The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
soUROEs or WEALTH OF WHICH
LITTLE MAS BEEN KNOWN.

-
EnIsps,vs Gold Deposits Nsav the sss-coppsr
ASounsS Hnd EHoslIsnt Ignite In RnormOus
manifestation or the Climate-ChaF-
aotsristIos or the SInIIsss or naIE-CIv-
tiised Nauvss-MaaiIA Hemp. Tobnees
Oulturs. SUGAR BIskinE and CsRss RaipipE.
Mr.. Frank Karuth Of the Royal GsoRraphl.
cal Society wrote a pamphlet in 1894 on tho
Philippines. He recently sent the pamphlet to
Ambassador Hay, and II was printed on Friday
last in the advance sheets Of tho Consular Re
porte, He sent q note to Col. Hay with his
pamphlet, in which he said Of the prospects Of
gold production:
'tThese notes w~era-writtsn In 1904. Since
then the exploratory work under my direction
has:besa carried on as vigorously as ciroum-
stances permitted. At all events, extensive
auriiorous orc deposits have been opened up In
the eastern part Of LuEon quite near tho sea.
assuring q large output for many years TO come.
The continuation OF the auriferous formation
has been proved over q wide district.
THE complete absence OF practicable roads
throughout that district, and, indeed, through
cut the islands, must at first oonhne mining
operations requiring heavy plants TO points nonr
hArbors or navigable rivers. But such points,
] venture to say, are numerous enough to give
rise to prosperous industry. ! know Of no
OInCT phIL VI lilo NOliut lHO SAAHpAe
mines excepted. where pay ore 10 found within
fow hundred yards Of the anchorage Of sea
going vessels. SO far the fringe only of the
auriferouB formation has been touched. There
70 no brook that finds iS way into the Pacific
Ocean whose sand and gravel do not at least
pan the color OF gold. Heavy nuggets are some
times brought down from the sierTss, where,
believe, there arc promising fields for ny
draulic mining. Alluvial gold is also got in
the island Of MindRnRo, especially in the.dis'
trlcts of Surigao and MiSimis, on its northern
coast. Extensive deposits Of copper ore OCCUR
I'm LuEon, which will probably prove remunsr.
alive whom means of transport have been de-
ViBcd.
"Gaena, both auriferous and argentiferous,
IL found In veins In LuEon and Cebu, sometimes
accompanied by sino blends.
II do not know Of the occurrence Of true coal
In the islands. Tho bods which have been
worked in the islands Of Cebu and MSsbate
consist of Ignite of very good quality.
Here are extracts from the pamphlet;
''Tho number OF islands which form the Phil
lppino Archipelago will astonish many readers.
1t IL said TO approach 1000. There are two
among them larger than I~reland-namely. Luz
Bon, with $4,000. and Mindanao, with 1900
square miles, and there are other islands with
b,50O,5 900, $500 1000, $780, and s. 200 square
miles. " = " The character of the fauna and
Aoralof the Philippine Islands is. to ~a.certsin OF.
tent, Of the MslaneSian or Australian typo. and
differs widely from that of tho Malaysn Archi-
pOlago, from which 1t Is separated by q narrow
but very deep strip Of sea. Tho Philippines
rejoice In that distinctly Australian bird tho
0ockRtoo ~ an indigenous member of their
avifAuna. and in the entire absence Of the tiger
or any other representative of the large Ftlide.
There are reasons for the hypothesis that the
Philippine Islands are'peaks, mountain ridges,
and table lands Of q submerged continent
which In . very early geological period ex-
tended to Australia,
almost everywhere in the islands are the
results Of volcanic forces in evidence, although
the number Of active volcanoes is small. The
Volcanoos. active and extinct, are grouped In
two lines. running approximately east and west.
1 EarthquakeS'are not infroQuont, and the build
,rlnga arc designed to resist them. The moro
seismic disturbances appear to DO con-
1ned to certain centres, among which the neigh
borhood Of Manila the capital. of the islands.
situate In Luzon, seems to be prominent. The
geography Of tho group 10 very complicated. In
o general sense, tho direction of the chains of
mountainS 10 north and south, with occaSional
dohectionB to east and west. The highest
mountain in the group Is Apo. in Mindanao.
with over 1000 feet. while Halcon. in Mindoro.
reaches nearly 5000, feet, and Majon. in Lu-
Eon, exceeds 5000 feet.
= The seasons are divided into hot and cool, or
wet and dry, and vary according to the aspect
Of the country. Regions exposed to the south
west monsoon have their wet season, while on
the other side Of the mountains people enjoy
the dry season. The rainfall Is not excessive for
the tropics. nor Is 1t continuous. for occasional
breaks lessen the discomforts of the wet sea-
Bon, The climate 10 very healthy for tho tropics
and diseRses-e. O., yellow fever-aro unknown.
The bulk of the natives are OF a race akin to
the Malays. though pure Malays are only set
tied on the south coast of Mindanao and the
neighboring islands, where at times they give
n little trouble to the authorities. In tho in.
terror Of Luzon and some of the other islands
the remnants of q race of natives Of undoubted-
ly Papuan origin are found. still as untRmed as
the Spaniards found them over 800 years ago.
They, like their Australian kinsmen, fly from
civilization and succumb when forced into on
tact with 1t,
Mr.. PalgrAve speaks in glowing terms OF the
fertility and beauty of the islands and of their In
habitRnts. He says: The ~chiefeSt, tho almost
exceptional spell of the Philippines Is situate, not
in lake or volcano. forest or plain. but In the
races that form the bulk of the island popula.
tion. / said almost exceptional because
rarely 10 an intra-tropicai people a satisfactory
ono to eye or mind, But this cannot be said OF
the Philippine Malays, who In bodily forma'
ton and mental characteristics alike may fair
ly claim a place among almost tho higher nameI
inscribed on the worlds national scale. A con,
oentrated, never.absent self-respect, an habit
ual self-restraint In word and deed. very rarely
broken except when. extreme provocRtlon in
duceS the transitory but fatal frenzy known a:
'amok.'' and an inbred courtesy, equally din used
through all classes high or low, unfailing de
eorum, prudence, caution, quiet, cheerfulness
ready hospitality, and a correct. though not in
Ventive taste. lis family 10 a pleasing sight
much sub9rdination and lutte constraint, lib
pRTentA, women subject out not oppressed, meT
ruling but not ~despotic, reverence with kind
moss, obedience In affection these form a loyRblt
picture. not by any means rare in the village:
Of the eastern isles, mo villagers houses
some large. some small. wood or bamboo, two
Storied or one. more huts or spacious dwellings,
according TO the fortunes or the inmates. are
dotted here and thOre in an unsymmetrical
row among tho trees; but all have u comfort
able, 4 cozy look, suggestive of sutficieney
many of them white painted with stripes OF greer
Orsbius, rarely red, and occasionally a flower pat
tern or ~tanclful scroll work to enliven then
more. Eight million natives. more or less, in
habit the Philippines, ana yetsscarcity:is OF rar,
occurrence, famine unknown. . : > or al
tHnRinal lunda nil trnHtrnl na... tknt a.. L..