No. 5513 Annual Series.

DIPLOMATIC .A.ND CONSUL.AR REPORTS.

UNITED STATES.

REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1914

ON THE

TRADE AND COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

EDITED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND "THE BOARD OF TRADE.

REFERENCE TO PREVIOUS REPORT, Annual Series No. 5351'.

Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty, NOVEMBER, Hl15.

LONDON: PRINTED UNDER THE AU'l'I-IORITY OF HIS MA,TESTY'S STATIO:NERY OFFICE

BY HARRISON AND SONS, 45-47, ST. MAn·rrN's LANE, W.C., PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MM!lSTY.

To be purchased, either directly or through any Ilookseller, from WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, 29, BREAMS Bun,DINGs, Fm·TER LANE, E.C., and

28, ADINGDON STREET, S.vV., and 54, ST. MARY STREE'l', CARDIFF; or H.l\I. STATIONERY OFFICE (SCOT'.rISll BRANCH), 23, l<'0R'l'H STREET, EDil!IJURGtI; 01'

E. PONSON.BY, LIMITED, 116, GRAFTON STREET, DUDLIN; or from the Agencies in the British Colonies ancl Dependencies, the United Stoites of America and other Foreign Countries of

'l', FISHER UNWIN, LIMITED, LONDON, ,v.c.

1915.

[Cd. 7620-123.J Price Twopence.

CONTENTS. --- +--

MANILA- p AGE

Currency ........................................ ..................................... 3 ,veights and measures ................... ............................... ......... 4 Towns, industries, populatioa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . 4 Ganeral remarks . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . . .. .. . 5 Imports ............................................... ·.................................. 6 Exports-

Sugar ................................................................................ . Hemp ............................................................................. . l'daguey ......................................................................... . Copra ............................................................................. . Tobacco .......................................................................... . Gums and resins .................. · .............................................. .. Pearl buttons ........................... _._ ....................................... . Lumber .......................................................................... .

Miscellaneous-Shipping .......................................................................... . Railways ....................................................................... ." .. . Cattle ............................................................................ .. Cement .............................................................................. . Mining ............................................................. ." ................ . Public he,ilt.h .................................................................... .

Statistics-

12 13 14 15 15

·16 16 16

17 18 18 18 19 19

Annex 1.-Total foreign trade ..... ... .......... ... .... .. ............. ........ 20 2.-Imports ................................................ ·............ 21 3.-Rxnorts . .. .... . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 22 4.-Return of all shipping .......................................... 23 5.-Rcturn of British shipping ... . . . . .... . . . .. .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

lLOILO, Vice-Consul's roport . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . 24

CURRENCY.

8. d. 1 peso (100 centavos) 2 1 (nominally)

The unit of value in the Philippine Isla.nds is the theoretical gold peso, containing 12 ·9 grains of gold, nine-tenths fine, representing gold value exactly equal to 50 c. United States currency. This parity is maintained by the sale or drafts in the Philippines by the Government on its redemption fund in New York and the sale of drafts in New York by the agent of the Philippine Govern­ment on the Government's redemption fund in Manila. The Government's ra.tes of exchange are fixed and represent as nearly as practicable the cost or shipping gold bars between New York and Manila. ·

NOTE.-The figures given in the fohles relating to British shipping in the Consular reports are exclusive of vessels arriving at the port to which the tables relate from other ports in the same country, unless they landed cargo at that port from another country ; and similarly of vessels departing for other ports in the same country, unless they loaded cargo for another country. The figures differ in consequence in some mises from the figures gi.ven in the tables relating to shipping or all nationalities, which are based on t_he local shipping returns.

(5GO)

4

WEIGII'rs and Measures.

Only the metric system is now permitted to be used officially. . Scales, steelyards and the like imported from abroad must be marked m

kilos., &c., only ; if bearing any marks other than those of the metric system they will not be accepted for registration by the Bureau of Internal Rernnue.

The following table contains a list of the principal towns, giving the provinces, industries and products :-

Town.

Manila .. . Laoag .. . Batangas Cebu Camiling Tabaco ... Zamboanga

Dagupan Iloilo Capiz Aparri N ueva Caceres ... Ormoc San Fernando ... ·calbayog Silay Vigan ... Dumaguete Borongan Sorsogon Tarlac Romblon Lucena ... Catbalogan Surigao .. . Ca.vite .. . Masbate .Tolo Legaspi...

Province . I Population. ,

Manila llooos Norte Batangas ... Uebu

... 1

Tarlac AlLay Mindanao

P,rngasinan Iloilo Capiz

I

•••I I

J Cagayan ... Ambos Camarines' Leyte ... I La Union ... ! S,unar 1

N egros Occidental Ilocos Sur N egr;is Oriental. .. Samar Sorsogon ... Tarlac Romblon .. . Tay11bas .. . Sanrnr Surigao ... Cavite Masbate ... Jolo. Albay

234,409 34454 41:102 57,181 29,132 22,197 20,692

20,357 39,812 20,800 20,138 12,411 30,924 16,095 17,220 24,597 33,226 14,894 14,245 13,512 12,718 16,180

9,:375 7,758 7,749

16,556 5,237 1,270

27,901

Industry or Products.

Distributing centre Tobacco Sugar Hemp port Sugar Hemp and copra Hemp, copra, shells, almaciga

and lumber Rice Sugar Rice and hemp Tobacco and maguey Hemp and rice Hemp Maguey, sugar and tobacco Hemp Sugar Maguey, sugar and tobacco Sugar, hemp and tree cotton Copra Hemp Provincial capital Hemp and copra Copra Hemp Hemp Naval station Gold dredging Ht-mp and shells Hemp port

The total population of the Philippine Islands according to the official census of 1903 was 7,635,426.

No. 5513. Annual Series.

Reference to previous Rep01·t, Anmial Series No. 5351.

Repo1·t on the Trade of the Philippine Islands for the, Yem· 1914

By MR. CONSUL-GENERAL J. B. RENTIERS.

The total foreign trade of the Philippine Islands for 1914 amounted to 20,266,310l., a decrease of 793,219l. as compared with that of 1913 and of 3,994,656l. as compared with that of 1912. It is, however, greater than that of 1911 or any other year since the annexation of the islands by the United States.

The uncertainty that prevailed in 1913 as to the policy to be adopted by the United States with regard to the control of the islands existed and caused a continuance in 1914 of a general want of confidence in commercial circles and a consequent disinclination to extension of commercial or industrial undertakings. The Jones Bill, which was to decide the question of the future status of the Philippines, has been before Congress and has been shelved until the winter session of 1915. In considering the strong opposition raised in the United States to this measure, it must be remembered that these islands, while they remain in the possession of the United States, offer an outlet for a large quantity of the produce of the United States which enters this market free of duty, and that any alteration in the status of the islands might deprive these products of the favoured treatment that they now enjoy. There is a consuming population of 8,000,000 whose trade the United States is in a position to monopolise. ihe United States now supplies 50 per cent. of the imports of these islands. The islands also do, or can, produce all, with the possible exception of Chilian nitrate, that the United States now buys in South America. -

Business conditions, which had somewhat improved in the early part of 19_14, were again depressed by the outbreak of war in Europe, and the reduction in the year's trade is accounted for by the falling-off in imports during the latter half year, which amounted to only 4,295,006l., a decrease of l,532,624l. from those of the first half year, which amounted to 5,827,630l.

The total value of imports in 1914 was 10,122,636l. and of exports 10,143,674l., as against ll,106,830Z. and 9,952,699l. respectively in 1913. The exports therefore show an excess over imports of 21,038l. ; while in the previous two years imports had exceeded exports.

(560)

6 l\IANILA.

The following table gives the figures of the total trade for the last five years:-

Year. Imports. Exports. I

Total.

£ £ £ 1910 10,358,200 8,46,1,263 18,82:l,463 1911 10,005,092 9,289,020 19,294,112 1912 12,847,479 11,413,487 24,260,966 1913 11,106,830 9,952,699 21,059,529 1914 10,122,636 10,143,674 20,266,310

After the outbreak of war in Europe there was for some weeks no market for Philippine products for export, with the exception of sugar, the price of which rose immediately upon the removal from the world's markets of the European production. For hemp and copra there was for a time no market, but with the resumption of foreign commerce the prices of these commodities again approached the normal. Prospects of commerce for the year 1915 appear indeed not unfavourable. The sugar crop is large and prices satisfactory. New markets are being developed for copra, and a gradual strengthen­ing of the' market is to be expected. The hemp market is low, but the demands of the principal buyers-the United States and the United Kingdom-continue steady and there is no reason to apprehend any serious disturbance in prices. The shortage in shipping is, however, exercising a serious influence on the markets, as exporters naturally are averse from incurring the loss by shrinkage due to long storage of copra, or to purchase hemp which they' have no immediate prospect of being able to ship.

