2 THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT 



greater or less degree, through China, Korea, Siheria, and Japan on 

 the nortli and Burma, tlie Mahvy Peninsuhi, Camhodia, Java, Borneo, 

 and the PhiUi)pines on the south, going first to the latter without any 

 thought of their ever coming under the American flag. 



An extended trij) through the PhiHp])ines some years ago, in times 

 of ])eace, and a protracted sta}' again later, in times of war and insur- 

 rection, from May, 1898, to April, 1899, will, I trust, ena))le me to hring 

 forward a few facts that will he of interest. 



IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION 



First let us consider the location of the Philippines and of Manila. 

 The great importance of this point is too often overlooked in the dis- 

 cussion of the islands, though nothing can have a more direct bearing 

 on their practical value to the United States. We have often thought 

 of the Philippines in a general way with reference to the far East, 

 and Ave perhaps have read extensively about their resources, physical 

 characteristics, and ])eople, but we have not given sufficient attention 

 to the remarkable position which they occup}' in relation to other lands. 



The maj) of trans-Pacific countries is a most fascinating study. 

 What it reveals is a series of im])ressive facts. From Melbourne, in 

 Australia, on the south, to Vladivostok, (^n the north, is a magnificent 

 coast line which reaches awa}^ for eight or nine thousand miles, and 

 upon which debouch over five hundred millions of peoj)le. Without 

 consulting the maj), we do not always rememljer how closely con- 

 nected Australia is with the continent of Asia. This coast line, of 

 which tlie Philippines are one of the chief outi)OSts, is only broken 

 here and there by very narrow straits, while everywhere it is indented 

 with harbors and bays, upon which, especially in Asia, there are 

 located great cities or commercial entrepots. As we travel up and 

 down from Australia to .Japan we find that the Philii)pines are tlie 

 very ideal center of all these lands that face the Pacific. The more 

 one studies the far East the more is he impressed with the importance 

 of this location with reference particularly to control of the commerce 

 and politics of tlie future. Already the foreign trade of Asia, the 

 East Indies, and Australasia amounts to the grand total of two billion 

 dollars, of which the United States at the present time has a small 

 proportion. That trade, although large in itself, is small in view of 

 the total population of that part of the world, and is yet in the in- 

 fancy of its development and possibilities. If it is two billion dollars 

 now, it will surel}' go on within the near future to three or four bil- 



