42 THE ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE PHILIPPINES 



seams were found about 7 miles from the coast, near Com postela, 

 where Don Isaac Con-ui worked the Caridad and Esperanza 

 collieries in a small way. In Albay, one mile southeast of the 

 small harbor of Sugod, is one of the most extensive of the many 

 seams which have been found in Albay. It is 5 or 6 yards deep 

 and runs for a long distance. From this mine, from different 

 places over a distance of a mile or more, 130 tons of coal were 

 dug and practically tested on some steamers. According to the 

 reports of the man-of-war Berenguela and the steamships BiUuan 

 and Carregidor, which experimented with the coal, the latter 

 resembles that of Australia, with the advantage of being less 

 bituminous. This is in agreement with the scientific analyses 

 and trials of the coal made in Madrid. Small workings were 

 begun, but exploitation corresponding to the value of the coal 

 fields could not be looked for, as with the fickle government and 

 administrative mismanagement, capitalists feared to finance such 

 undertakings. Especially were foreigners subjected by the gov- 

 ernment to every possible hindrance, so that a profitable return 

 seemed questionable and the capital invested in danger. The 

 workings were consequently very limited, and up to this day 

 Australia and Japan export coal to Manila — a state of things 

 which, it may be hoped, will soon be changed. 



Iron also has been found in many of the islands. The best is 

 that in Luzon, in the provinces of Morong, Laguna, Bulacan, 

 Nueva Ecija, Pampamga, and Camarines, which, according to 

 Centeno, compares most favorably in quality with that of 

 Sweden. The ore contains from 75 to 80 per cent pure iron, 

 and is found in the midst of immense forests, so that there is 

 thus a permanent supply of fuel, if properly used. In addition 

 to this, there is often water-power in the neighborhood which 

 could be profitably utilized. In the above-mentioned provinces 

 Centeno discovered large masses of almost pure magnetic iron 

 oxide (hierro oxidulado magnetico, casi puro). After what has 

 been said above, it is not surprising that here also there has 

 been no thorough exploitation. In the province of Bulacan 

 the natives manufacture a very primitive iron plowshare and 

 pots for cooking (carahays), but even here there has been a 

 gradual decline since the commencement of this century. 



Copper exists in the provinces of Tayabas, Camarines Sur, 

 and Antique, and on Masbate; the best quality, however, in the 

 district of Lepanto (Luzon), near Mancayan, Suyuc, Bumuan, 

 and Agbao. Here mines were worked by the Compania Canta- 