Of the entire trade of the islands approximately 50 per cent. was with the United States, the exports to that country amounting to slightiy more than 50 per cent. of total exports, and imports from it to slightly less than 50 per cent. of total imports. The advance made by the United States in the export trade from the islands, from 3,423, 754l. in 1913 to 5,132,353l. in 1914, was at the expense of th1eUnited Kingdom, France, Japan, China, Hong-Kong and Germany, all of which countries show a decrease in the export trade from the islands for 1914. Italy and the Netherlands are the only foreign countries that show an increase in it.

lmports.-The decrease in imports during 1914 of 984,194l. as compared with 1913 is due to the falling-off that occurred in the last six months of 1914. Imports from Japan, French Indo-China and China increased during the year, while imports from the United States decreased by, 500,266l., and practically the entire balance of the total decrease, viz., 484,000l. was proportionately divided between the United Kingdom, Germany arid France.

The heaviest items in the decrease of imports are to be found in manufactures of iron and steel, which show a falling-off in 1914 of 339,679l. ; in cotton manufactures, 393,345l. ; and in meat and dairy products, 58,326l.

, MANIL,A, 7 Only imports of rice and manufactures of leather show any sub­

stantive increase, the latter }laving advanced from 219,468l. to 324,54 7l. There was an increase also in the import o:f cattle.

Rice.-The prospects in the earlier part of the year were that the crop would be a very large one; it was, however, seriomily affected by the drought of the last three months of the year.

It is stated in a report; by the Director of Agriculture that. the average annual normal increase in consumption of cleaned rice in the archipelago is approximately 50,000 short tons, and that under normal conditions the Philippine Islands would have consumed 1,000,000 tons of cleaned rice during the year just closed.

In view of the shortage in the local supply of rice, considerable quantities were imported in the autumn months from Saigon, and this accounts for the increased import. The import during 1914 from French "Indo-Ohina amounted to 614,375l. The total import of rice in 1913 and.1914 was smaller than in any other year since 1899.

In connection with the efforts of the Government to make the islands self-supporting in this commodity, the staple food of the inhabitants, to which reference has been made in the reports for the two preceding years, it may be mentioned that an agricultural colony was started in July, 1914, by the Agricultural Bureau at Momungan in the large southern Island of Mindanao. At the close of the year it consisted of 46 American families settled on the land allotted for cultivation, and all indications pointed to the unqualified success of the experiment.. The colony mentioned. in last year's report was that established by the Executive Bureau in 1913 at Ootabato, also in the Island of Mindanao. The colonists in this case are, however, Filipinos.

Cotton.-Imports for the past year show a considerable falling-off all round, their total value being 3'93,345l. less than for 1913. Imports from the United States were l,213,819l., and from the United Kingdom 323,348l., as against l,475,983l. and 427,817l. respectively in 1913.

The following table shows the proportion in which the United States and the United Kingdom participated in the supply of some of the chief items :-

Art.ides. . United United

/· Totnl

State8. Kingdom. Import.

Cotton cloth- £ £ £ Unbleached 47,679 4,117 59,079 Bleached 345,247 78,870 448,497 Dyed 266,158 102;218 455,005 Printed 313,413 30,966 350,536

Yarn-Bleached 15,044 31,458 Dyed 38,652 72,500

Handkerchiefs 7,956 16,811 26,923 Laces ... 436 11,956 14,952

Total 980,889 298,634 1,458,950

8 MANILA.

Of bleached yarns Japan contributed 13,958l. and of dyed yarns 10,833l., while out of a total import of 32,292l. worth of mercerised yarns she contributed 29,792l. Of unbleached yarns, of which the total import was 53,333l., Ja pan contributed 4 7,500l. and British India 4, 792l.

The United States have barely maintained their proportion of this trade at the 1913 level, the decrease being about l¼ per cent., while the United Kingdom has continued to lose ground, imports from there having dropped from 17½ per cent. in 1913 to 15½ per cent. in 1914-of the grand total. In view of America's position this further decline in imports from the United Kingdom can hardly be attributed wholly to tariff duties, but appears to be, in a considerable measure, the result of increased competition from the Continent of Europe in muslins and dyed yarns, and from Japan in bleached yarns, items that have hitherto been almost exclusively British. Trade is of course always changing more or less, and while United States manufacturers have succeeded in introducing new items, they continue to meet with strenuous com­petition from Japan in fancy cloths, and even to a smaller extent in staples such as grey drills and sheetings.

Iron and steel.-Importations of galvanised iron from the United States were on a free scale during the first eight months of the year, but fell off latterly owing to heavy stocks held by dealers. Only a very small proportion of the total quantity of this article was imported from the United Kingdom. Steel bars, round and twisted, were im­ported on a smaller scale in 1914 than during the previeus year, owing partly to existing stocks and also to the falling-off in the number of reinforced concrete buildings under construction. Belgium continued to supply practically all the bar iron used until the outbreak of war in Europe. It now looks as though American mild steel bars will be substituted pending a resumption of shipments from the Continent.

Business in pig iron was somewhat better in 1914 than during the previous year. Importations were principally from the United Kingdom, but a small quantity was imported from British India with a view to testing its suitability for use in the Philippines.

Small hardware was supplied principally by Germany until the outbreak of war. Since then there have been practically no arrivals and stocks are low,

Of the total import the United States contributed l,061,103l,, all other countries 393, 78ll. The countries of origin and the values of the quantities of the principal items coming from each are as follows :-

Pig iron ... Of which-

United Kingdom British India

Bar iron ... Of which­

Belgium United Kingdom

St=el bar and rod Of which-

United Sta.:es United Kingdom Bdgium Germany

£ 4,792

3,958 625

9,583

5,625 2,708

46,458

30,000 4,792, 4,375 6,042

Steel rails ... Of which­

United States Germanv

:MANILA.

Sheets and plates, corrugated and other Of which-

United States United Kingdom

Structural iron and steel Of which-

United States United Kingdom Germany

Enamelware· Of which­

Austria-H ungary Germany ·

Wire nails ... Of which­

United St.ates

£ 88,958

58,333 28,750

216,667

192,292 22,708·

110,833

101,458 4,792 2,500

22,292

5,208 11,458 21,458

19,375

9

The largest item, "Machines and machinery," with a total of 528,542l., shows a decrease of 151,250l. from the previous year. Of this total the United States contributed 344,375l., the United Kingdom 82,500l. and Germany 79,583l. ; aggregating between them 506,458l. A few of the most important classes are as follows :- •

Steam engines and boilers Of which-

United States United Kingdom Germany

Sugar machinery ... Of which-

United States United Kingdom Hawaii ...

Electrical machinery Of which-

United States United Kingdom Germany

Mining machinery Of which­

United States Australia

£ 127,708

38,542 51,458 32,917 35,417

20,416 10,208 4,583

21,975

13,333 2,292 6,042

16,875

11,875 5,000

Of wood cutting machinery, total 10,000l., sewing machines (141,667l.) and typewriters (15,833l.), practically the whole import was from the United States.

Brass and manufactures thereoj.-Of this, 27,500l. came from the United States. In only one item, machinery, did the import from the United Kingdom (1,229l.) exceed that from the United States (938l.).

Cereals and cereal products.-O£ the total import of these, 233,318l. came from the United States. They include wheat flour 335,625l., of which 218, 750l. came from the United States and 116,667l. from Australasia ; bread and biscuits, 29,375l., of which 25,417l. came from the United Kingdom ; and macaroni from China, 21,250l.

10 MANILA.

Cars and carriages.-These were imported from the United States to the value of 195,309l., and from other countries to the value of 114,559l.

Automobiles.-589 cars were imported valued at 146,667l. Of theEe, 499 of a value of 108,333l. were from the United States and 79 of a value of 34,583l. from France. ·

Tyres.-These were imported from the United States to the value of 31,250l. and from France to the value of 13, 750l.

Passenger and freight cars for steam railways.-These were imported to the value of 47,708l., of which 45,417l. came from the United Kingdom and the balance from the United States.

Oement.-Imports decreased. The total import was 115,625l., of which-

Germany ... Hong-Kong Japan China

£ 32,708 20,458 25,208 20,833

The German import was little more than one-third of that of 1913, while the Japanese have nearly trebled and the Chinese doubled theirs.

Coal.-The following were the chief imports :-

Japan Australia ... China Japanese leased territory United States

£ 216,667

43,333 38,541 32,083 25,000

From January to March Japanese coal was selling at from 9pesos 50 c. to 11 pesos (19s. 10d. to ll. 2s. lld.) per ton; Chinese at 8 pesos 50 c. (17s. 9d.) per ton; Australian was being delivered against contracts made towards the end of 1913 at 12 pesos to 12 pesos 50 c. (ll. 5s. to ll. 6s. per ton), but fell in May to 11 pesos per ton, Japanese coal remaining stationary. The above prices are per English ton ex ships, import duty of 50 c. (ls. O½d.) per ton paid ..

During August and September bookings and arrivals became much heavier.

Contractors bought up all coal of suitable quality, and having, with great difficulty, made good their obligations, now find themselves considerably over-stocked, and few sales have been made during the last three months of the year.

Between August 7 and September 4 five ships laden with coal, aggregating about 16,000 tons, were despatched by German agents for warlike purposes; the last ship that attempted to leave on September 26 returned to port fearing capture by the British cruisers on watch outside Manila Bay.

