446
THE PHILIPPINES.
The chief articles of produce are sugar, hemp, and tobacco, the exports of which in 1880 were valued as follows:-Hemp, $5,481,087; sugar, $11,408,966; tobacco, $2,476,577. The value of piece goods imported was as follows:-Cotton, $7,843,104 woollen, $280,121; silk, $445,227; and other fabrics, $456,786. The total value of the imports was $25,493,319, and that of the exports $23,450,285, against imports $18,031,547 and exports $18,813,452 in 1879. The total amount of customs dues collected in 1850 was $2,019,833. There entered the different ports with cargoes 371 vessels of 301,288 tons (Spanish), and 171 vessels of 148,649 t ns in ballast; and left with cargoes 488 vessels of 421,092 tons, and 37 vessels of 38,320 tons ir ballast. The returns of the carrying trade show the curious tact of the carrying of mports being nearly monopolised by the flag of one nation, while that of the exports is tolerably equally distributed. This is accounted for by the nature of the arrange- ments made by the Government with certain subsidised steamship lines. The vessels which carry the xports 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 value of the trade, taken from the Customs Returns for 1880 :—
+
Spain
Spanish Possessions
England
English Possessions
Chiua
United States
French Possessions
Dutch Possessions
Germany
Imports. $ 833,171 738
Exports. $1,114,030
99
6,377,877
6,070.800
16,349,399
5,099,301
768,005
39,563
49,258
10,417,491
182,360
409,9-4
89.464
48,384
284,968
60,503
Australia
31,888
185,625
Japan
Jolo
50,6-2
4,505
33,509
The subjoined statistics show the distribution of the carrying trade :---
Exports.
Spanish flag
English flag
American flag..
German flag...
Irports. $15,797
$5,900,085
8, 32,501
5.911,515
231,596
7,667,678
342,849
3,334.864
Dutch flag
French flag
Italian flag
Danish flag
Norwegian flag
Russian flag Belgian flag
4,351
85.763
45.502
49.295
10,080
171.469
7,528
65,000
2,150
132,045
222,665
46.387
Hawaiin flag
87,084
A Royal decree, dated the 26th June, 1881, abolished the Government monopoly in the growing of the tobacco l af and manufacture of cigars, and rom the 1st July, 1882, the cultivation of the tobacco p aut and manufacture of cigars will be free throughout the Pili pines. To cover the anticipated deficit in the revenae from this cause an export duty not exceeding 10 p r cent, per quintal of leaf tobacco and cigars will be imposed. Companies are being formed to engage extensively in the tobacco and cigar production and manufacture.
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. Hu-andry also suffers from the ravages of locusts, which will sometimes alm ntirely nude a whole province of herbage. The principal part of the group ecumes within the range of the typhoons, and terrific storms are of frequent occurren The islands are also the centre of
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.