The sun., 1901-10-21
THE BATANEs AND BABUYANEs.
Two Groups Of the Most Northern Islands
OF the Philippine Archipelago.

WARRINGTON, Oct. 20.-From material
compilcsi in the Division of Insular Affairs
Of tho War Department the following ab-
stract has been prepared concerning two
groups Of islands In the channel ofcofn-
merce which connects tho waters Of the
Pacific and China seas. and occupying tho
position Of outposts on the northern limit
Of the United States possessions In tho
far East The Batanes. the northern of
tho two, hc $50 nautical or i73 statute miles
On Cape Engsno. the promontory which
terminates the northeastern coast a. Luzon
The BabuyAnes, the southern. lie abou.
midway between these two points. The
nearest foreign soil ~ Formosa. or the
Islhnd ~ Taiwsn, In lsS5 c.s!ed tp Japan
~ one OF the results Of the war with China
The physical characteristics Of both
groups Indicate not only volcanic origin,
but activity Of a comparatively rec,snt
date At the entrance Ia the port Of San
Pho Quinto a boiling spring shows cvidcnc"
of subtcrranean force. Among the Didicas
rocks, upon which tho cruiser Charleston
became q wreck. IL an ao'ivc volcano. and
on tho larger Islands are volcanic summits
2..so 20 s.so0 feet high. Ia the midst of
ihs-e elevations aro valleys Of great fer
tility, with sloping plains covered with
Mziirinnt vegetation. The climate of all
the Islands Is salubrious, the m-an tempcra
The AREA of the two groups. comprising
thlrty-eight islands. u 20 square miles.
with an aggregate population Of los5s
The history Of the inhabitants /. wrapped
IN mystery. Thsir relations lingiis'ically
would indicate . long Isolation The littls
from tho settlements Of the pirstioal Chinese
chicftaln-, who were ths sCourge of the
Islands on the Asiatic coast when the first
Europeans arrived. and continued 20 be ~
until very reCcnt years.
Santo Domingo do Blsco In Batan and
Fuga in the Ba6uyaD-- arr the chief har-
bof-. The inhabitants, owing 20 tho strong
currents and the tennprstuous ocoan which
surround them, Ia We hut little communica-
t!on with the mainland. There IL no civil
government, Spain never having formally
established authority on tho island. On
Jen. TO- 1900. the gunboat Princeton took
formal Possession at San Domingo de
Basco, the capital Since that time this
port has been one Of the cruising stations
Tor the Cnit..i Staj-s Navy.
On tho lars ssr islands. yains. sweet po-
tatot-, corn, onions. garlic, rice, sugar
cane. potatoes, wheat and vegetables are
grown SUCCESSFULLY fine variety Of
sandstone i- The only mineral known Ow-
ing 20 the heavy winds Of tho SEA. tho islands
arv but sTnrrsly timberei Among the
frui,s. pin-sppl"- and grapes ara specially
known Tor their eIcell.nt quality.
The chief industry Ia the raising of cattle,
hogs. goats and horse- The latter on ac-
count OF their .1e and merits, are Ia great
demand throughout the Archipelago The
manufacture ~ lari and cocoanut oil IL
also important from the sugar cans Is
distilled large quantities 81 drink known
locally as palcc
The exp-rience of The wrecked crow %
tho Charleston during th-lr camp At San
Po Quinto, on the island OF Candgiin ~
tho Rabuyaue- group. dcmonst rated the
friendly spirit ~ tho natives. In return for
which a large number of tools and other
articles were turned over 10 them.