Of the 16 German ships in harbour at the close of the year, seven had on board cargoes of coal aggregating probably 22,000 tons. Most of this had been purchased in August at 15 pesos (ll. lls. 3d.) per ton, while as much as 20 pesos (2l. Is. 8d.) per ton is reported to have been paid.

MANILA. 11

Oattle.-9,072 head of cattle valued at 40,533l. were imported from Australasia as against 7,516 head in 1913. The Philippine Govern­ment, fearing a shortage in the supply of meat due to a threatened embargo on the export of fresh meat from Australia in September of 1914, raised the prohibition of the import of beef cattle from French Indo-China, and 2,008 head valued at 9, 723l. were imported during the last three months of the year. Hitherto, through fear of the introduction of disease, the import of draught cattle only had been permitted at Iloilo, where they were inoculated against rinderpest.

Meat and dairy products.-These show a decrease. Imports from the United States were 129,299l. and 492,482l. from other countries. Fresh beef and mutton (193,958l.) came entirely from Australasia, while the import of hams and bacon from there exceed that from any other country. Tinned meats on the other hand came chiefly from the United States. Butter from Australasia amounted to 28,125l. and to 13,958l. from Denmark. The import of condensed milk was 150,833l., of which the United Kingdom contributed 97,292l. and the United States 23, 750l.

Oils.-M:ineral naphthas were imported to the value of 38,333l. from the United States and 19,375l. from the Dutch Indies, illuminating oil from the United States (225,417l.) and from Dutch Indies ( 41,458l. ). Lubricating oils (44,375l.) were practically exclusively from the United States. Linseed oil from the United Kingdom (8,333l.), olive oil from Spain (12,500l.) and peanut oil from China (16,667l.) are other imports.

Mineral oils, dbc.-Deliveries into consumption at Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and Zamboanga by the three importing companies, viz., the Standard Oil Company, Texas Oil Company and Asiatic Petroleum Company, amounted in 1914 to 1,453,574 cases of kerosene and 196,600 cases of gasoline (motor spirit). The consumption of liquid fuel during 1914 was over 1,300 tons, an increase of nearly 100 per cent. All oil fuel comes from the Dutch Indies. Prices of kerosene of the highest grades, 4 pesos 5 c. and 3 pesos 40 c. (8s. 5d. and 7s. ld.) per case on January 1, stood at 4 pesos 20 c. and 3 pesos 55 c. (8s. 9d. and 7s. 5d.) per case respectively on December 31, 1914, after which date an advance of 57 c. (ls. 2d.) per case on kerosene and 1 peso 45 c. (3s.) per case on gasoline was made by all importers to meet the new consumption tax imposed from January 1, 1915. .

The retail price of gasoline varied from 6 pesos 50 c. to 6 pesos 10 c. (13s. 6d. to 12s. 8d.) per case and closed at 6 pesos 40 c. (13s. 4d.) per case.

Paints.-Imports from the United States were 18,750l., while of the remaining 21,250l. the United Kingdom supplied no less than l 7,083l.

Silks.-Spun silk from China was valued at 53,333l.; while out of 36,250l. worth of silk clothes China sent 16,458l., Japan 8,958l. and the United Kingdom 3,958l., the last country sending also plushes valued at 9,167l. Of the whole import the United States contributed 25,986l. and other countries 150,980l.

Spirits, wines, &c.-Imports from the United States amounted to l3,812l. and from other countries to 59,116l.

Out of 16,667l. worth of malt liquors in bottle, ll,458l. came from the United Kingdom and 3,958l. from the United States.

12 llIANILA,

Of whisky, total 16,8751., malt whisky from the United Kingdom was 9,1671., rye from the United States 5,8331.

Of the import of wines, amounting to 25,4171., 18, 750l. came from Spain.

Sugar (refined).-The total import amounted to 55,0001., of which:-

Unit.ed States Hong-Kong Dutch Indies

£ 41,667 10,000 3,125

Tobacco.-From the United States 51,1551., other countries 12,865l. Of the latter, 8,125l. represents leaf from the Dutch Indies and 4,583l. smoking tobacco from China.

Wool and manufactures thereo.f.-From the United States 44,1051., from other countries 35,1041. Of woollen cloths valued at 21,0421., 11,4581. came from the United Kingdom, 3, 7501. from Belgium and. 1,0421. from the United States.

Fibre manufactures.-Burlaps and bagging (34,7921.) came entirely from British India. Of bags (49,167l.) nearly one-half came from British India, the rest from China and Hong-Kong, while more than one-half of the import of cloths, valued at 26,0421., came from the United Kingdom.

Leather and leather manufactures.-Of these, 298,4841. came from the United States, only 26,0421. from other countries. Boots to the value of 182,9171. are included in the former and to the value of 5,6251. from Spain in the latter. Boot leather (sole and upper} to the value of 65,2081. is almost all included in the former.

Gl,ass and glassware.-Of these, 14,9481. came from the United States and 46,1601. from other countries. Of the latter Japan supplied one-half, il,2501. of which represented bottles. Window glass of the value of 4,167l. came from Belgium.

Exports.-The total exports in 1914 exceeded those of 1913 by 191,000l., and were greater than in any previous year with the exception of 1912.

Sugar.-The greatest increase was in sugar, the export of which shows an increase of nearly 78,000 tons, say 50 per cent. in weight, and 839,000l. in value over that of 1913. Not far short of 75 per cent. of the better qualities went to the United States, the remainder chiefly to China and Japan.

The average value of last year's crop was about 91. 9s. per ton, while the average of this year's crop has been approximately 91. 17s. per ton. These figures show a healthy condition of business in the sugar districts, but notwithstanding this sugar planters met with con­siderable financial difficulties, and for a time it looked as if a portion of their crops would not receive the necessary attention owing to the lack of financial facilities. Finally, however, support was received from the Insular Government, which lent sums between 2001. and 300l. to planters through one of the local banks. This support was required not because the industry was not in a good condition, but owing to the fact that planters generally had extended their planting consider­ably and improved their machinery and implements. The coming

M.ANILA. 13

crop for 1915 promises to be a record one, due in part to this increased acreage and in part to exceedingly favourable weather conditions. It is estimated at about 270,000 tons, of which a larger proportion than hitherto will consist of centrifugal sugar. Probably about 35,000 tons of this quality of sugar will be produced. Sugar planta­tions in Luzon suffered severely during the year from the ravages of locusts, and on this account the yield from this district has been .comparatively poor.

The destination of the exports during 1914 was as follows :-

United States United Kingdom ... China Japan

Total ...

Tons. Hi7,436

5,373 46,219 13,746

232,774

The average price of the sugar was satisfactory to planters, leaving them a fair margin of profit. Unfortunately for them, however, when the big rise in price of sugar took place in consequence of the European war, practically all the crop had been sold; whatever balance was _left was practically entirely in the hands of exporters and Bpeculators.

·The crop planted during 1914 will enjoy the preference hitherto given to Philippine sugars in the United States; but this advantage will cease on March 1, 1916, from which date the United States has abolished the import duty on sugars. That country will therefore no longer be the ruling factor in this market, and most of the sugar produced in the Philippines will probably find its way to eastern markets.

The San Carlos (Negros) Sugar Central, ·which completed its first year's operations during the early months of 1914, is the first large modern plant in the islands to be ,completed and put into full opera­tion. The new central at the Calamba estate was completed and put into operation during the year. The results obtained at both milling centrals, according to a report issued by the Director of the Bureau of Agriculture, are such as to warrant the immediate construc­tion of others in the principal sugar-producing districts of the islands.

Hemp (abaca) (Musa textilis).-Exports for 1914 show a slight :falling-off in quantity and value.

The production during the year under review has been disappoint­ing, having amounted to only 120,875 tons, which is just equal to the preceding year, but shows a decrease of 30 per cent. on the figures -0£ 1912. Values, as a consequence, were fairly well maintained until the outbreak of the European war in August, when they fell from 8l. to l2l. per ton below the price ruling in May, recovering, however, to the extent of about 50 per cent. towards the end of the year.

In the greater part of the archipelago the weather conditions have been favourable to the growth of the hemp trees, and, were all other things equal with previous years, a large crop should be looked for. The trade, however, has become temporarily disorganised by a

14 MANILA.

law recently passed by the local legislature, which came into force on January 1, 1915, to regulate the gradi_ng of hemp under Government classification and inspection. The law is not a very complete one, and leaves much to be desired. However, the regulations governing the grading of fibre have been largely left, as a fact, to the Bureau of Agriculture, and it is hoped that the law may be made workable. The chief object of the law is to improve the quality of fibre by stricter classification and grading, and this is to be commended. Some fibre experts, however, fear that the results of the Bill may be the production of a superfluous quantity of fine grade hemp which would lower net results to the growers. The effect of the law, coupled with the un~ certainty of prices in the consuming markets and the prospects of increase in freight rates, has led to a restriction of business which, in its turn, is likely to affect production, and to cause some reduction in the figures for 1915.

The Japanese trade in fine grade hemp suitable for braid making has become dull owing to the effects of the war on American trade, prices for some of these grades having declined 20l. per ton or more.

A demand for hemp waste and low grade fibre for paper making was one of the new features brought about by the war. This has only been spasmodic.

