The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-05-13
The Philippine Islands.

The Philippine islands have been a
Spanish province since 1921 when
they were discovered by Magellan, who
died there the same year. The popu-
lation is estimated at 100000 and
the total area ia, 1926 square miles.
The islands are of volcanic origin,
with mountains as high as 1000 feet
and many active volcanoes, one Of
which destroyed Mania in 1868. Aside
from tarantulas and kindred insect
pests, there are monkeys, wild boars,
deer, squirrels, ducks, pheasants, par
rots, snakes and Lizards. The States
maHs Year Book for 1897 gives the
following data
The Philippine islands extend al
most due north and south from For
mOsa to Borneo and the Moluccas,
embracing in extent of sixteen degrees
of latitude and nine of longitude.
There are over 100 in number; the
two largest are Luzon (area 4O,O24
English square miles) and Mindanao.
The capital of the Philippines, Manila,
has 154,062 inhabitants QS97); other
towns are Laoag, 5O,642; Lipa, 3,408;
Banang, 35,595; Matangas, 35,587.
Tne'e is small resident Spanish pop
ulation, but large number of Chinese
rhe native inhabitants are mostly of
the Malayan race, hut there are some
tribes OF Negrltos. The government
Is administered by a governOr-general
md captain general, and the forty
'hree provinces are ruled by governors,
alcaldes, or commandants, according
10 their importance and position.
The estimat'd revenues of the Phil
ippine Islands in 1S94-95 was e2715,-
$50 and expenditure 1856, ,O26. There
is an export duty on tobacco, and al
most every article of foreign produce
ion is heavily taxed on being import
ed. On muslins and petroleum the
duty is about 100 per cent of the cost.
The chief products are hemp, sugar,
coffee, copra, tobacco leaf, cigars,
indigo. Gold mining is being carried
on in Luxon with favorable prospects,
md coal mining in Cebu, where, when
arrangements for carriage are complet-
ed, the output is expected to be about
1900 tons month.
In 1893 the total imports were val
ued at $2S 1886. 900 and exports at $685.
100000. In 1895 the chief exports
we're Hemp 1892 bales Zone bale
Weighs 250 pounds(, valued at 91,665
700; sugar, 230,093 tons, valued at
e1,205, 900; cobra, 6I ,43S piculs, val
ued at e283, 600; tobacco leaf, 2O7,371
INITIALS; cigars, 164, 100000; coffee,
194 tons. Owing to disease the pro-
iuction of coffee is falling off. The
chief imports are rioe, flour, wines,
ress goods, petroleum, coal. In 1895
LIT ,62O piculs of rice were imported
rom Hong Kong, Saigon and Singa-
pore 81 ,39l tons of coal from Australia
md Japan; 357 ,53S cases of petroleum.
On an average about 81 per cent OF
he import value in from the United
Kingdom, 81 per cent from Spain and
% per cent from. Singapore and Brit
81 India. Imports into Spain from
ne Philippine Islands in 1894, II, 1884,
38 pesetas (the value of the peseta is
93 cents); exports to Philippine Is
ands, 28,584, l22 pesetas. In 1895,
O4 vessels of 425,024 tons cleared
nm the ports of Manila, Iloilo and
| emu. There are 72O miles Of tele-
raph in the islands and seventy miles
If railway.
The coin in use is the Mexican dollar
With locally coined fractional money.
The import of foreign money is illegal,
mt that of Mexican dollars is permit
tetl.aWfatcum Blade;