The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-01

on the wrong side Of certain islands whose
ownership has been definitely decided by
treaty; Ind some other American maps OF
the past few months do not indicate the
boundary in any way, though it has been
fixed for years
The wcsternmost OF these three isthmuses
Is plainest to the KEW, because more than
half the distance between the Philippines
and Borneo Is here bridged by the long,
narrow island Of Palawan, where Spain
maintained military stations at Taitai near
the north end, and at Puerta Princesa on
the southeast coast The next important
island south OF Palawan is Balabac the
treaty between Great Britain, Spain and
the Netherlands, signed on March 7, 1885.
stipulated that Balabac and the few in
significant islets ringing its south coast
should be the limit OF the Spanish territory
in that direction. The treaty provided that
the more southern islands, Balanbangan,
Banguey and Maawali, together with all
islands lying within three geographical
miles OF the coast Of Borneo. were part OF
British Borneo All the most authoritative
maps since produced, including that OF
| Dr. POsEwlTz, whose work on Borneo Is
the standard, have represented the above
| named three islands as British in accord
| ance with the terms OF that treaty. In
some maps appearing in our country. how
| ever within the past two months, they are
! colored as Il part of the former Spanish
| domain Where boundaries have not been
| delimitcd or are in dispute, it is to be ex-
| pcctcd of course, that the Governments
and peoples interested will stoutly main
| tain their respective claims until basis OF
settlement has been reached. But cartog-
raphcrs who fail to recognize political
| boundaries already fixed and ratified by the
agreement of all the nations concerned
simply show their inadequacy to deal with
| the matters they presume to handle.
| At the second isthmus or chain OF islands
| impinging upon the coast waters OF the
| Philippines and of North Borneo, the divid-
| ing line between them Is also definitely
fixed. Spain proclaimed the annexation
OF the Sulus in 1879, but she did not raise
her flag or effectively take poss ession OF
tho Tawi-taw Islands and Lapac SLASH
and Sibutu islands, the southern Sulus,
until Jan. 10, 1892 SPANS treaty
with the Sultan OF Sulu by which he recog-
nzed the sovereignty Of Spain over the
whole archipelago was signed on Aug. 10.
| 1907, AZ un IHt oulJdu VI Dulu
| had claims to n part OF the mainland OF
North Borneo, but the British bought them
up, and SO Spain was precluded from having
possession OF slice OF the third largest
island of the world.
The most eastern island chain partly
| bridges the stretch OF waters between the
Philippines and Celebes. Many years ago
the Dutch flag was flying over every
island in them Of the slightest Importance.
| The half Of these waters nearest to the
Philippines has no islands that can be
shown on an ordinary atlas sheet by any
emblem larger than dot Nobody has
/ ever thought 1t worth while to claim them
for any purpose, and here is virgin field
for any ingenious Yankees who can turn
these ,Ininhabited islets to good account.
They will be hailed by Europe as original
| discoveries.
The estimated population OF the Philip
pines. about 5000, 900, is the best that can
| be given. 1t has been derived in the follow
ing manner. For purposes OF taxation
Spain took a census in 1887. There were
large inland areas over which the Govern
ment had no control and where no attempt
at enumeration was made. Neither was
plan even in Manila. Such as it was,
however the enumerators figured out
total counted population OF 5,9s5, 1923
souls. Die BerUlkerung der Erde in 1891
| estimated the uncounted population at
100000 persons, and gave 1000, 900
in round numbers as the best approxima-
tion It could reach OF the total population
The estimate OF this standard publication
was generally accepted In statistical works
The estimated population five years earlier
was q, 200, 900, and from facts observed for
years OF the undoubted increase in tho
number OF inhabitants there Is reason to
believe that the present population may
be not far from 100000.
Some erroneous ideas have been conveyed
by recent attempts to show the distribution
OF the inhabitants. or, in other words, the
density OF population in the various groups
of islands. One writer, for example, ac-
credits Luzon with s, 100000 Inhabitants
This is evidently too large an estimate.
The uncounted natives in 1887, It is be-
lieved amounted to not more than $50, 900,
which, added to the Spanish census re-
turns, give in round numbers for Luzon
and the islands near 1t a total Of 5000, 900
at that time. The LuZon group can
scarcely have over 4 600 900 population to-
day, and the group Is not nearly so densely
peopled as the smaller group OF the Visayas
Islands. Some time ago the Gotha geo.
graphical establishment used the census re-
turns and estimates Of 1887 and its own
determination OF the area OF the islands to
ascertain approximately the density OF
population per square kiometre in the
~
we have reduced to density per square
mile, indicate that the Visayas group,
in which are Iloilo and Ccbu, the most
important ports after Manila, are the most
thickly settled islands, with density
of ia to the square mile. Then come
Luzon and it's dependencies, with density