The principal consuming countries, with the values of hemp ex­ported thereto, are as follows :-

United States United Kingdom ... Japan

£ 2,004,000 1,259,000

432,000

This year's export includes knotted hemp 313 tons valued at 118,914l., of which 93,000l. went. to Italy, 11,000l. to France and 9,000l. to Belgium. The export of this in 1913 was 330 tons valued at 117,854l.

A recent report issued by the -Bureau of Agriculture states that the hemp plantations have almost entirely recovered from the effects of the drought in 1912, and with the exception of the south-west provinces in Luzon, which were rather severely hit by the typhoon of June, 1914, the production would have shown a normal increase but for the depression in prices, and has reached some 130,000 metric tons. It is stated that a marked improvement in the quality of fibre produced was ·noticeable subsequent to July 1, 1914, due to the educational campaign conducted by the bureau in connection with the new fibre classifications.

Maguey (gantala).-The production of this fibre shows no increase. Exports show a decrease of 1,500 tons, or nearly 22 per cent., from 1913. Prices rule low as this fibre feels the competition of sisal. Supplies for 1915 look like continuing small.

Destinations of exports were as follows :-

United Kingdom ... Japan United States

£ 46,000 19,000 10,000

:MANILA. 15

Oopra.-There was an increase in the quantity of copra exported in 1914 but a decrease in its v_alue due to the £act that over 60 per cent. of the entire export was shipped during the latter half of the year when prices, which had fallen sharply in foreign markets imme­diately after the outbreak of war, had not recovered.

Destinations of principal exports of copra were as follows :-

To-France United States Spain Germany ... United King<l~m ...

£ 126,oon 335,000 204,000 160,000 100,000

The increase in the export of coconut oil covers two-thirds of the loss in value of copra exported. This new item has been of rapid g.rowth. In 1912 the export was 660 kilos., or little over ½ ton, valued at 8l. ; in 1913 it was 4,509 tons valued at 238,82ll. ; while in 1914 it had risen to 10,748 tons valued at 545,663Z., the whole of which, with the exception of 2,500Z. shipped to Hong-Kong, went to New York.

Another new item of export, a by-product of the oil, is coconut cake, the export of which in 1913 was 2,696 tons valued at 22,828Z. The entire export, which had increased by 50 per cent. in 1914, went to Hamburg. The year 1914 marked the full recovery of the coconut plantations £roll\ the effects of the drought and typhoons of 1911-12, and a larger production wa·s looked for. ·

Th:s was, however, naturally curtailed by the low price to which copra £ell. A marked improvement in the general situation was, however, noticeable during the last three months of the year. Pros­pects for the coming crop are good, though in some places there is fear that continued dry weather may have retarded the growth of the nuts.

The local oil mill continues to be a strong buyer, and when a further mill, now under construction near Cebu, is completed some reduction may be looked £or in the export of copra which may, however, be equalised by an increased production.

Tobacco.-The various classes of tobacco show a decreased export in 1914, cigars alone showing a falling-off of 145,000Z.

In lea£ tobacco 270,000Z. are accounted £or by two countries alone, Spain taking 239,000Z. and the Netherlands 31,000Z. The balance of approximately 110,000Z. is widely distributed in comparatively small quantities.

0£ cigars the principal buyers, accounting for' 438,000Z. of the total exports, are :-

United States United Kingdom ... British India Hong-Kong Australasia China

£ 272,000

25,000 38,000 25,000 42,000 36,000

16 MANILA,

Cigarettes went chiefly to the following :-

United States China Japan Hong-Kong

£ 2,000 1,250 1,250 1,700

The tobacco harvested during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1914, amounted to 46,731,463 kilos. (102,809,218 lbs.), showing an increase of 671,073 kilos. (1,476,360 lbs.) over that of the previous fiscal year.

In the Isabela and Cagayan provinces, whose tobaccos rank as the two finest qualities produced in the Philippines, the crop has suffered severely from the drought and is short, and in Cagayan also of poor quality. In these two provinces the 1914 crop is estimated not to exceed 120,000 quintals (say 12,000,000 lbs.) or but little more than one-half of an average crop.

The prospects for the coming year also are not bright, many of the planters having lost a part or all of their seed beds on account of the unusually early advent of the dry season. The 1915 crop will therefore probably be even less and poor in quality. Little if any of these tobaccos were exported this year in the leaf, the export con­sisting of cheaper grades.

The Bureau of Agriculture has distributed selected seed among the planters, and has continued its efforts to eliminate the cigarette beetle as a factor militating against the export of tobacco products. Four of the local exporting houses are now processing their leaf with,­it is claimed, signal success.

Gums and resins:-There was a small export of copal, 23,000l., of which 16,000l. was to British India.

Hats.-These are classified as bamboo, buntal, buri and arayat. The export of buntal alone amounted to 55,000l., of which nearly 46,000l. went to the United States and 6,000l. to France. The others go principally to the United States. Buntal hats are woven from a fibre extracted from the inner part of the leaf petiole of the buri palm (Oor1Jpha elata) and are those most in favour for export, being of fine appearance and of excellent wearing quality.

Pearl buttons.-These were exported in 1913 to the extent of 8,000l. and in 1914 to over 12,000l., all of which went to the United States ; while shells, chiefly trocha, green snail and gold lip pearl were exported to the value of 78,000l. in 1913 as against 71,000l. in 1914. The principal destinations of these were :-

British India United Kingdom ... United States

£ 35,000 11,000 9,000

Lumber.-With the increasing possibility of assured supplies the export of native woods is expected to increase. The exports for 1913-14 are as follows:-

MANILA. 17 --------

Native Woods. I

1913. I

1914.

Cubic feet.. £ Cubic feet. £ Tanguili 213,920 29,796 278,985 34,969 Almond 34,860 3,571 106,015 9,266 Other ... 364,350 31,561 255,850 "20,299

Total ···I 613,130 64,928 640,850 64,534

Of these exports some 34,000l. of tanguili and 15,000l. of other woods went to the United States.

Lumber concession.-The Kolambugan Lumber and Development Company, of which mention was made in last year's report, has during the year completed the erection of its mill at -Kolambugan near the port of Misamis, in the nortp.-west of the Island· of Mindanao. The company was in February, 1915, awarded a contract for the supply of

· nearly 2,500,000 feet of lumber to the Army Department, which has decided to make trial of the native woods instead of using Oregon pine as it has done hitherto. The actual quantity is 2,430,495 board feet and the price over 100,000 pesos (10,400l.).

Miscellaneous. Shipping.-It will be seen in Annex 4 that there has been a considerable decrease in shipping at Manila during 1914. Of the decrease of 37 in the number of ships entered, 11 were British. The relative proportion of British shipping to the total has therefore been maintained, being 53 per cent. of the total as against 52 per cent. in 1913. The United States figures include 3 sailing vessels of a total tonnage of 2,890 tons.

It will be noticed that while the number of German ships entered is the same as in 1913, the number that cleared was only 61 as against 81 in the preceding year ; 25 German ships entered this port after August 5, of which 7 put to sea again ; of these 3 again took refuge in another port in the Philippines. There were at the close of the year 24 German vessels of a total net tonnage of 54,448 tons laid up in Philippine ports, and of these 17 were at Manila. Of the 24 vessels, 2 were transferred to Philippine registry with a view to their employ­ment in the inter-island coasting trade. This intention has, however, not been carried out; the total net tonnage of these 2 vessels is only 2,351 tons.

From June, .1914, the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company made Manila a port of call for its vessels on the outward run from Vancouver to Hong-Kong, and the " Empress of Russia " and " Empress of Asia " made each one call at this port before the service was dis­-continued.

Three steamship companies, viz., the Ocean Steamship Company and two Dutch companies-Rotterdam Lloyd and the Netherlands­will in turn send one ship a month from New York making Manila its terminus port after calling at Batavia and Macassar; and calling at Batavia, Colombo and Gibraltar on the return journey to New York.

Under the American flag tlie two steamers "Rubi" and "Zafiro," (560) B

l8 MANIL.A..

of 1,409 net tons each, were, in July, taken off the Hong-Kong-Manila run on which they had been employed since 1901.

As a direct consequence of the stranding of the British freight steamer "Bengloe" on the Moyune shoal in September, 1914, it was. decided to increase the lighting of the Sulu Sea, and early in 1915 acetylene flashlights were installed on the three islands Manucan, Black Rock and Comiran, which are on the direct line of homeward shipping bound from Iloilo. After the · removal of the wreck a further light is to be erected on the l\foyune shoal itself. Other lights . have also been erected for the use of the inter-island shipping.

Railways.-The extension of the lines in Luzon of the Manila Rail­road Company has proceeded, and 86 miles have been opened to traffic during 1914. Rails have been laid on a portion of the mountain section from Aringay to Baguio. This company has imported during the year three locomotives, valued at 3,600l. each, from the United Kingdom, and three rack-work locomotives, valued at 3,400l. each, from Switzerland.

No additions have been made to its lines by the Philippine Railway. Company.

