Directory_and_Chronicle_1906 — Page 1441

THE PHILIPPINES

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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 earthquakes," says Sir John Bowring, writing in 1859, are nowhere more remarkable than in the Philippines. They have overturned mountains, they have filled up valleys, they have desolated extensive plains; they have opened passages from the sea to the interior, and from the lake into the sea. There are many traditional 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 are 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 churches and other buildings, but was not accompanied by subterranean noises, as is usually the case." In 1832, 1852, 1863, 1869, and 1880 there were terrible shocks of earthquake and, in 1891, in the Province of Pangasinan, shocks were continually repeated during a month, shaking down buildings, crushing their inmates, and creating a panic among the inhabitants.

The local storms that come in the months of May and June, the period of the greatest heat, are at times very severe. On the 29th May, 1873, there was one of sufficient force to destroy within the walls of Manila alone forty-one dwellings. Typhoons also sweep over the islands in great fury and the one of the 20th October, 1882, left thousands without shelter, the wind in its fury tearing down many of the native huts as well as more solid structures in brick and stone; floods were caused by the heavy rain, and great loss of life and property resulted.

The Philippine Archipelago is divided into three great groups of islands called Luzon, Visayas or Bisayas, and Mindanao. Luzon includes the provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batuan, New Ecija, Pangasinan, North Il cos, Abra, Union, New Viscaya, Cagayan, Laguna, Batangas, Tayabas, Albay, North and South Camarines, Sorsogon, and the districts of Principe, Lepanto, Bontoc, Benguet. Morong, and Infanta, and the adjacent islands Babuyanes and Batanes on the North, Polillo, Alhabat, Catanduanes, and Marianas on the East, Mindoro, Burias, Masbate, and Marinduque on the South, and Calamianes, Paraguay, and Balabac, on the East. The second group, the Bisayas or Visayas, is made up of Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and the island of Negros with its districts Capiz, Romblon, Iloilo, and Conception, and of the adjacent islands Sibuyan, Banton, Tablas, Luciara, Maestro de Campo, Bantayan, Dauis, and Camote to the North and N.E., and of the island of Fuego or Siquijor to the South. The third group, or sea of Mindanao, is divided into the dis- tricts of Zamboanga, Misamis, Suriago, New Guipuzgoa, Davao Bislig, and Basilan, with the adjacent islands Camiguin, Caburao, Duiagat Asgño, Oyarzal, and Vivero to the N.E.; Siluanga and General on the East; Buentua, Tengquil, Balanguingi, and Sulu with all the islands that make up the group of that name in the S.E. Altogether there are estimated to be 1,200 islands in the Philippine Archipelago. Its wealth of timber is incalculable, yielding resins, gums, mastich-pastes, dye-products, fine-grained ornamental woods, also heavy timber suitable for building purposes. There are also mines in abundance in Mencayan and Lepanto. In Lupac and Agbas copper is found and copper and iron pyrites in Suyne. In Paracale and North Camarines there are veins of gold worked by the natives. In the rivers of Sapan, Casiguran, and New Ecija there are found gold pyrites of good quality, and in Mambulao and Camarines there are some gold mines in operation. A considerable amount of prospecting has been done in the islands, resulting in some small finds of Gold. Experts, however, seem to be of opinion that though Gold and other minerals are to be found in the islands they will not pay the expense of working on a large scale. Coal may possibly be an exception. Since the arrival of the Americans petroleum has been discovered, and good success is reported to have attended the work of some prospectors, There are many hot springs of iron and sulphur waters, all of excellent medicinal pro- perties. The famous "Holy Waters" of Tuii and Sibu are visited every year in large numbers by the islanders seeking relief from their sufferings. The endemic complaints of the country are swamp fever, diarrhea, beri-beri, and a few others. Incurable leprosy is very limited among the natives. The mortality is low, consider- ing the number of inhabitants.