The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-13
PHILIPPINE TRADE.
Interesting Report from the EN-
United Stntcs C0msMI ut Mnniln.

nj MNntiu.
Washington May 12--Consul Oscar F.
Williams, at Manila, furnishes the state
department with the following report on
the extent and trade Of the Philippine
islands, which promise to play so import
ant part in che history of the American
Spanish war. The report which bears date
of February 2s Is In part as follows:
Local and European authorities estimate
the area Of the Philippine Islands at 100000
square miles, and their population at
S, 900 900 to 10 000,0 900. The Island OF Luzon.
In which the city OF Manila is situated. Is
larger than New York and Massachusetts,
and has a population of 100000, and the
ISLAND of Mindanao is nearly, il not quite,
as large An idea o; the extent of this Phi.-
ippnes 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 10
the Philippine Islands, the Caroline, La
| drone and Sooloo groups are considered I'M
der the jurisdiction OF this consulate MIA
nila) l have received n petition requesting
that consular agency be established at
zap, in the Caroline group.
! In all, there are about 1000 islands in
land and sea area of about 1900 miles OF
latitude and 2i00 miles OF longitude
| ENpOTtS--luTlnc inc quarter tuueu Dc
| cembor 81. 1897 there were exported from
these Islands to The United States and Great
Britain 2i6.S9S bales of hemp (2S0 pounds
per bale), OF which 13S, T92 bales went 10
the United States and only 7S,l16 bales
to Great Britain. During the year 1877
there was an increase In the export OF
hemp from the Philippines to continental
Europe of 1874 bales; TO Australia 2l92
bales; to China, 2S bales; to Japan 262S
bales; and TO tho United States 1873, So6
bales--a total increase OF l5S,iS5 bales,
while to Great Britain there was a de-
crease OF 22,34S bales
Thus, OF increased shipments from the
Philippines, those TO the United States
were 5ii per cent greater than to all other
countries combined.
OF the total exports Of hemp from the
Philippines for the ten years ended 1897
I amounting to 6.52S,965 bales (9l4. O65 tons)
II per cent went to the united States
During the same years the Philip ~,
Islands exported to the United States and
to Europe i,5S2.9oi tons OF sugar. of which
sIS'l6o tons went to the United States
eee,Ssl tons to Great Britain and Abs:
tons TO continental Europe; showing ;ha
OF the total exports more than so per CEN
, went to the United States.
Al the current values In New York a
! hemp Il cents per pound) and OF raw suga
q S-S cents per pound) the exports o
| lhese TWO products alone from these islands
TO the United States. during the ten year
> under review amounted to $50, s6S. 100. o.
an average OF nearly sS926.372 per year.
Data as TO cigars, tobacco copra. woods
hides, shells, indigo. coffee, etc. are no
now obtainahle; but a conservative esti
u mate would so raise the above figures a
to show United States imports from thes
Islands TO average about 81 900 0oo ne
month. Today have authenticated In
0 voices for export to United States amount
| Ing to siss, 066 IL.
\ Later Will write Of the Philippine tariff
5 import and export, being now engaged 1,
. translating II into English. The expor
$ duties and charges here on the hemp mn,
{ sugar exported to the United States durin,
9 the ten years ended with 1897 amounted r
> sS.i72 9ai. 81,
! II Is, from the above, very apparent tina
the trend Of trade Is toward the Unite,
states, and my best endoavors will he ex
erted toward It's further extension.
There are here twenty-five consulate
representing the several countries, but tn
/ volume Of the export trade coming unde
/ my official supervision equals that OF m,
twenty-one colleagues combined