Cattle and, rinderpest.-To prevent the introduction of rinderpest through imported stock, cattle for draught purposes are imported only at Iloilo, where they are inoculated. Since the establishment there by the Bureau of Agriculture in May, 1914, of the inoculation station over 3,000 imported animals have been treated. Carabaos (water buffalo) are imported from Pnom Penh, and are much sought after in the sugar districts, the animals being larger and stronger than those of Philippine stock. During the past year nearly 8,000 animals have been inoculated in the islands, with a loss of less than 1 per cent. It is stated in an official report that the immunity conveyed appears to be complete and that there is good reason to believe that it con­tinues throughout the life of the animal.

During the year there were located 3,940 cases of rinderpest, of which 2,715 ended fatally. The corresponding figures for 1913 were 4,972 and 2,986. The average annual loss to live-stock _owners from this disease in the last five years is stated to have been over 50,000Z. In one year, 1902, the loss is estimated to have been between 5,000,000l. and 6,000,000l., many provinces having lost from 50 to 80 per cent. of their carabaos and cattle.

At the close of the year a second inoculation station was opened. in Pampanga province, in which, together with the provinces of Tarlac and Pangasinan, 80 per cent. of the deaths from rinderpest occur. Quarantine maintained in these districts has a~ best not more than kept the disease from spreading, at an average annual cost to the Government of 48,542l. It is estimated that at a cost to the Insular Government of 20,000l. all the cattle and carabaos in these provinces, some 150,000 head, can be rendered immune in from one to three years, and that after thus stamping out the disease in this region an annual charge of from 5,000Z. to 7,500l. would suffice to protect all young stock and animals imported into the provinces.

Cement manufacture.-The works erected in 1914 by the Rizal

MA.L~ILA. lQ

Cement Company at Binangonan on Laguna de Bay are expected to be completed early in 1915.

The present output is expected to be 500 barrels per day, with one kiln, but the intention is to add a second kiln shortly, the machinery and power having been designed for an output of 1,000 barrels per day. The company is said to own large deposits in this district of limestone and of volcanic toba, and with its works situated on the lake it has the advantage of water transport by the River Pasig to Manila.

The average consumption in the Philippine Islands, apart from army requirements, is stated to be about 2,000 barrels per day.

Mining.-Several new dredges and mills have been put into opera­tion during 1914, resulting in a greatly increased output of gold as was anticipated in the last report. The estimated value of the gold pro" duced in 1914 is 250,729l., an increase of 69,791l. or nearly 39 pet cent. on the production of 1913, which was 180,938l.

A little more than half the production of 1914, as was the case also in 1913, is the result of lode mining, the balance being obtained by dredging.

The dredging is carried on chiefly, if indeed not entirely, by Australians, and machinery for this purpose was imported from Australia during the year of the value of 5,000l.

A small quantity of silver, about 1,600l., was obtained from the gold ores in which it occurs. There is no mining of.silver. or~.

Gas.-The Manila Gas Corporation, after more than a year's work­ing, reports that the expectations of the increase of the use of gas for cooking purposes have been realised, but that the work of installation has been considerably curtailed by shortage of fittings owing to the war.

Public health. Plague.-There were 26 cases and 22 deaths in the city of Manila during the year 1914; no case of human or rat plague has been found since September, 1914, when the last human case was reported. The rat-proof building ordinance put into force by the Municipal Board is mainly re!'lponsible for the eradication of the disease, while a rat-killing campaign was carried out in the autumn. No case was reported in the provinces.

Cholera.-ln the city of Manila there were 490 cases and 281 deaths and in the provinces 3,013 cases and 2,165 deaths. It may be regardeq as having been epidemic in Manila during January and from July to December, and in the provinces from July to November

The Bureau of Health has made an examination especially among household servants and those engaged in the sale, handling or pre­paration of articles of food. Of some 36,000 cases examined 3 per cent. were, while not suffering from the disease themselves, found to be carriers of infection and were detained under treatment. It is doubtless owing to these measures and to strict isolation of the sick that the disease has now almost completely disappeared. .

Small-pox.-There has been no case in Manila since February, 1910.

(560) B 2

Annex 1.-TOTAL Foreign Trade of the Philippine Islands during the Years 1912-H by Countries.

Country. 1912. Imports. Exports.

1913. Imports. Exports.

1914. Imports. Exports.

British Empire- £ £ £ £ £ £ United R;ingdom ... ... ... 1,198,065 1,905,763 1,120,008 1,889,312 922,836 1,516,674 Australasia ... ... ... . .. 702,732 120,406 557,935 128,523 505,260 125,552 British East Indies ... ... ... 514,657 252,524 138,591 276,485 155,072 241,061 Hong-Kong ... ... ... .. .

I 173,255 329,935 110,304 662,274 61,906 422,006

Canada ... ... ... ... • ... 10,443 1,980 18,853 1,478 9,596 482 Other colonies and dependencies ... 2,860 443 586 :3,:300 4,947 3,014

Total, British Empire ... 2,602,012 2,611,051 1,946,277 2,961,372 1,659,617 2,308,849 United States ... ... . .. . .. 5,064,377 4,752,966 5,557,554 3,423,754 5,057,288 5,132,353 .Austria-Hungary ... ... ... ... 47,201 49,009 33,597 39,655 31,051 17,256 Belgium ... . ... ... ... .. . 65,014 219,125 59,799· 113,364 44,908 52,818· China ... ... ... .. . ... 401,226 226,292 455,136 342,931 521,581 229,644 France ... ... ... .. . ... 300,285 1,817,425 301,701 1,142,261 228,877 811,934 French Indo-China ... ... ... . .. 2,373,215 1,733 564,091 2,559 652,342 1,772 Germany ... ... ... . .. ... 591,603 349,700 601,758 362,833 469,281 224,940 Italy ... ... ... . .. ... .. . 48,623 169,415 47,832 103,408 39,933 153,858 Japan ... ... ... .. . .. . 633,369 534,591 706,923 817,611 757,009 623,718 Netherlands ... ... ... .. . 40,681 46,154 38,205 59,796 27,605 69,399 Dutch East Indies ... ... ... ... 113,886 8,643 88,759 12,751 114,656 22,347 Siam ... ... ... ... .. . ... 74,921 1,380 96,810 2,634 66,874 5,109 Spain ... ... ... ... ... .. . 298,596 530,720 258,109 510,939 248,641 470,070 Switzerland ... ... ... ... ... 99,692 29,017 146,205 10,232 108,520 2,312 Other countries ... ... ... . .. 92,778 66,266 204,074 46,599 94,453 17,295

Grand total ... ... . .. 12,847,479 11,413,487 I 11,106,830 9,952,699 10,122,636 10,143,674

Annex 2.-llll'ORTS into the Philippine Islands during the Years 1912-14:.

Articles. 1912. 1913. 1914. 1912. 1913. 1914.

Animals- £ £ £ Cattle ... ... Number 27,126 7,622 12,678 157,536 35,126 64,234 Horses ... ...

" 351 106 76 8,431 2,478 1,275 All other ... ... .. . ... ... .. . 1,351 1,651 1,975

Total ... ... . .. ... . .. . .. 167,318 39,255 67,484 Agricultural implements ... ... . .. ... ... . .. .. . 7,385 Books and other printed matter ... ... ... ... . .. . .. 97,832 Brass and manufactures thereof ... ... . .. . .. 56,636 52,965 47,476 Cereals ( except rice) and cereal products ... ... .. . 644,338 521,674 426,076 Cars and carriages including auto-

mobiles and parts thereof ... ... .. . ... ... 301,239 338,509 309,868 Cement ... ... . .. . .. Lbs. 138,122,859 169,887,582 127,740,192 107,964 169,103 115,600 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, &c. ... ... ... . .. ... .. . .. . 159,790 Coal ... ... . .. ... Tons 407,472 552,439 587,727 219,816 330,014 364,530 Cotton and manufactures thereof ... ... .. . ... 2,289,392 2,467,563 2,074,2lb Iron ancl steel and manufactures thereof ... . .. ... 1,288,412 1,794,563 1,454,884 Meat and dairy products ... ... . .. . .. .. . 788,393 680,107 621,781 Oils, including illuminating oil ... ... ... . .. ... 446,919 440,137 432,261 Rice. ... ... ... ... Lbs. 663,852,868 191,777,173 213,227,293 2,710,105 659,290 682,531 Silk and manufactures thereof ... ... ... ... .. . 190,110 174,234 176,966 Spirits, wines, &c .... ... . .. ... ... . .. . .. 98,348 82,410 72,928 Tobacco and manufactures thereof ... ... ... .. . 51,092 64,837 64,020 Wool and manufactures thereof ... ... . .. . .. 88,445 68,206 79,209 All other articles ... ... . .. . .. ... ... ... 3,398,952 3,223,963 . ..

Grand total ... ... . .. ... . .. 12,847,479 11,106,830 10,122,636

Annex 3.-EXPORTS from. tjie Philippine Islands during the Years 1912-14.

Products. 1912. 1913. 1914. 1912. 1913. 1914.

