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is the least known and least settled of all. Many points, especially on the south coast, are still held by Malay sultans and rajahs, who, while acknowledging the suzerainty of Spain, have not the power nor the inclination to keep their lieges from their traditional piracies. It is from some of these Malay strongholds that the prahus of the Orang Laut (man of the sea) sally forth on plundering cruises. * This iniquitous trade has been stopped on the coasts of Sumatra and Borneo, and it will soon be stopped in Mindanao, where the Spanish Government is now taking drastic repressive measures.

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Copper is found in many parts of the Philippines, and cupreous pyrites is not unfrequently met with accompanying quartz veins, but in such small quantities as to exclude all commercial value. In the central mountain ranges of Luzon, however, between Cagayan and Ilocos, considerable deposits of copper ore are distributed and have been worked by a tribe of natives, called Igorrotes, long before the advent of the Spaniards. * * They obtain the ore

in excavations, which they make with the aid of wood fires, thus softening the rocks. They separate the ore according to quality, and roast the poorer repeatedly before smelting it. Their furnace is a cylindrical hole, walled with clay, about 12 inches deep and 8 inches in diameter, and they use blowers of bamboo worked with plungers to produce the requisite draft.

A Spanish company was established to work these deposits on a large scale. Furnaces were built, machinery was put up, but what the natives could accomplish the European metallurgists failed to do, although in those times copper was worth over £100 per ton. The absence of roads told, and the enterprise eventually collopsed.

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The coal which up to present times has been found in the Philippine Islands is not true coal, but lignite, probably of the tertiary period, and of a variety which can scarcely be distinguished by the eye from true coal. There is no reason why true coal should not eventually be found, for it is found and worked in Japan, whose geological formation has much in common with that of the Philippines. There has been no systematic search made in these islands for coal, and wherever it has been found, it has betrayed its presence by outcrops. Thus, in the Island of Masbate, a local steamship owner drew his supplies from a bed of coal which is so tilted as to have the appearance of a vein. He supplied himself as long as his native laborers could get the coal with crowbars. Mr. Hilton, who examined this bed cursorily, estimated the available quantity of coal at about 600,000 tons in that particular concession. He is, however, of opinion that very much larger quan

tities are available in adjoining concessions. These mines are practically untouched, and, as they are situated within a few miles of the coast, they can be worked at a profit by whomsoever should venture to introduce the necessary capital. Mr. Hilton, after trying it in a local steamer, gives it the character of a "very good steam coal." A similar quality of lignite has recently been found in the district where the Philippines Mineral Syndicate is now working, and it will soon be tried for the production of steam.

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The only coal deposits which have been to a certain extent developed in the Philippine Archipelago, and of which a scientific and reliable record exists in the shape of a report by the chief inspector of mines, Señor Enrique Abella y Casariego, are those in the Island of Cebu. This report is embodied in a work entitled "Rapida Descripcion Fiscica, Geologica y Minera de la Isla de Cebu (Archipelago Filipino)." * The coal deposits of Cebu were first examined in 1855 by the Government mining engineer, Señor Hernandez, who without hesitation described the coal as "lignita" (lignite). A few years later, however, another Government engineer, Señor Centeno, declared the formation in which coal occurs to belong to the true carboniferous system, and proclaimed the discovery of a true coal field of large dimensions, the eastern rim of which cropped out in the Island of Cebu, whilst its western rim came to the surface in the Island of Negros. Analysis proved Señor Centeno to be in the wrong, for the contents-or carbon-of the coal of Cebu do not exceed 54 per cent, against the minimum of 75 per cent, which true coal contains.

At one time the Government attached so much importance to the coal deposits in Cebu that it established a monopoly, but this was soon abandoned and the industry thrown open to all comers. For a time coal mining in Cebu became quite a rage, any number of concessions were taken up, and several companies established for their development. In one or two cases a considerable amount of capital was expended. Although faults frequently occur, large quantities of workable coal were found; but the absence of roads and the necessity of investing large sums in railways in order to meet the competition from England, Australia, and Japan soon caused a reaction and put a stop to the industry. The present annual production of Cebu does not meet one-tenth of the demand of Manila, where the annual consumption of coal exceeds 60,000 tons. * * * In the mines of Ulung five beds have been ascertained to occur, measuring, respectively, 3 feet 8 inches, 3 feet 8 inches, 3 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet.*

*Note by Mr. Karuth-True coal bas not been found as yet in the islands. All the coal mined in Cebu, Mas ate, and elsewhere is "lignite" of very good quality, but wanting the proportion of carbon which is characteristic of true coal. True coal will perhaps be found in the islands of Mindero and Mindanao.

No systematic search for banks of pearl shells has been made within the limits of the archipelago, but from indications it would be well worth while to bestow a little attention to that branch of industry. Beautiful pearls are found in the neighboring Sulu Archipelago, and pearls of very fine quality, but of unknown origin, are sometimes brought to Manila, where they meet with eager purchasers.

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Few outside the comparatively narrow circle who are directly interested in the commerce and resources of the Philippine Islands know anything of them. The Philippine merchants are a rather close community, which only in the last decade or so has expanded its diameter a little. There are a number of very old established firms. Amongst them also are firms-perhaps, as far as wealth and local influence go, the most important firms-whose chiefs are partly at least of native blood.

