Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-10
TRADE WITH PHILIPPINES
Report Made by Consul Williams Of the
Islands Expectations.
Value of Two Products Alone for Tel
Years Amounts to Nearly
$IOO,OOO,OOO.

United States Consul Williams at Manila
has made a report to the State Depart
ment, under date of February %, in regard
to the Philippine Islands, which is of spe-
cial interest at this time.
Local and European authorities" he
says, estimate the area of the Philippine
Islands at 10000 square miles and their
population at S,O0O.OO to 100000. The
Island of Luzon, on which the city of Ma
Mia is situated, is larger than New York
and Massachusetts, and has a population
of 900, 900. and the Island of Mindanao is
nearly, If not quite, large. There are
scores of other islands, large and very pop
ulous. An idea of the extent of the Philip
pines may be formed when ii is stated that
the six New England states, New York,
New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware, have
10 per cent less area. In addition to the
Philippine Islands, the Caroline, Ladrone
and Sooloo groups are considered under
the jurisdiction of this consulate (Manila).
/ have received a petition requesting that
a consular agency be established at zap
in the Caroline group.
In all there are about 1000 islands, in
land and sea area of about 100 miles of
latitude and 2,400 miles of longitude.
Amount of Expectation.
During the quarter ended December II,
1897, there We're exported from these is
lands to the United States and Great Bri-
tain 216,S9S bales of hemp Csc pounds per
bale). of which 13s, 1872 bales went to the
United States and only as JOG bales to
Great Britain. During the year 1897 there
was an increase in the export of HEMP
from the Philippines to continental Eu-
rope of 1874 bales; TO Australia, 219:
bales; to China, % bales: to Japan 2,62s
bales. and to the United States, 1873 $50
bales-a total increase of 15S 4SJ bales
there a G
of 22,34S bales.
Thus. of increased shipments from the
philippines, those to the United States
|. countries combined.
OF the total exports of hemp from the
philippines for the ten years ended 1897
amounting to 6.52S.a65 bales @14,O55 tonsl
forty-one per cent went to the United
States.
During the same years the Philippine
Islands exported to the United States and
to Europe 1,5s214 tons of sugar, of which
s75. $50 tons went to the United States.
ttS,39l tons to Great Britain, and Al ,362
tons to continental Europe; showing that
OF the total exports more than fifty-iiye
per cent went to the United States
AT the current values in New York OF
hemp a cents per pound and of raw
sugar t3$ cents per pound), the exports of
these two products alone from these
Islands to the United States, during the
ten years under review, amounted to $50
~
926.3I2 per year.
Estimated Values.
Data as to cigars, tobacco, copra, woods
hides. shells indigo, coffee, etc, are not
now obtainable; but conservative esti-
mate would SO raise the above figures as
to show United States imports from these
islands to average about s1,U0,OOO per
month. Today. l have authenticated in
voices for export to the United States
amounting to $13S.Ot1i.12
Later l will write of the Philippine tariff,
import and export, being now engaged in
translating it into English. The export
duties and charges here on the hemp
and sugar exported to the United States,
during the ten years ended with 1897
amounted to 50 112,994.S1
1T Is, from the above very apparent that
the trend of trade is toward the United
States. and my best endeavors will be ex-
erted toward its further extension.
There are here twenty-five consulates
representing the several countries, but the
volume of the export trade coming under
my official supervision equals that of my
twenty-one colleagues combined