£ £ £ Coora ... ... . .. ••• Tons 140,566 80,904 85,969 '2,954,889 1,988,692 1,662,556 Co~onut cake ... . .. ... "

... ... . 3,905 ... . .. 24,336

" oil and other oils ... "

... ... 11,755 15,453 252,772 550,546 Fibres, vegetable and textile grasses

and manufactures thereof ... ... ... ... . .. 243,368 180,232 181,599 Gums and resins ... ... ... ... . .. . .. . .. 20,005 40,290 29,592 Hats ... . .. . .. Number 901,192 547,218 681,356 96,366 85,196 65,392 Hemp ... ... . .. ••• Tons 172,347 117,904 114,554 4,599,098 4,400,226 3,998,916 Kapok ... . .. . .. ... "

42 132

I ... 1,457 4,693 322

Lumber ... . .. . .. Cubit feet ... . .. 640,850 . .. . .. 64,534 Maguey ... . .. . .. ... ,, 7,038 6,958 5,440 114,436 123,115 86,887 Pearl buttons ... ... ... ... ... . .. I ' . .. . .. . .. 12,733 Shells ... . .. . .. . .. Tons ... ... 1,100 . .. . .. 70,901 Sugar ... . .. . .. "

194,449 154,816 232,774 2,020,904 1,465,185 2,304,081 Tobacco, unmanufactured ... Lbs. 31,273,504 28,584,945 29,584,894 461,752 392,014 379,927 Cigars ... ... . .. Number 271,840,000 191,762,442 154,753,363 664,180 627,549 482,325 Cigarettes ... ... . ..

" 49,316,000 47,882,687 44,121,247 11,440 9,982 8,067

Exports of foreign merchandise ... ... . .. . .. . .. . .. 111,213 All other exports ..• ... ... ... ... . .. . .. 230,139 382,753 109,747

Total ... . .. ... ... . .. I

. .. i 11,433,487 9,952,699 10,143,674 i

I

MANILA. 23

Annex 4.-RETURN of all Shipping Entered and Cleared at t.he P Jrt of Manila during the Years 1913-14.

ENTERED.

Nationality. 1913. 1914.

Vessels. Net tonnage. Vessels. Net tonnage. British ... ... ... 51 788,554 340 766,032 United States ... ... 31 206,377 32 19:l,835 French ... ... ... 1 997 1 2,470 German ... ... ... I 78 235,434 78 227,163 Japanese ... . .. , 30 412,845 138 418,437 Norwegian I 5 7,460 8 14,800 ... ••. i Philippine ... ... 66 64,294 38 51,211 Russian ... ... ... ... . .. l 095 Swedish ... ... . .. 2 5,118 ... ...

-Total ... 673 1,721,079 636

I 1,675,043

CLEARED.

Nationality. 1913. 1914,

Vessels. Net tonnage. Vessels. Net tonnage, British ... . .. ... .. . 359 827,246 350 822,648 United States ... ... ... 29 204,582 27 193,049 Danish ... ... ... .. . 1 40 ... ... :French ... ... ... . .. 1 907 ... . .. German ... ... ... ... 81 250,321 61 181,847 Japanese ... ... . .. 133 4-02,496 132 422,265 Norwegian ... ... ... 4 5,117 8 16,220 Philippine ... ... .. . 45 60,964 37 51,700 Portuguese ... ... ... ... . .. 1 207 Russian ... ... ... ... . .. . .. 1 995 .Spanish ... ... ... ... 13 32,558 12 28,355 Swedish ... ... ... ... 2 6,882 2 4,645

Total ... 668 I 1,791,203 631 1,721,931

NoTE.--Coastwise vessels are not included in the foregoing table, only those entering and clearing Manila direct in foreign trade being mentioned here. The others appear in the Cebu and Iloilo returns according as they called at either of these ports before or after Manila.

Annex 5.-RETURN of British Shipping which. Entered and Cleared at the Port of Manila during the Year 1914.

From-

United Kingdom Hong-Kong Australia Straits Settlements

STEAM Vessels. ENTERED.

With Cargo. In Ballast. Total.

Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. 14 85,159 14 85,159

102 138,938 17 59,536 119 198,474 37 71,847 1 82 38 71,929

7 8,539 4 10,384 11 18,923

MANILA.

ENTERED-continued.

From- With Cargo. In Ballast. Total.

'Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. China ... ... 33 49,429 ... ... 33 49,42 Japan ... ... ... 9 21,388 7 23,333 16 44,721 United States ... ... 56 211,570 1 2,565 57 214,135, French Cochin-China ... 15 17,615 ... ... 15 17,615

Total ... . .. 273 604,4851 30 95,900 303 I

700,385'

CLEARED.

To- With Cargo. In Ballast. Total.

Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnag1>. United Kingdom ... 25 ll5,718 Hong-Kong ... ... 132 207,635 Australia ... ... 2 4,015

... ... 8 19,027

]4 15,830

25 115,71 140 226,66 16 19,84

8 2 5-

Straits Settlements ... 1 879 5 14,732 6 15,611 British India ... ... ... ... 1 2,662 China ... ... 30 43,943 12 20,412 Japan ... ... ... 6 18,901 8 25,811 United States ... ... 56 209,242 1 3,240 France ... ... ... 9 23,879 I 2,815 French Cochin-China ... 3 3,999 3 3,829 Italy ... ... ... 2 7,209 ... ...

Total .... ... 266 635,420 I 53 I

108,358

lLOILO.

Mr. Acting Viee-Consul Stewart reports as follows :-

1 42 14 57 10 6 2

319

2,66 2 . 5, 64,35

44,712 212,48

26,69 7,82 7,20

2: 4 s g.

743,77B

Sugar.-The total crop for the year was 170,378 tons as against 110,980 tons of the previous year, showing an increase of 59,398 tons_ Good prices have been obtained throughout the season, and the year can be considered a profitable one from the planters' point of view. , The lowest price paid was in January, when sugar changed hands at 87 pesos (about 8l. 14s.) per ton (basis 88 degrees), and the highest price was paid in September, when sugar was sold at 156 pesos (about, 15l. 12s.) per ton (basis 88 degrees).

The prospects for the coming crop are excellent, and the estimate of 178,125 tons shows an increase of 7,747 tons on last crop and is the. highest estimate ever known.

During the year 169,690 tons against 108,274 tons in 1913 have been exported to the following countries :-

United States United Kingdom ... China Japan

Total

Tons. 128,405*

1,039 30,146 10,100

169,690

* Of which 10,588 tons were centrifugals.

ILOILO. 25

Oopra.-This has shown an increase in production, the total amount shipped from this port during the year being 2,244 tons against 1,081 tons in 1913. Shipments were made as follows:-

United States United Kingdom ... Coast.wise ...

Total

Tons. 100

1,778 366

2,244

NoT.rn.-Coastwise shipments will appear as Leing exported from Manila or Cebu.

Sapan wood.-This is exported entirely to China. During the year 960 tons were exported as compared with 1,137 tons during 1913.

Imports. General.-In reviewing the market for the year, while importers complain that conditions, from a financial point of view, were far from satisfactory, there was an appreciable improvement in the volume of business done as compared with 1913. The European war was responsible for this to a great extent as, with the fear of a shortage later on, a fair amount of speculative buying was indulged in by dealers during the few weeks following the outbreak of hostilities.

Cotton piece-goods and yarns.-In the early part of the year business was fairly satisfactory. An extensive fire in the retail district of the town in May caused a certain amount of extra buying . to replace stocks destroyed. On the outbreak of war the rise in prices and delay to supplies affected business temporarily. During the closing months of the year things were very dull. Cotton piece-goods come prin­cipally from the United States of America and yarns from the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

Trouserings of good quality have been in good demand all the year and supplies have been insufficient. Low qualities have been in over­supply and fetched very poor prices. All importations have been from the United States.

Grey drills and grey cloths.--:-Demand has been good and a steady business has been done in all qualities. Of fine drills there has been a shortage during the last months of the year, these goods to a great extent taking the place of bleached drills. All importations are from the United States.

Prints.-Importations have been steady from the United Statesr but prices have been generally low. Latterly supplies have been short, partly owing to the loss of supplies on the ill-fated ship" Shirley," and fair prices were obtained for any stocks held.

Bleached shirtings, lawns and nainsooks.-The improved finishes now obtained by the United States of America have diverted practically the whole of this large business to America. Shirtings especially have been in over-supply all the year m1til the last few months, when temporary stoppage of supplies allowed of clearances of surplus being made. Importations from the United Kingdom have been compara­tively small.

Bleached and dyed yarns.-The bulk of importations of dyed yarns have been from the United Kingdom, but Japan has been supplying

26 ILOILO,

all the mercerised goods, which are cutting out the ordinary goods to a certain extent. British mercerised goods apparently cannot compete, being too dear. Japanese bleached goods are very inferior to British goods and have not made much headway here.

Fancy goods. Imitation silks, dk-These goods have been in good demand all the year, and all importations have been from the United States.

Singlets.-Practically all supplies of these have been coming from Japan at low prices. Better qualities still come from Spain in small quantities.

Printed, dyed and white muslins and lenos.-The United Kingdom still does the major part of the trade in the former, while lenos are practically all of Swiss manufacture, the peculiar crisp finish of the latter being apparently unobtainable in the United Kingdom.

Khaki.-The United Kingdom still has the monopoly for the better qualities. There has been a fairly large consumption, the lower qualities coming for the most part from the United States of America.

