Coal. All of the coal is best characterized as a highly carbonized lignite. It is analogous to the Japanese coal and to that of Washington, and it is stated that the native coal might supplant the English or Australian coal for most purposes. Analyses of some of these coals show the heating effect is about three-fourths that of Cardiff coal. The islands in which coal is found appear in the preceding paragraph.

Gold.-Deposits of gold are found in a vast number of localities. In most cases the deposits are detrital, and are found either in existing water-courses or in stream deposits now deserted by the current. They are washed by natives, largely with cocoanut shells for pans, though the batea is also in use. At Paracale there are parallel quartz veins in granite, one of which is 20 feet in width and contains a chute in which the ore is said to assay 38 ounces to the ton. This is hardly supposed to be an average sample. In the Island of Mindanao there are two known gold-bearing districts. The product of one of these districts was estimated at 150 ounces per month, all extracted by natives with bateas or cocoanut-shell dishes. The general distribution of gold findings appears in a preceding paragraph.

Copper-Copper ores are reported from a great number of localities. Some of the deposits are worked by the natives, who employ an ancient process said to have been introduced from China or Japan.

Fiscal Affairs.

Official statistics give the following figures as the revenue for Philippine Islands for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

Income.

Expenditures.

Obligation general (bonds Spanish

$8,496,170.00

6,200,550.00

Government, etc.)...

$1,507,000.46

74,000.00

1,000,000.00

257,100.00

Gracia y Justicia (charity & justice).
War (army)..

1,896,277.71

6,042,449.43

298,300.00

Haciendo (interior)

1,393,184.68

The following table shows the volume of trade of the islands, reduced to American currency, for representative years from 1810 to 1894:

Coal imports amounted to about 90,000 tons.

Petroleum imports amounted to about 114,330 cases.

The average value of coal in Manila is $10 a ton, which would make this item $900,000. Petroleum is worth on an average $3 a case, or $342,990. Adding these two items to the estimated table of imports gives a total of $17,342,990.

To the United States.

The following statistics show the value of Manila hemp imported directly from the Philippines, and also by the way of other countries, during each of the six years 1892-1897 :"

The following table shows the average annual importations of sugar into the United States from the Philippine Islands since 1848:

These islands became part of the territory of the United States on July 7, 1898, by the President's signature. They occupy a central position in the North Pacific, being 2,100 miles from San Francisco; to Yokohama, 3,440 miles, and to Hong Kong, 4,893 miles. The areas of the several islands comprising the group are as follows: Hawaii, 4,210 square miles; Maui, 760; Oahu, 600; Kauai, 590; Molokai, 270; Lauai, 150; Niehau, 97; Kahoolawe, 63; total, 670 square miles.

A census taken in 1897 showed a total population of 109,020 inhabitants, distributed according to race as follows: Hawaiians, 31.019; part Hawaiians, 8,485; Japanese, 24,407; Chinese, 21,616; Portuguese, 15,100; Americans, 3,086; British, 2,250.

The biennial estimate of revenue was, for 1896, $2,383,071: for expenditure, $2,137,103. The public debt in 1896 was 4,101,174. The taxes collected amounted to $706,541, or $6.48 per capita. There are three railroads on the islands, being respectively 13, 20, and 38.5 miles in length. There are about 250 miles of telegraph in the islands.