AMERICAN FOREST CONGRESS 183 



Manila a few cargoes are shipped to Hong Kong and 

 Singapore. The war in the islands caused great de- 

 struction to property the country people have lost 

 their money and stock, their homes have been de- 

 stroyed, the roads and bridges ruined, and now that 

 an effort is being made to rebuild, there is but little 

 money to pay for it; the people, the municipal and 

 provincial governments are poor. Steady progress 

 towards reconstruction is being made, however, and 

 native timber is much used. 



The Philippine timber is popular in the China mar- 

 ket. All of lowland China is without timber and much 

 is imported. Manila is nearer to China than any other 

 country furnishing timber, and should in time furnish 

 all of the construction and finer wood needed. A good 

 market for cabinet wood should be found also in 

 Australia, Japan, and the United States. The cost at 

 the mill of native manufactured lumber should average 

 less than $15 per thousand, board measure. 



The lower grade woods should then be sold at a 

 fair profit and the higher grade woods at a much larger 

 profit. 



The legislation now requested of Congress looking 

 towards railroad development in the islands, allowing 

 municipalities to incur a certain amount of bonded 

 indebtedness and reduction of the tariff will, if enacted, 

 be followed by an era of railroad construction, munici- 

 pal and provincial improvements, which means an in- 

 creased demand for native woods. China is building 

 railroads and yearly increasing its demand for timber. 

 The Philippine market should take at least loo million 

 feet of timber per year. Hong Kong, Shanghai, and 

 Singapore should each take at least as much. 



The average prices of timber per cubic foot and M., 

 B. M., are, in Manila, as follows : 



