Directory_and_Chronicle_1900 — Page 1080

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ILOILO

ILOILO

This port, which is the chief town of the populous province of the same name in the island of Panay, is situated in lat. 10 deg. 48 min. W., near the south-eastern extremity of the island, close to the sea, on the border of the narrow channel formed by the opposite island of Guimaras. The town is built principally on low marshy ground, partly fronting the sea and partly along the left bank of a creek, or inlet, which runs towards Jaro, and after describing a semicircle again meets the sea near Iloilo. Although the principal seaport and seat of the government of the province, Iloilo is much smaller than many towns in its vicinity. The harbour is well protected and the anchorage good, the island of Guimaras forming a sheltered passage. The depth of water on the bar at the entrance to the creek or river Iloilo is about five fathoms at low water, but at a short distance within it decreases to fifteen feet and then deepens again. At spring tides the whole town is covered with water, but notwithstanding this, it is a very healthy place. The high ground of Guimaras forms a kind of funnel with the Panay shore, and the result is that a calmn is of rare occurrence, there being almost always a breeze of some kind. The N.E. breeze blows very strongly. It is much cooler in Iloilo than in Manila. The better class of houses in Iloilo are built on strong wooden posts, two or three feet in diameter, that reach to the roof, stone walls to the first floor, with wooden windows above and an iron roof. The poorer class of dwellings are finisy structures of nipa, built on four stout posts. The means of communication with the interior are still very inadequate and retard the development of the port.

The principal manufacture in Iloilo for local consumption and export to Manila is that of pina, a cloth very finely made from the fibre of the pineapple leaf. Another cloth called jusi is woven from silk, and is made in white and colours. The country round floilo is very fertile and is extensively cultivated. The annual crop of sugar is estimated at about a million piculs. Tobacco is also largely cultivated. Rice is grown on a considerable scale, but locusts are very plentiful in the island, and often do great damage to the cane and paddy. Typhoons frequently work great havoc. Earthquakes, however, seldom occur. Iloilo is about 250 miles distant from Manila. The principal traders are Chinese mestizos, who are very numerous in the port.

The island of Negros is extremely fertile and contributes three-fourths of the sugar shipped from Iloilo, the quality of which is excellent.

On the 23rd December, 1898, the Spanish Governor-General resident in Iloilo resigned, giving over the care of the town to the Mayor, or Alcalde, of Iloilo, preparing with his troops and Government officials, naval, military and civil, to evacuate the place, which on the 25th December was accomplished.

On the 26th December, 1898, the town of Iloilo, which for over a month had been entirely surrounded on the land side by Revolutionary forces, was delivered over to them by the Spanish Alcalde, and the Philippine Republic flag was hoisted on all the public buildings.

On the 28th December, 1898, the United States forces, composed of the U.S.S. Baltimore and three transports with 3,800 troops, under the command of Brigadier- General Miller, arrived in front of Iloilo, but did not land, as the Revolutionary forces declined to give up the town unless under orders from Aguinaldo, their chief. Affairs in Luzon having come to an open rupture between the United States and the Revolutionary forces, the General commanding the United States expedition advised the foreign Consulates that hostilities would commence after 5 a.m. on the 12th February, and on the morning of the 11th February, about 8.45 a.m., the first shot was fired. The Revo- lutionary forces set fire to the city, leaving it almost in ruins, and retired outside the city limits. Iloilo was immediately occupied by the Americans.

Business during 1899 has been curtailed to about one-third of its usual volume, due to the rigorous blockage of all ports now in insurgent hands, and the outlook for 1900 looks far from promising.

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