Galvanised iron.-A fair business has been done during the year. The inferior quality of the United States productipn seems to be becoming·better known and most inquiries are for British iron.

Yellow metal sheatking and nails.-A fair business has been done in British and German qualities until the outbreak of war, since when British supplies have been short and German supplies stopped.

Bar iron and mild steel.-A small business has been done. Impor­tations almost entirely from the United States.

Wire nails.-Fair importations from Germany and the United States until the outbreak of war, when of course importations from the former source stopped.

Enamelware and hollow-ware.-A good business has been done at bare prices until the outbreak of the war, since when supplies of the former have been stopped and the latter delayed. The former comes from Germany and Sweden and the latter from the United Kingdom.

Box irons.-There is considerable consumption, which has been supplied entirely from Germany. Supplies were short towards the end of the year. This article is commended to the attention of British suppliers. The quality of British samples is too superior, and goods have therefore been unable to compete with the German product.

Rice.-Importations of this article show a large decrease owing to the local paddy crop being exceptionally good. Only 6,825 tons were imported, against 9,324 tons in 1913 and 33,627 tons in 1912. Importa­tions of rice in 1915 are expected to be heavy owing to the partial failure of the local paddy crop on account of drought.

Petrol,eum and gasoline.-The total imports were 189,563 cases­an increase of 16,063 cases over 1913.

Ooal.-The total importations were 27,535 tons against 23,995 tons in 1913, and were as follows :-

Australia ... China Japan

Total...

Tons. 5,435

11,403 10,697

27,535

ILOILO. 27

Oement.-Imports of this article are almost the same as last year and amount to 23,710 casks. Almost all comes from Hong-Kong and Haiphong. The small supplies which formerly came from Germany have stopped.

Water buffaloes.-Imports from Indo-China amounted to 1,939 head.

Soap.-Importations are on the increase; 37,800 cases having arrived during the year. Almost all importations are from the United Kingdom. .

Flour anil millc.-Consumption is on the increase, 113,245 sacks of flour and 12,947 cases of milk having been imported during the year. A large proportion of these articles ~s transhipped in Manila and is therefore treated as having entered that port and cannot be included in the Iloilo figures. Nearly all the flour comes from the United States and the milk from Norway and Switzerland.

µachinery imports.-As in former years, most of the machinery imported consists of sugar-making machinery, three-fourths of which is made by British manufacturers. During the year the importations have fallen off somewhat. There have been no new modern factories erected but a small factory capable of dealing with _about 5 tons of 96-degree sugar in 12 hours is in course of erection, the machinery for which comes from the United Kingdom. The native planter is gradually improving his condition and going in for modern machinery, British being his preference.

Traction anil cable ploughs.-These are being adopted by the larger planters, most of them being of British manufacture. The cost is much higher than for American engines, but they give better satis­faction.

Rice hullers anil polishers.-There are a few of these being imported. Sm~ll mills for plantation use, capable of hulling about 2 to 4 tons of rice in 12 hours. This class of machinery is almost exclusively American.

Light portable railway track.-Most of this, with the small wagons for sugar cane, is supplied from Germany. The track in general is 12 or 14-lb. rails with steel stamped ties. Formerly the United States supplied a good proportion of this small track, but of late the imports have been coming almost entirely from Germany. There should be a good opportunity for British manufacturers to extend their trade in this direction, now that German supplies have stopped.

Automobiles.-There has been a large trade during the past two years. Importations mostly come from the United States and the balance from France. The United Kingdom is only represented by two makes. The price of the average British car appears to be too high for this market with a 20 per cent. customs duty against it.

Shipping.-An improvement is shown on last year's figures chiefly owing to the larger sugar crop. British shipping continues to hold its own with 109 vessels out of a total of 160 vessels of all nationalities ent~red during the year.

ILOILO.

RETURN of Principal Articles of Irr:iport at Iloilo during the Year 1914.

Articles. From- I Quan~~~~ I Value.

£ Rice Saigon and Hong-Kong Tons Petroleum and gasoline United States ... . .. Cases

6,825 148,921

70,980 54,622.

Coal

Cement

Soap

Sumatra ,, Australia ... Tons China ... ,,

I. Japan ... ... ... ,, ... Japan, Hong-Kong and Hai-

l phong . . . . .. Casks ••• 1 United Kingdom ... Cases

I .

40,624 14,975 5A35 8,696

11,403 15,964 10,697 14,976

23,710 13,040 37,801 22,680

RETURN of Principal Articles of Export at Iloilo during the Year 1914.

Articles. To- Quantity. Value.

Tons. £ Centrifugal sugar United States ... 10,588 135,526 Raw sugar United States ... 117,817 1,083,916

United Kingdom 1,039 8,312" China ... 30,146 241,168 Japan ... 10,100 88,880

Copra United States ... 100 1,600 United Kingdom 1,778 28,448 Manila and Cebu, for

transhipment 366 5,856 Sapan wood ...

I China ... 960 1,690

RETURN of all Shipping at the Port of Iloilo during the Year 1914~

STEAM Vessels.

British United States Spanish Japanese Norwegian German

British United States Spanish

ENTERED.

Total ...

CLEARED.

Vessels. 109 25 13 7 5 1

160 ,

Vessels. 109 25 13

Tonnage. 212,436 36,838 31,558 15,985 4,929 3,228

304,974

Tonnage •. 212,439

36,838 31,558

Japanese Norwegian German

ILOILO.

CLEARED-continued.

Total ...

Vessels. 6 5 1

159

Tonnage. 13,028 4,929 3,228

302,020

29

NoTE.-The British steamship "Taming," of 1,356 tons, was in port on the evening of Der.ember 31, 1913, and cleared in 1914. The British steamship "Chinhua," of 133 tons, and the ,Japanese steamship "Shinkai Maru," of 2,957 tons, were in port on the evening of December 31, 1914, and cleared in 1915.

RETURN of British Shipping which Entered and Cleared at the Port of Iloilo during the Year 1914.

From-

Hong-Kong China ... Singapore Japan ... United States ... Newcastle, N.S.W Calcut.ta Colombo Durban ... Java Samarang Macassar

Total

To-

United Kingdom Hong-Kong ... Singapore ... China ... ... Japan ... ... United States ... Angaur Island ...

Total ...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

:::, ... !

I .. ·1

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

ENTERED.

With Cargo. In Ballast. Total.

Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels., Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. 52 69,638 4 8,541 56 78,179

6 9,250 1 999 7 10,249 4 4,021 5 14,761 9 18,782 1 1,932 7 21,469 8 23,401 7 24,371 ... . .. 7 24,371 2 5,073 ... . .. 2 5,073

... ... 2 6,943 2 6,943,

... ... 1 3,4.20 1 3,420

... ... l 3,293 I 3,293

... ... l 2,557 1 2,557

... ... 1 1,228 1 1,228

... . .. 1 83 1 83 ------

72 I 114,285 24 I 63,294 96 177,579

----

CLEARED.

With Cargo. In Ballast. Total.

Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. Vessels. Tonnage. 2 4,442 ... ... 2 4,442

47 62,884 7 8,924 54 71,808 . .. . .. 3· 5,366 3 5,366 12 14,527 ... . .. 12 14,527 ... ... 1 2,686 1 2,686 30 97,298 ... .. . 30 97,298 . .. . .. 1 2,378 1 2,378

91 I 179,151 12 I

19,354 103 I 198,505

REPORTS of the Annual Series have been recently issued from His Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular Officers at the following places, and may be obtained from the sources indicated on the title-page:-

Price ABYSSINIA ... 5420 Harrar. Trade, 1913 ..• ••. 1<l

54~1 Gambela. Trade, 1913... •.. Id 5422 Abyssinia. Trade, 1913 •.. 2½d

ARGENTINE 5458 Rosario. Trade during recent UEPUBLIC . yenrs ... ... ..• . .. l½d

Aus'rlUA- 5231 Austria-Hungary. Finances, HUNGARY 1UJ2-13 ... ... .•. • •. J½d

13>,LGIUM

Bouvu Bu..a..z1L

5346 Hungary. Trade, &c., 1913 ... 2d •.. 5274 Antwerp. Shipping and navi-

gation, 1913 ... . .. 2d ••• 5-116 Bolh·ia. Trade, &c., 1913 3d ... 5380 Parit 11rade, HH3 2d

5392 ltio Grande. Trade, 1913 M 5412 I>crnamhnco. Trade, 1913 ... :111 5451 Brazil. Trade, 1912-13 •.. ~¼rl

Bur.GARU .•. 5506 Bulgaria. Trade, 1914... • .. I}rl VHILE .•• • .. a401 Iquique. Trade, 1913 ... • .. 2½rl

5ia2 Coquimbo. Trade, 1914 ... l½c1

CHINA .. , 5476 Antofagasta, &c. Trade, 1914 1,1

... 5455 Nanking. Trade, 1914... •.. 2,1 5460 Ilangchow. Trade, 1914 ... l½<I 5461 Foochow. Trade, 1914 •.. id 54~3 Ic?ang. Trade, 1914 ... - ... lfrl 5468 ~\•ato~v. T~ade, 1914 .•• • .. I J'l 5469 Tient.sm. Trade, 1914 .. , ... J2il 5470 Teng Yueh. Tracie, 1914 ... Id M71 Kiukiang. Tracie, 1914 ••. 2d 54-7~ Chinkiang. Trarle, 1914 ... Ud 54N Shasi. '.l'rade, 1914 ..• . .. ljrl 5480 Shanghai. Trade, 1914 •.. 12d 5489 Changsha. 'l'racle, ma ... 2d 5490 Anooy. Trade, 1914 ... !½cl 54\18 Wuhu. 'l'racle, 1914 .•• • .. l½d 5507 Canton. Trade, 1914 ... ... ld 5509 Kiungchow. Trade, 1914 •.. l~d

COLOMBIA •.. 5437 Bogot.a. Trade, 1909-13 ... 3/1 CONGO... , •. 5493 Congo. Trane. 1913 •• , •.. 2-1.cl CoRl<A ·•• ··· 5a00 Corea. Trade, 1914 ... . .. 3lc1 ~OSTA UICA ··· 5363 Costa Hica. Trane, &:c., 1913 ... 1!d CRETE... , •. 5393 Crete. Trade, &c., 1912-13 ... 2d DENMARK •.• 5382 Faroe Islancls and Iceland.

