New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-11
PHILIPPINE PEARLS,
A CHANCE TO DIVERT AN IMPORTANT
TRADE TO THE UNITED STATES.

n
is found the Jolo archipelago This is point
where extremes meet. Free Americans find slavery
recognized a part of the social system Inc
missionaries OF the latest Protestant faith find fol-
lowers of the False Prophet making treaties IN the
sacred language of the Koran. and teachers gather
their pupils from the harems of sultans and dattos'
The pearl and shell fisheries of the Jolo waters
little known to the world at large. and only to
a limited degree to commerce. yet upon the author-
ity Of expert testimony they rank in quality OF
product and possibility of development with the
famed and ancient grounds Of Ceylon and the Per-
sian Gulf and the more modern areas of Australia
and Torres Strait
The fishing grounds of the Jolo archipelago are
credited with contributing to-day the greatest
number of the finest round pearls that ma their
way into the channels of commerce The pearls
themselves simply a side issue, or rather'
by-product the pearl oyster shell. the mother-ol-
pearl of commerce. being the principal object or the
fsherman's quest. They weigh from one to eight
pounds pair. some of them being as large as ull
ner plates and almost as round.
They are shipped in large quantities to singapore
and London, and the business. like many other IN
dustres in the Philippines, is to large degree III
the hands of Cinnamon, who pay the natives from
40 to 60 cents pound for the shells, and 1t Is es
mated that only from 4 to per cent OF the sheiis
contain pearls
FOREIGN COMPANIES CONTROL 1T.
Aside from the irregular and crude fishing Of the
natives, there two companies. one Engllsh ana
one Chinese with headquarters at Jolo, which pur-
sue the business in a systematic manner, with
suitable vessels and equip their divers with diving
suits and employ all the modern appliances lot
deep sea explorations. The companies named pay
certain sum to the Sultan OF Jolo for the privilege
of fishing. and that the business is profitable may
be assumed from the fact that the Chartered Bank
of India, Australia and China and the Hong Kong
and Shanghai Banking Corporation have extensive
interests in It.
The conditions essential to the greatest develop
ment Of the mother-of pearl and the pearl bearing
mollusk are a reefy bottom. near mud, and espe-
cially where there is luxurious supply or SUD
marine vegetation, coral cups, and another oeauu-
fu coral growth resembling coach whips four
or five feet in length. Sweeping tides ana an aDuh
dance Of living reefs particularly faVoraoIe 10
the growth OF this beautiful iridescent mohusk
These conditions exist to perfection in the waters
of the Jolo archipelago, where pearl hshinS IS now
carried on TO a limited extent, and also along the
coast of Palawan. well as along the Nihoailao
shores of the Jolo and Celebes seas.
II is estimated that the area suited to the growth
snd nronagation of the pearl oyster covers approx
mately 1900 square miles. area large enough 10
furnish a supply of mother-of-pearl more thah SUI
hcient to meet the present demand OF the ehtiie
world and the imagination only can picture lne
lumber beautv and value of the beautiful pearls
.of unrest raw serene" that await discovery In the
warm waters of those far off Eastern seas.
While most mollusks secrete mother-of-pear
there are few that yield pearls. and the pest pro-
The finding Of the pearl, however, Is as uncertain
as the finding of rich nuggets in placer mlnlhg-
II has been found that in opening over nVe NOV
sand shells a single pearl worth 80 was en-
countered and. again, as many as o9zen ~
been found in single sae; ana Years ago found
she'll devoid of the oyster. but containing SILKY
five pearls.
THE ORIGIN OF THE PEARL.
There have been all sorts Of theories advanced
as 70 the origin of the pearl. One ancient author
receive
drons which are afterward converted into pearls.
and This theory obtained among the natives OF
the New World at the time OF its dsc9 gn E as
drops in connection with sunbeams The p revailtg
idea however. is that the formation Is biSb the
pear is found to rid itself of an irritation caused
ted fbf secretion of the nacreous matter in CON
centric layers until the foreign substance T5s
esbt TO- this theory because they find that shells
Irregular in stqP int sH in gG2wS6 by
S3ring PARASITES are most likely to yield pearls
The value 6Sn Of its fs sze 1G SHAPE Color brightness ana
freedom from defects Perfectly PounG and
e Intensive Pearls are sold by the pearl ain
four grains being equal TO one carat Lne Lornuis
size larger than one grain is to square ITS weight
and mgP Ro t FFaR pear EheFeOr being worth
four times and i've gram pear pear er netns
In the large collection of pearls Of the Sultan OF
Joo have always been many ond fbir wan
SIZE form markets of London and Paris the con-
dion Of the royal 6 the refusal to part with
them at prices even higher than OBTAIN IN
US found among his effects box full Of pearls
of large size and superior quSntiy. Ibea i
the contents of this box disappeared. but portion
of the contents was 5e sultan Buderoodin and
few were sold IN 1882 in order TO defray the
UrInher az fine pearls have found their way into
the possession Of the reignng sultan VINO mas Dee
slow to part with lheih-
VARIETIES OF PEARL OYSTER SHE'LL
The pearl oyster shell is valuable, and its merit
depends upon the quality Of the hard silvery iri-
descent or nacreous lining particularly noticeable
In the Jolo product. The varieties known to com
merce are the white the golden edged and the
black edged she rs The market price varies IRON ON
source of production the Jolo shells ranking high-
The chief sources of the present supply are
Torres Strait. Western Australia and the JoIo
of this trade in the Orient and the entire product
the seas beams e knSSn 9s IN dna
ing with her insuar possessions forced the transfer
more The present mother-of pearl trade of the
United States is in an unfortunate and abnormal
fer she'll product Of United States territory.
passes first into British or Chinese hands through
shipped to the United States, 10 be worked up in
Condition should not be allowed to continue Nor
IS the Industry one of little importance The i'm
were valued 1896 So in 1899 at 1913 94 and in 1900
AT 81 OIq 40 so il is business that is showing
healthy and normal growth and Is one In which this
country promises 10 lead the world
THE same bestowed upon the pearl oyster
prornds of the Philippines that Is now given to the
OYSTER beds of the Chesapeake Bay would. doubt,
be attention wisely bestowed and the United States
Fish Commission has more interesting problem
before n than apply the experience gained from
,ba paters of other lands the protection and de-
Veiopment of the beautiful bivalve of the Philip
pines. - l.. ...io- 49, -
branches of artistic handcraft in which the beauti
fi of the Jolo utilized. II
vies in radiant beauty with the delicate lace. the
brilliant DIumage and sheeny silk employed In the
NJ nmfac tIIre of womens fans; IT lends inimtabe