Miscellaneous. 



122 



[Pas. 1907. 



AVERAGE DEATH RATE. 



Philippines period 13 years ... ... 317 per thousand 



Ceylon ... ... ... ... 27'6 ,, ,, 



Japan ... ... ... ... 20'6 ,, ,, 



Bombay ... ... ... ... 53*0 ,, ,, 



Madras ... ... ... ... 22 „ „ 



The most important crops in the Islands at the present time are Manila 

 hemp, sugarcane, tobacco, coconuts, rice, etc., A large quantity of these products 

 is shipped to foreign ports each year. 



Communications.— The principal markets are Hongkong, Singapore, Borneo, 

 Australia, San Francisco. Throughout the Islands there are numerous large and 

 small streams, so that water transportation is an easy matter. Inter-island 

 steamers, of which there are a large number, carry the various products to the 

 main shipping centres Manila, Cebu, Ilo-Ilo, Zamboanga etc. 



There are over 200 miles of railroads in the Island of Luzon at the present 

 time and the Government has recently let a contract for the construction of 400 

 additional miles, to be completed in 4 years; in the Islands of Luzon, Cebu 

 and Negros. 



Manila, which has recently been declared a free transhipment port, is 

 connected by direct steamship lines with all the large trading centres of the 

 Orient, e.g., Hongkong, Japan, Singapore, Borneo, Australia and also with San 

 Francisco, Hawaii and Guam. 



Labour.— The usual labour problems common to the East are met with in 

 the Islands, Labour is fairly plentiful and of a good quality. In order to keep th e 

 workmen on a farm, however, it is necessary to construct small houses nearby 

 and allow the man to bring his family and fighting cocks as, with these missing, 

 a Filipino hardly considers life worth living. 



Wages. — The following is an approximate scale of wages paid in the Islands 

 at the present time (1906.) 



Island of Negros.— Farm-labour 50 to 75 cents U. S. gold per week with 

 food. Lumbering operations 25 cents U. S. gold a day without food. 



Island op Mindoro.— Farm-labour $5/00 gold (U.S.) a month without food. 

 Lumbering 25 to 30 cents U. S. gold a day without food. 



Island of Luzon.— Lumbering 25 to 30 cents U. S. gold a day. 



Island of Mindanao.— Farm-labour 55 to 30 cents U. S. gold a day without 

 food. Lumbering 20 to 40 cents U. S. gold per day without food. 



N. B.— Lumbering— Men engaged in felling trees and working around 

 sawmill. 



Rubber Cultivation,— The cultivation of rubber has been taken up on a 

 small scale within the past year, largely in the Island of Mindanao. Small lots 

 of rubber were also planted in the vicinity of Manila previous to this date. Much 

 of the land in Mindoro and Mindanao is well suited to the cultivation of Para, 



Unfortunately the only planting in Mindoro was done during the hot season 

 with disastrous results. 0,000 seedlings Avere set out and left without water or 

 shade with the result that less than 100 of the number lived till the rains came. 



In Mindanao, however, excellent results have been obtained by judiciou s 

 planting. Many of the planters are enthusiastic on the rubber question and it is 

 expected that rapid strides in rubber planting will be made in the next few years. 

 With excellent land, an average rainfall of betweeu 70 and 160 inches and 

 a yearly average temperature of 80' F, rubber should prove a paying investment, 



