Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-05-12
Mexico Audrain County Missouri Thursday May 12 1898
OUR NEW WPOSSESSION
Consul-General Williams Report
on the Philippine Islands.


on the Philippine Islands.
THEIR RESOURCES AND EXPORTS.
Area of the Islands and Population of the
Country and OF nrantla-The United
States Already Eaioys q Practical
Monopoly Of the Trade.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-The under.
standing at the state department is
that Consul Oscar Il. Williams, our rep
resentative at Manila until the recent
war began, is noA aboard the flagship
Olympia in Manila sharbor, having ac-
companied Dewey from Hong Kong, so
that advices may come from him to the
state department as well as from Com
modore Dewey to the navy department.
A mail report from Consul Williams
reached the state department recently
under date of Manila, February 2S
last. 1t gives a full description of the
Philippine islands, their resources,
growth of American trade, ETC., and
will be incorporated in the next vol
ume issued by the bureau of statistics
of the state department.
Mr.. Williams report says:
Local and European authorities esti-
mate the area of the Philippine islands
at $50, 600 square miles and their popu-
lation at 15,oo0,ooo The island of Lu-
zon, on which the city of Manila Is
situated, is larger than New York and
Massachusetts and has population of
5000, 900, and the island Of Mindo is
nearly, If not quiet, as large. There
are scores of other islands.
IAN idea of the extent Of the popula-
ton of the Philippines may be formed
when it is stated that the six New En-
gland states and New York, New Jer-
sey, Maryland and Delaware have ten
per cent. less area and population"
Mr.. Williams states that 90 consul
ates, representing the leading COM
mercial countries of the world, are es-
tablished at Manila He adds the sur
prising statement:
"The volume of the export trade
coming under my official supervision
equals that of my 81 consular col
leagues combined"
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 at
a remarkable rate. As indicating the
extent of this trade, he says:
To-day, I have authenticated in
voices for export to the United States
amounting to Si3s,o66."
He says the exports to this country
average 81, 900, 900 a month. The re-
port states that 216, 900 bales of hemp
were exported during the last three
months. OF these 3s,792 went to the
United States and rs, 600 to Great Brit.
ain and other countries.
Mr.. Williams shows from this that
the United States has 81 per cent. of
the export trade from the Philippines,
as against SO per cent. for Great Brit
ain and other countries. He says
that last year the increase OF ship.
ments to the United States was 1873, ,0OG
bales, and the decrease to Great Brit
ain 22, 600 bales. He adds:
s'Of the increased shipments from,
the Philippines those to the United
States were 81 per cent. greater thar
to all other countries combined"
He also gives details of the large
shipments of sugar, cigars, tobacco
and woods, hides, shells, indigo and
coffee. In the item of sugar, which is
second in Importance, the shipments tc
the United States were IS per cent. OF
the total to all points.
In previous report, dated February
10, Mr.. Williams stated that Manila
had Just passed through a most
devastating fire, the total loss being
So, 100000. He said the city would have
been totally destroyed had it not been
for the splendid service 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 main
railroad from Manila Is first class, hav-
ing steel rails, stone culverts and En-
glish engines, which make As miles an
hour.
There are four steamship lines to
Hong Kong and a monthly line from
Manila to Liverpool.
Besides these direct reports from the
United States consul, the state depart.
ment also has gazetteer, published al
Hong Kong, which gives full account
of the conditions in the Philippines,
1t shows by the last census the popula,
ton Of Manila was 16o, 900 natives, 61,'
600 Chinese, 41,6OO Spaniards and 25e
Europeans other than Spaniards. The
town is made up of low buildings, al
the people are in constant dread oi
earthquakes. One of these convulsicns
killed 300 people, and the last one, il
1880, wrecked most of the town.
The city proper is within walls
where the government buildings are
located. The residence and business
portions are in the suburb. The
Escotta Is the main business street and
Is lined with European stores and
bazars. The Rosario is lined with
Chinese shops.
There are six daily papers, thret
banks, mint, chamber of commerce
and complete electric light and tete'
phone plants.