1'rn,1e, &c., 1913 ... . .. 2¥cl M65 Denmark. Trade, &c., 1913 ... 20d 54~5 St. Thomas, &c. Tracie, 1914 ld

DOMINICAN 5477 Dominican Republic. Trade, REPUBLIC &c., 1914... ... ..• . .. 2¼c\

EGYPT .• , ... 5395 Port Said. Trade, 1913 . . .. 2i\cl 5502 Alexandria. Trade, &c., 1914 4rl

... 5409 Jllaclagascar. Trade, 1913 ... l ½cl 5410 Martinique. Trane, 1912-13 ... lid 5423 Dakar. Trade, &c. ... 3d

FRANCE

5435 Nice. Tracie, &c., 1913... ld 5439 Uouen. Tracie, &c., 1913 4d 5442 Saigon. Trade, 1913 .•• 2d 5444 Algeria. Trade, 1913 .•• 4d 54~! Corsica. Trade, 1914 .•• fcl 5462 Brest. Trade, &c., 1914 ... 12d 5505 Pondicherry, &c. Trade, &:c.,

1914 ... ... Id GERMANY ... 5379 Germany and Diisseldorf.

GREECE

HAYTI ..• ITALY•••

(560)

T~ile, 1913 ..• ... . .. 3!d 5381 Stettm. Trade, &c., 1913 ... 2,a 5394 Bavaria. Trade, &c., 1913 and

part of 1914 .•. ... ... 2d 5397 Danzig. Trane, &c., 1913 ... 3cl 5404 Germany. Trane, 1913 ... 5¥rl 5414 Hamburg. Trade, &c., 1913 ... 4,1'1 5417 'l'ogoland. Tracie, &c., 1913 ... td 5441 German East Africa. Trade,

&c., 1912-13 ... , .. 3½d 5466 Samoa. Tra,le, 1913 ... ,.. Jcl

... 5429 Thessaly. Trane, &c., 1913 ••. l½d 5449 Salonica. Trane, 1'113 ... ••• 2d 5483 i'he Pimms. 11rade, 1914 ... 2½t1 5495 Corf11. Trade, &c., 1914 •.. 2d

• .. 5288 Hayti: . Trn,le, &c., 1Ul3 •.. 2$rl ••• 5375 Brmcl1s1. Trade, 1913 ... . .. 22d

5391 Pieclmont. Agriculture and industries, 1913 ... ... 2d

5396 Naples. Trade, 1913 ... . .. l½d 5400 Leghorn. Tra,le, &c., 191:l ••. 11d 5426 Bengasi. Trade, &c., 1913 ... I.cl 5438 Milan. Trade, 1913 ..• 3d 5448 Italy. F'inances, 1914 ... 2cl 6491 Italy. Foreign trade, 1914 .•. 2d

Price JA.PAN.,. •.. 5408 Kobe. Trade, &c., 1913 .•. 4cl

5445 Nagasaki. Trade, 1913 ••. 2d 5478 Hakodate. Trade, 1914 ••. 2cl 5487 l•'ormosa. Trade, 1914... .,. 2id 5503 Japan. Trade, 1914 .•• • .. 51d

MEXICO 5510 Osaka. Trade, 1914 .,. ... 2 d 5365 Vera Cruz. Trade, &c., 1913 ... 1 d

5E08 Daircn. Traile, &c., 1914 .•. 21d

5367 Progreso. Traile, 1913 ... d Monocco 5467 Morocco. Trade, 1913... 4d MuscA.T ... 5473 Muscat. Trane, 1913-14 ... 2~d NE1'H>:llLA.NDS 5325 Net.her lands East Indies .

NICARAGUA NORWAY PAN.AMA PARA.GUAY

PERSIA

Trade, &c., 1913 ... 3!d 5336 Net.herlani\s. Finances, 1913 ld 5456 Surinam. 'l'rnilc, 1913... ,.. ld

··· 5427 Nicaragua. Tracie, 1911-13 ••. lid , •• 541i4 Norway. Trai\e, &c., 1913 ... 4d .•. 5338 Panama. Trade, 1913 ..• . .. 2ld ... 5269 Paraguay. Budget, &c., 1914 jd

5403 Paraguay. Trade, &c., 1913 and part of 1914 ... . .. 2!/1

5425 Bun<lcr Abbas. Trade, &c., March 21, 1913, to March 20, 1914 ... ... .•• •.. 2d

5430 Bushire. Trane for the year ending March 21, 1914 ... 3½d

5450 Arabistan. Trade, &:c., for the

5481 Kfl~~;s~~~in~l!~~ch :i~ 19ile 2d year ending March 20, 1914 2d

5482 Kerman. Trai\e, 19J!J-14 ... lfd PERSIAN GULF 5•105 Koweit. T.-aile, 1913-14 •.• 2d

5433 Bahrein Islands. Trade for the year endi11g March 31, 1914 2½d

PERU ..• ... 5501 Jquitos. Tracie, 1914 •.. . .. l½d PORTUGAL, •.• 5385 Lourenro Marques, &c. Trade,

&c., 1913... •.. •.• . .. 3id 5402 Angola. Trane, 1913 ... . .. l½d 5418 Portuguese Guinea. Trade,

&c., rn13... • .• ld 5486 Madeira. Trade, &c., 1914 .. , ljd

~!~~ ~h:·A!~~~:' 19r~:ci;_\~·:, 1914° 1J~ 5496 San Thome, &c. Trade, &c.,

1914 ... .•. • •. ld 5497 Southern Angola. Trade, &c.,

1914 ... ... .•. Id UOUMANIA ••• 5326 Roumania. Trade, &:c., 1913 ... 3½d Uussu , •. 0329 Warsaw. Trane, 1913 ••• . .• l!½d

SUM, ..

SPA.IN •••

5;354 Finland. Tracie, 1913 ... ••• 4cl 541? J\<~oscow .. 'l'rade, 1913 .•. , .. 4}cl M32 U1ga. Tra,le, 1913 , •• 32d 5436 O,fessa. 'l'rade, 1913 ••• ,.. M 5454 Batoum. Trade, 1914 ... .. . 3cl

••• 5428 Bangkok. Trade, April 1, 1913, to ~arch 31, 1914 .•• .., 2½d

5446 Chiengmai. Trade, &c., 1913 2d 5447 Senggora. Trade, &c., for the

year April 1, 1913, to March 31, 1914 ... ... •.. • •. lid

• •. 5340 Seville. Trane, &c., 1913 •.. 2Ia 5411 Barcelona. Trane, &c., 1913 ... 3d 5440-Sf."tin. lnnustl'ies, &c., 1913 .. , 3d 545S Canary Islands. Trade1 &c.,

1914 ... ..• ... • •• 2d SWITZERLAND 5398 Swit,zerlancl. Trane, 1913 ••. 2½d TUNIS ... . .. 5431 Tunis. Trade, 1913 ..• 3d TURKEY ... 5339 Jerusalem. Trade, 1913 ... 2cl

5369 11asra. 'l'rade, 1913 ... 2d 5370 Erzeroum. Tracie, 1913 ... Jcl 5374 Constantinople. Tracie, 1913 aid 5383 Aleppo. Trane, rn13 •.. .lcl 5407 Baghdad. Trade, 1913 ... 2d

UNITED f>347 Boston. Trane, &c., 1913 ... 3d STATES 5351 Philippine Islands. Trade,

5434 G~~.~.f~~t··Trarl~, &c.'.0 i913::: 2tl 5443 New Orleans. Trade, &c., 1913 3,1 5459 Hawaii. 'l'rade, &c., 1913-14 ... J,-J 5504 Chicago. Trade, &c., 1914 .. . :1,1 5512 St. Louis. 'l'rade, IUJ4 •.. 3d

VENEZUELA. ... 5358 Venezuela anrl Caracas. •rrade, 1912-13 ... ... . .. 2~cl

6360 Oiuilad Bolivar. Trade, &c., 1913 •.• ld

1375 11/15 H & S