1873O Mineral Riches of the Philippines. 327 



labour is more readily and constantly to be had, there is 

 little hope that foreign speculators will be tempted to 

 adventure such large sums as are indispensable to the 

 successful working of mines.* 



Lignite occurs also in several places, and a good deal of 

 disappointment has been suffered by persons who fancied 

 that in the deposits of this mineral in favourable situations 

 they had fallen upon a true coal. 



The only available building stone in Manila and its 

 vicinity is a species of volcanic tufa, which composes large 

 quarries, from which the whole city has been built. In 

 breaking large masses of this stone, which when fresh 

 quarried is very soft, fossil wood is frequently found im- 

 bedded in it, as well as branches of trees which have not 

 become silicified, and occasionally fragments of charcoal. 



In Cebu and some of the southern islands the coral reefs 

 are resorted to for building materials as well as for lime. 

 Limestone is found only in a few localities, but is much 

 used for the latter purpose. 



Some very pretty marbles are quarried in the island of 

 Romblon, and at various other points handsome varieties 

 are found which are now worked in Manila for church fonts, 

 " sepulchral tablets," and ornamental purposes. 



Good samples of gypsum (which are accompanied by the 

 anhydrous variety) are found in the Province of Butangas, 

 and large quantities of a fine kaolin are produced by 

 washing the debris of certain decomposed rocks which are 

 common in many places. The only use to which this 

 valuable material is applied is for the preparation of a fine 

 whitewash for interiors. A cold spring near Bay affords 

 splendid specimens of a siliceous deposit, which invests 

 twigs, leaves, &c, which fall into the water. At Tibi, in 

 Albay, the thermal springs also deposit silex, and some 

 of the specimens brought thence are very remarkable. 

 The water of these springs is hot enough to cook an egg 

 in a few minutes. On the lake of Bay are others which, 

 however, do not leave any notable deposit. 



In the foregoing account of the mineral productions of 

 the Philippine group, I have avoided as much as possible 

 any attempt at geological description of the localities, from 

 the fadt. that I have visited some of them only and in too 



* The jealous feeling which so long excluded foreign enterprise from Spain 

 and her colonies, and the indifference which prevented the Spaniards them- 

 selves from profiting by the riches within their grasp, is beginning to give 

 way at last. How disgusting it must be to them to recoiled that when 

 masters of California they thought it good for nothing but a pasture for 

 cattle. 



