THE PHILIPPINES.
The Philippines are a rich group of islands, situate between lat. 5 and 22 N., and long. 123 and 133 E., and held by Spain under military occupation. The islands are over five hundred in number and contain an area of 52,617 English square miles, with a population, in 1876, of 6,173,632 souls. They are divided into twenty-seven provinces, thirteen of which are on the Isle of Luzon, four on the Isle of Negros, three on Panay, and three on the Isle of Mindanao.
Early in the sixteenth century the celebrated navigator Magellan unfolded to the King of Spain his brilliant project of reaching the Spice Islands by rounding the southern extremity of the American continent, and, having been furnished with men and ships, he set sail. Having passed through the straits which bear his name, he reached the islands, to which the name of the Philippines was a'terwards given, in the spring of 1521, after a troublesome voyage of over eighteen months. The foundation of Spanish authority in the archipelago was then laid, but the illustrious navigator who first took possession in the name of his Royal Master lost his life in an attack upon one of the islands a mouth later, and the expedition, reduced to one ship, returned. Other expeditions were dispatched, some of which proved fruitless, but in 1565 the islands were formally annexed to the Crown of Spain, and in 1571 the city of Manila, which has been the capital ever since, was founded.
The early history of the Philippines is a record of continual trouble. Conflicts between the civil and ecclesiastical "authorities led to internal contentions, while both Portugal and the Netherlands coveted these rich possessions and harassed the Spaniards. Attacks were also made at different points by powerful Chinese piratical fleets. In 1762 the capital was taken by the English, but was restored to Spain two years afterwards for a ransom of £1,000,000. The ransom, however, has never been exacted.
After the discovery of the islands ecclesiastics flocked to them in large numbers, and, undisturbed by the attacks on Spanish authority, the work of converting the natives was carried on with great vigour. The clergy at the present time number 1,962, and most of the natives brought under subjection protess the Roman Catholic religion. In the Philippines there has been little of that cruelty to the aboriginal population which so o ten characterises the process of colonization, and the natives are in general contented and well conducted, the priests exercising the almost unbounded influence the possess with great effect in the preservation of order. In the inaccessible mountainous parts of the islands there are still tribes of unsubdued savages, but their number is comparatively small and the authority of the Govern- ment is being rapidly extended over them. In the last census returns the number of natives not subject to the civil government and paying no tribute is given as 602,853, while the number of natives paying tribute is returned as 5,501,356. The number of savages reclaimed in 1881 was stated to be 59,786. There is a considerable number of mestizos or half-castes, some of whom are the children of Spanish fathers by native mothers and some the children of Chinese fathers. The following is the latest (1876) census return:-
...
Spaniards, and Filippinos born in the Philippine islands from
Natives paying tribute Clergy
Civilians and dependent
Spanish parents
Pagans, independent
Chinese
---
---
Foreigners...
Army
Navy
PAR
Total...
W
...
...
...
-
144
-
*
5,501,356
1,962
5,332
13,265
...
602,853
30,797
378
***
14.5-45 2,924
6,173,632
The foreigners are divided as follows:-Americans 42, Austrians 7, Belgians 5, British 176, Dane 1, French 30, Germans 109, and Italians 8. The native population is rapidly increasing, the increase during the last twenty-five years being given as 1,785,115.
612
THE PHILIPPINES—MANILA.
Tas vossola
The chief articles of produce are sugar, houp, an 1 tobacco, the tra le in which is annally in rowsing. Ta rocurasofthe stresin ; tea la show the curio as fat of the car. rying of imports being novely monopolis : 1 by the flag of ons uition, wails that ofthier- ports is tolerably e pally distribute 1. Tais isa scoute 1 for by then ture of th arrange. ments mils by the Government with certain subsidisə 1 steinship linea,
the exports arrive for the most part in ballast from Hongkong or other which carry ports in the East ware they have discharged a cargo.
A Royal degres, dat:l the 23th Junɔ, 1331, abɔlish: 1 the Goverancat inɔɔpɔly in the growing of the to co leaf anl minulsture of cigars, and trɔn the 133 July, 1832, the cultivation of the tobacco plant aul maufaetura of cigars was mɩle fres throughout the Pailippius. To cover the anticipatel deàsit in the reveaus fron this cause an export duty not excssling 10 por cent, per quintal of leal to saxes and cigars has been imposel. Companies have been formal to engage extensively in the tobacco aal eigar prolastion aul manufacture.
The climate of the Pailippines varios little from that of other places in the same latitu le. Tue range of the thermɔmɔter durin; thɔ year is from a little over sixty degrees to about niasty. The rainy sa130a usally lasts six months, ant during this time inundations of rivera ara frequent and travelling in the interior almost impossible. Long continued droughts, however, 80 netimes occur, when the ground · becomes parchel and the crops are utterly destroyed. Husbandry also sufers from the ravages of locusts, which will sometimes almost entirely deaulę a whole province of herbage. The principal part of the group comes within the range of the typhoons, aul terrião storms aro of frequent occurrence. The islands are also the centre of great volcanic action. “Tas destructive ravages and changes prolusel by earth- quakes," says Sir John Bowring, writing in 1359, "are nowhere more remark- able than in the Philippines. They have overturned mountains, they have filled up valleys, they have disɔlatel extensive plains; they have opened passages from There are many tradi- the sex into the interior, and from the lake into the sea. tional stories of these territorial revolutions, but of late disasters the records are trustworthy. That of 1796 was sadly calamitous. In 1821 many churches in Manila were destrayel, togathe with the principal bridge, the barracks, great numbers of private houses; and a chɩen opened of nearly four miles in length. The inhabitants all fled into the field, anl six vessels in the port were wrecked. The number of victims was never ascertained. In 1323, during another earthquake, the vibration of the lamps was found to describe an arch of four and a half feet; the huge corner stones of the principal gate of the city were displaced; the great bells were sob ringing. It lasted between two and thres minutes, rent the walls of several churches and other buildings, but was not accompanied by subterranean noises, as is usually the case." In 1883 also a very disastrous earthquake occurred, and another fraught. with disaster mile 1379 memorable in the andals of Manila.
Persons visiting the Pailippines are required to obtain a passport from their own Government, an I have it visel at the Spanish Consulate at the port of embarkation
MANILA.
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is situated in the island of Luzon, at the mouth of the river Pasig, which empties itself into the Bay of Manila. The city was founded in 1571. In 1615 it was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake in which upwards of three hundred lives were lost. In 1863 a great part of the city wa again destroyed from the same cause, and in July, 1879, another terrible upheaval again made wreck of a great portion of it: the inhabitauts are naturally in constant fear of these visitations. The dwelling-houses are built with especial reference to safety under such circumstances, aul, although large, possess few pretensions to archite fural beauty. The streets, also, are narrow and but small attention has been devoted to securing shade by the growth o. trees. There are several ancient churches which are worthy of notice. The cathedral, founded originally in 1578, has been