitants
7HH'l'l on r'n' ~ =" IN ,,p'ti.r ,,.t.a -
FIRE engine which had been imported rom m"
United states the entr" city would have been de-
stroy.d
There is only one railway In the Islands from
Manila Dagupin. distance or 1913 miles. II Is a
single track and well built and English enFines are
used tp 20 the dat" az the last available report
O'F5 the road paid NOR" than !" per c.nt year %
-haroholder~ The greatest number o' passene. -e
carried $4,000 vas IN iNi and merchar1i
amounting 10 2i0D tons was transported during
tho last -
There are valuable resources IN the Philippines or
gold galona copper. iron. mercury ana coal Ihtile
.Nplar4flon or systematic mining has been at-
tempted and thor" g. believed TO be- splendid field
for development ~ TN" mineral deposits ~ tho
islands
Hemp is tho most important agricultural product
~ thc archipelago. and ~" production OF sugar Is
graiu,fi, deve'oping Tobacco would he an i'm
por'ant source 90 profit with proper management
The wealth % timber IN ~" philippines Is meal
culahle