The times., 1898-07-25

QufTtE1clltS VI the iiiihCto, aio ~ 10 easy
to foresee that rope-making on an ex-
tensive scale will become one of the feat
ures of Philippine manufacturing. The
exports of hemp for 1896 We're over l0i.O)0
tons. of which 50.9i0 tons were shipped to
England 47.222 tons TO the United States
and Canada, 2.9S1 tons to China, 2.l11 tons
to Australia, 1503 tons to Japan. and 800
tons to Europe. The production has dou-
bled within the last ten years.
Nowhere else does the cocoa-paim at
tain such perfection as in these islands.
To the natives 1t affords both material for
their huts and sustenance for their bodies
and clothing From the nuts are extract
ed a material article of export, namely.
copra. which is the dried kernel or the
nut. Forty-eight thousand tons OF u
were sold in foreign markets during 1876,
of which the European countries took
"a. .632 tons; Great Britain. 3.10o. and China
and Japan, 2s0 tons. IL yields very val
liable oil used in the Philippines among
other purposes for lighting. and in The
foreign countries in the manufacture or
oeomargarine and soap Then there Is
the bamboo, whose uses are many ana
which grows in great quantities, and an
incalculable wealth of forest growth
yielding resins, gums. mastic pastes, aye
products and fine grain ornamental WOODS
and building lumber. Sapanwood TO the
Nalue OF 333,tpu WdS ApOi tSt eA-~
year mentioned, principally to China ond
Japan: gum mastic TO the value of 1890,
and indigo, famous for it's quality, to the
value of $500. Quite a considerable
business is done, too, in ylang-ylang. a
perfume distilled from the flowers or
tree of large growth which Is found ex-
tensivey, and which is reputed as hav-
ing attained popularity in Europe, whither
II is mainly exported.
The products to which most attention
| is given are sugar, tobacco, and rice. and
| on a moderate scale, maize and coffee.
The average annual production Of sugar
| Is about Ia, 900 tons. The amount ex-
ported in 1896 was go 00o ions. AS may
| be expected, the crops do not yield IS
J good sugar or results as they might. III
! the year mentioned China and Japan were
the largest purchasers, with $4,000 tons;
| the United States and Canada taking ST.
I Gl4 tons; Great Britain. 56321 tons. and
| Continental Europe 3,497 tons.
The average annual amount of tobacco
| leaf sent abroad is 10000 tons, and cigars
are exported 10 the amount OF 140OOO.09J.
Owing 10 disease attacking the trees the
production of coffee. which was never
| very extensive. was reduced, the amount
| exported dropping from 1874 tons in 1885 TO
| 50 tons in 1896, the greater portion of 1t
going TO Spain. The amount purchased
| by this country in the fiscal year ending
in 1895 was SO, 332 pounds. Rice is grown
in large quantities. especially in Cebu. for
! local consumption. being the chief food
OF the people. The land is fertile, but
lacks intelligent effort.
| The value of the exports during the year
1896 was $50 175, eco, and the importations
from Europe, America and Australia
! amounted 10 Sl0.63l $50. To this figure
should be added about s3, ,O00 eO0 of imports
from China and Japan. The exports COM
prised SIT. GO Of tobacco, S7,29G 900 of Ma
Mia hemp. 50, $4,000 of tobacco and ci-
gars, s72s,0o0 being for cigars; 81. S22, 500 for
copra. $4,000 of Sapanwood. and coffee
S24. 800. Other items included hides, fibers
| mother of pearl, gum mastic and indigo
While the United States was a purchaser
OF Philippine products to the value ot
&,9s2S57 and Spain took goods valued a.
&,50S, 999, on the other hand the island:
| purchased from US only to the value oi
Sl7i.2S9 while buying from Spain to tbs
extent OF S.67l. 35l. This is explained By
1 the fact that Spain admitted her own pro
ducts free while taxing. often to a pro
hbitiye degree, those of other nations
The islands in short bought from th'
United States what they could not wei
| get anywhere else. The list is a short on
consisting of for the fiscal year 1896, SIS
barrels OF -four: 1.lSo2 260 gallons of oil
| carriages and street cars, s., 1s2; drug
and medicines. 81, 800; cotton goods, g. IA
| goods made OF iron or steel. $40 204: var
nish, N,5O0; and miscellaneous goods t
the value of S24. los. II is proper TO state
however, that these figures do not repre-
sent the value of the whole of American
made goods imported into the Philippine
because considerable quantity original
~ sent to China is transhipped thence I
the islands.
The extent to which American trad,
may expect TO be enlarged when peac,
settles down on the islands. with Old Clio
ry waving protectingly overhead, ma,
be estimated from the figures of the i'm
port trade from Spain for 1896. Thei
| heaviest purchases were of cotton goods
for which they paid s5.O94. .15O. They pai,
$5li.26l for paper of all kinds: SOP. $50 70
leather made goods. 1896 3l5 for goods o
; flax and hemp. S155.339 for wheat flour
$lh.1g for wine, Sl30.957 for goods of irol
and steel. S127.S9l for umbrellas
$50 $50 for sandals (alpargatus). $50. 500 70
) | goods made OF wood. ST4,I54 for candles
$5S.77S for hats SS7.9S2 for vegetables, 81.
! | 63l for drugs and medicines. S39. .664 70
salt meat products, and Sol, ,0S0 for woole
goods.
The population of the islands Is abou
/ S.000. 900. of which about 5000 are Eu
: ! ropeans. There are bout 10000 Chimes
in Manila and the pf ices. The Who'll
, of the retail trade is their hands. an
every year they are gradually acquiring
increased ascendancy. Their numbers in
Il crease by immigration about 1900 or so
] yearly, The mestlzos are numerous an
make good workers when they can b
; | induced 70 work, being patient and quie
Their womenfolk are singularly exper
in weaving hats. cases for cigars, etc
4 mats and such articles from the ffbers c
j. the palm and bamboo, and they ais
q | weave a material from the fiber of tn
o | pineapple which they prefer for clothn
purposes to the imported muslins of Eng
land. They are singularly skillful in imi
tating pattern. but are quite unable t
. conceive design upon their own account
$ The climate of the Philippines vsrie
: little from that of othei tropical coun
S tries. The range of the thermometer dar
0 ing the year is from Go degrees to 9S de
grees. The death rate In the cities is h &
T. due mainly TO the absence of sanitation
n The endemic diseases are swamp fevel
e diarrhea, beri-beri, and spru. The sea
| sons are divided into three periods-th
: first. which is cold and dry, beginning
e November; the second which IS war;
and dry dating from March, and III
: third. which is very wet. lasting froI
June to November. The hottest time
: from April to May, when the heat is mo:
oppressive, and during the middle hour
of the day everybody and everythin
: sinks into a state of lethargy, to awaB
y only after sunset.
Most of the islands of the archipelas
have been badly shaken up by subterr
: mean disturbance at various times. Tt
. natives and older residents seem to Ii
: in continual state of fear whenever Il
:, active volcanoes are less active ths
usual. These are popularity supposed
g be the outlets for the gases generated |
! unquenchable subterranean fires, and
;, long as they are belching forth smol
nd IoN 70 ic ,