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In the old days money was made more easily than nowadays. It used somehow to flow into the merchant's coffers without any particular effort in directing the flow on his part. But those times are no longer. Cables, weekly mails, and the influx of younger men with modern ideas have disturbed the somnolent complacency of the old times. And the fall in the value of the dollar has added its own particular bitterness to the trouble caused by the inroad of competitors and by the equalization of chances by the taletelling cable. Nevertheless, the field is still a good one, and, with the era of progress which seems to have set in in the Philippines, there will be room for many more.

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In 1891 the Philippines' exports to Spain amounted to $22,479,000 ($18,095,595). In 1891 the Philippines' imports from Spain amounted to $17,126,000 ($13,786,430).

The total exports from the Philippines in 1892 consisted of 95,016 tons of hemp; 3,951,060 piculs (553,148,400 pounds) of sugar; 21,223 piculs (2,971,220 pounds) of coffee; 61,459 piculs (8,604,260 pounds) of sampanwood; 5,570 piculs (779,800 pounds) of indigo; 254,428 quintals (56,091,197 pounds) of tobacco leaf; 137,059,000 cigars. The total exports in 1892 were of the value of $33,479,000 ($23,803,509).* Total value of imports in 1892 were of the value of $27,000,000 ($19,197,000).

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Manila hemp is the fiber of a species of banana (Musa textilis) which thrives only in certain localities, where it is cultivated by the

*United States currency, taking the average value of the Mexican dollar for that year, as given by United States Treasury estimates.

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natives. The fiber is still produced in the old native way, by scraping the leaves with a peculiar knife, which requires expert handling. Numberless contrivances to supercede this simple process have been tried and patented, but without success. The native way is still the best, and it produces a fine fiber of which thread is spun and cloth woven that excels the best Tussore silk.

The manufacture of sugar is not carried on in a large way, but on small plantations with antiquated machinery. There are a few large factories, but they are isolated. Some years ago an enterprising Australian established a central sugar factory, and laid down miles of pipes for the conveyance of the cane juice to the boilers, and generally went to vast expense. The factory was there, and the engines with the most recent improvements, vacuum pans and what not; the only thing that was wanting, was the plantations to supply the juice. And thus the money was lost, and the pipes that were to conduct the cane juice now convey limpid water to the inhabitants of Manila.

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In closing these notes, the writer merely wishes to add, that welldirected energy and judiciously applied capital will bear good fruit in the Philippines.

PLATFORMS OF POLITICAL PARTIES.

The Silver Question in Democratic Platforms of 1894-95. But nine Democratic State conventions declared for the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 in their platforms of 1894, two years preceding the adoption of the Chicago Bryan platform. These States were Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Washington, and Wyoming—five western, one eastern and three southern States. Three States conveniently ignored the subject-Florida, Maine and New Hampshirewhile twenty-seven either indorsed the policy of President Cleveland in bringing about the repeal of the purchasing clause of the Sherman act, or else took a conservative position, as appears from the following planks on the money question:

DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORMS.

Alabama, May 24, 1894-"While there are differences of opinion among us in matters of detail, we all believe in the free coinage of silver whenever it can be done consistently with the maintenance of a sound and safe currency."

California, August 23, 1894-Favors the retirement of all gold coins and paper currency below the denomination of $10 in order to restore silver to its full use as a circulating medium; also the reopening of the mints of the United States to the coinage of both

gold and silver without discrimination on such basis as will maintain their parity.

Connecticut, September 25, 1894-Commends the Administration of President Cleveland and pledges him continued support; congratulates the country upon the successful efforts of the President to "restore the currency of the country to a better condition than it has enjoyed for more than thirty years."

Delaware, August 28, 1894-"We hold to the use of both gold and silver as the standard money of the country, and to the coinage of both gold and silver without discriminating against either metal; and we demand that all paper currency shall be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin."

Georgia, August 2, 1894-Demands such immediate legislation "as will restore silver to its constitutional position as a money metal, and will secure at once the free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver on a parity, and give to every dollar in circulation, whether coin or paper, the same debt-paying and purchasing power."

Illinois, June 27, 1894-"They demand that the Government shall spare no effort to bring about a proper ratio between the values of gold and silver so that parity may be maintained between the two metals and all mints thrown open to free coinage. They declare that this has for years been a cardinal doctrine of the Democratic party, and they denounce the Republican party for its constant and persistent efforts to demonetize silver and thus increase all public and private debts."

Indiana, April 25, 1894-Indorses the repeal of the Sherman act of 1890, and reaffirms belief that both gold and silver should be used as the standard money of the country, and that both should be coined without discrimination between either metal, and without charge for mintage.

Iowa, August 1, 1894-"We hold to the use of both gold and silver as a standard money of the country, and to the coinage of both gold and silver without discriminating against either metal or charges for mintage. But the dollar unit of coinage of both metals must be equal in intrinsic and exchangeable value, and we demand that all paper currency shall be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin."

Kentucky, May 25, 1892-Demands sound and stable currency composed of or redeemable in gold and silver coin, and free coinage of silver without detriment to any business interest.

Maryland, July 31, 1895-The Administration is to be commended "for the courage, sagacity and ability which it has displayed in its determined and resolute efforts to rescue the country from the deplorable evils of a fluctuating, unstable and debased cur

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