30 WARREN D. SMITH 
important secrets relating to such questions as the former configura- 
tion of Asia, climatic changes, and possibly something of the early 
history of man. As a mining field, evidence is already abundant 
that Luzon will before many years have a place in the very first 
rank. 
Finally, Manila, the capital of Luzon, through her Bureau of 
Science, an institution not surpassed anywhere in the Orient, will 
be the point from which, possibly, all the geology of the Orient 
will be correlated. 
The dominant feature about Luzon, as is the case with other 
portions of the Archipelago, is the enormous coast line and the 
mountainous character of much of its interior. The effects on the 
character and pursuits of the people have been great. Some of 
these will be alluded to farther on in this paper. Luzon’s geo- 
graphical position is also noteworthy. She is in a region of 
tremendous rainfall (45 inches in 24 hours, Baguio Observatory 
record, July, rg11) and in the track of the most frequent and 
violent typhoons. As she extends from 10° to 21° north latitude 
and has much high level country, which is at the same time fertile, 
she could be colonized by white men. - 
PHYSIOGRAPHY 
THE COASTAL PLAINS 
The coastal plains about the Island of Luzon, are, as a rule, 
very narrow, the maximum width being about 1to-miles. The 
mountains are nearly everywhere close to the sea. The best 
development of coastal plains is to be found north from Lingayen 
Gulf, because the northern part of Luzon has been longest under 
water, and erosion has had time to work on the mountains, carrying 
detritus down to the sea. The composition of the northern coastal 
plain consists almost entirely of alluvial and Piedmont ‘deposits. 
Another fair development of coastal plain is found on both sides of 
the Tayabas Peninsula and around Batangas Bay. ‘The east coast 
of Luzon is conspicuously lacking in broad coastal plains. It is a 
fact that the east coast is sinking in part, while the west coast is 
known to be rising in part. As evidence of this, I am citing the 
raised beaches and terraces along the Ilocos Norte coast on the 
