The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-29
BRITISH VIEW.
Conditions and Future Prospects in
the Philippine Islands.

~
in the Philippine islands, as seen through
British eyes. are pictured in a report OF
the British consul at Manila, which has
Just reached the treasury bureau of sta
tistics. 1t says;
1.-THE gigantic nature of the task be-
fore the United States authorities In these
islands is probably not understood IN the
United Kingdom The group has an area
of 114,OO0 square miles (about 1our-nItns
OF that of thes United Kingdonn). The is
lands are very scattered, the extreme
north and south being about 1900 miles
apart. They are about 600 in number
though only II are Of any size or impor-
ta ...cs ,,,..,o. = a,,o,s,, sst,,n..ea
at from s 900. 900 to 10000. 600
ITO reduce this huge tract of land and
water to subsection the Americans have
and a small naval force. The snallness
Of the latter and the lack of light draught
coasts Of the islands. and the natives on
being driven from one are able TO ecape
to another and recommence operations.
The natives are, In great measure, badly
armed and unskilled in the use, Of fire.
themselves to attacks on the. lines, Of
communication. At the same time they
have a system of secret agents all over the
archipelago who manage in various ways
Mia itself as recent arrests have shown,
being their best hunting. ground.
much in favor of the guerrilla. warfare
carried on by the natives Steep volcanic
WITH a deficiency Of roads. an tend to
make the movement Of troops and sup
plies difficult. The climate, too, especial
~ in the rainy season. Is trying. In
spite of the above difficulties the United
Posts have been established all over the
islands, from which the troops make con-
bic force OF natives coming together in
their neighborhood, with the result Of
tai Of Killed ana wounded on on the native
side at small cost to the American forces.
Owing, however. to the fact that the
digging up his weapons become the true
encouraged rSa The deportation Of leading
rebels to Guam. one of the I.adrone is
lands, and especially Of the Manila con-
tingent who, although not actually in
arms. were directing and financing opera
tons, has had very salutary erect, IS
pecially as deportation was coupled with
confiscatton OF property
propagate pro-American opinions among
the natives in which the native judges
part. Native provincial governments are
in course of organization in the more
pacifed districts. Whether they Will be
a success or not is predetermined Ameri-
can schools are being established all over
Brought ', oTe1; from the United states
Prices continue high. especially rent
Influx of American officials and their
families still continues. The result of
this is that the most ordinary style Of
and rents have been in many cases quad
erage rent OF a small house in the sub
urbs. suitable for four or five persons, Is
now about 920 (s90 per mensem.
There are no openings for Europeans
here except with capital, the number OF
destitute and unemployed Europeans and
Americans being constantly on the in
crease. There is no difIiculty IN fllilng
up posIs OF any s9Tu lf9 S ber in
large numbers, many of them being men
British interests in the Philippines are
much larger than currently supposed at
home. There are about 20 British, firms
two two out of the three banking establish
nlents in the city are branches of well
the largest Import and export frms. but
dOring and many other industries are also
represented The larger firms. have
t as " The oniSt rilvvav IN the Phipnihes
of the rice producing district Of the is
lang Is ,, fne ProDeI1aa OF ISns ifb 4or-
BTitish CAPITAL and energy Taking into
account the numerous insurance shipping
and other firms for which local firms are
agents. it viii be evident that British in
terests in the Philippines run into mil
1.-THE scattered nature of the islands ne
cesSitateS the employment of a large heet
of coasting steamers and sailing vessels
varying in size from 800 tons downwards-
and seldom meet with accidents. Six
British steamers are at present running
Kong, occasionally calling at Annoy,
whence most of the Chinese settled in
with Australia IS kept up by japanese
mail line and two small British lines
company's steamers call every three
weeks on the way from Calcutta to ia
ish mail and one or two small German
steamers are the Only vessels running d.
7,s,4-rr md -fr4r- 10
Spanish TRANSATLANTIC company sail
monthly between Manila and Liverpool
via Spain and are the only regular line
carrying goods to England without trans
shipment. American transports run at IN
co, and occasionally New York. but no
regular line has yet been started under
States and the the Philippines. a large mum
Der Of golfers are employed bringing coal
South Wales < few Of the vessels from
Newcastle are sailing ships but the ma
this port are steamers. A considerable
trade is also carried on in rice with Sal
'syrrade in the. year 1900 has been at a
comparative standstill. In the early part
patton Of a speedy pacification and sub
sequent boom IN trade, large imports
lands The country still continues dis
turbed, rendering retail trade impossible,
large stocks on hand. Exports are suf-
fering from the continuance OF Warlflke
life in the many sugar producing districts
owners of properties have not in many
instances been able to visit their estates
and. therefore, plant crops. the conse-
Quence being that in this and the Visayas
districts the arricaas Of sugar are trififng
compared with those Of past years,
a casual giance at the receipts OF
hemp for 1900 would give the impression
that the production had enormously in
creased. the total receipts for the year
being 1900 bales (117, 500 tons). 1t must
be remembered. however, that the re-
ceipts for 1893 were only 49,. 76g bales (61,-
595 tons). a large amount of the hemp
cfea ned during 1899 having to be stored IN /
1..-c..-lral.as.