Directory_and_Chronicle_1879 — Page 424

THE PHILIPPINES.

The climate of the Philippines varies little from that of other places in the same latitude. The range of the thermometer during the year is from a little over sixty degrees to about ninety. The rainy season usually lasts six months and during this time inundations of rivers are frequent and travelling in the interior almost impossible. Long continued droughts, however, sometimes occur, when the ground becomes parched and the crops are utterly destroyed. Husbandry also suffers from the ravages of locusts, which will sometimes almost entirely denude a whole province of herbage. The principal part of the group comes within the range of the typhoons, and terrific storms are of frequent occurrence. The islands are also the centre of great volcanic action. "The destructive ravages and changes produced by earth- quakes," says Sir John Bowring, writing in 1859, "are nowhere more remark- able than in the Philippines. They have overturned mountains, they have filled up valleys, they have desolated extensive plains; they have opened passages for the sea into the interior, and from the lake into the sea. There are many tradi- tional stories of these territorial revolutions, but of late disasters the records are trustworthy. That of 1796 was sadly calamitous. In 1824 many churches in Manila were destroyed, together with the principal bridge, the barracks, great numbers of private houses; and a chasm opened of nearly four miles in length. The inhabitants all fled into the fields, and six vessels in the port were wrecked. The number of victims was never ascertained. In 1828, 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 set ringing. It lasted between two and three minutes, rent the walls of several "hurches and other buildings, but was not accompanied by subterranean noises, as is usually the case." In 1863 another very disastrous earthquake occurred.

The chief articles of produce are sugar, hemp, and tobacco. In 1876 the value of the imports was $11,987,162, and that of the exports $14,837,796. The returns of the carrying trade show the curious fact of the carrying of imports being nearly monopolised by the flag of one nation, while that of the exports is tolerably equally distributed. This is accounted for by the differential duties in favour of goods im- ported in Spanish bottoms, most of the imports being therefore carried under the Spanish flag. The vessels which carry the exports arrive for the most part in ballast from Hongkong or other ports in the East where they have discharged a cargo. The following is a summary of the Customs Returns for 1876:-

pain England...

English Possessions

China (including) Hongkong

Germany

United States

Japan

..

Dutch Possessions

French

do.

Australia

Imports.

$ 60,128

3,122,403

6,372,502

1,44,703

31,9-8

221,637

78,601 100,283

5,75

I xports.

$ 504,252

+

5, 51.818

2,796,340

67,998

nil.

nil. 6,085,438

nil.

Spanish flag

English flag

American flag...

German flag...

French flag

Austrian flag

...

Dutch flag

Norwegian flag

Italian flag

254

5,202

142,699

CARRYING TRADE.

Imports.

Exports.

$10,537,031

$4,154,641

846,780

6,008,560

2:7,972

2,749,078

86,177

982,8 7

309, 35

470,59*

70,01

•

160,719

...

116,926

161

118,586

Persons visiting the Philippines are required to obtain a passport from the British Consulate at the port of embarkation.