COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



30 L 



will also afford a most interesting study to the anthropologist, 

 and it ought to be made before the record of the daily life, the 

 thoughts, and the ideals of these harmless and simple children 

 of nature has been forever blotted out by the encroachment of 

 that new order of things which is sure to follow when the blight 

 of Spanish domination is finally removed from the islands. 



OLD FORT, WITH .CHURCH INSIDE — CULION ISLAND 



COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



During the year 1896 the total foreign commerce of the Philip- 

 pine islands amounted to $30,806,250, the exports amounting to 

 $20,175,000 and the imports to $10,631,250. Of the total foreign 

 trade, that with the United Kingdom amounted to $9,934,590, 

 that with the United States to $5,145,303, that with France to 

 $3,782,800, with Japan to $1,486,691, with Germany to $968,628, 

 and with other countries, including Spain, to $9,488,238. 



The ratio of imports to exports, among these different coun- 

 tries, varied in a very striking and highly significant way. While 

 the United States purchased 4,982,857 dollars' worth, or 24.6 per 

 cent, of the exported products of the islands, she sold to them 



