May 1, 1902.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
737 
will be connected, The fair will thus be 
within easy reach at small cost, whether iu 
money or exertion. 
The plan and scope adopted contemplate 
"the presentation of manufacturing indus- 
tries in actual conduct as well as of th« 
machinery out of action ; the exhibition of 
processes as well as of completed products." 
As many novel features as possible will be 
shown, but nothing will be sacrificed to them. 
As it has larger capital resources than any 
previous exhibition, its managers have pro- 
cured the best and most experienced men 
available, and are themselves working with 
much spirit. In addition to the amount al- 
ready mentioned it is estimated that the 
rarious States will appropriate sums ranging 
from $50,000 to $1,000,000 each, so that these 
sums will aggregate about two-thirds of the 
capital sum. Foreign Governments, which 
spent about .$6,000,000 at Chicago, are ex- 
pected to do as well at St. Louis. It is esti- 
mated that the public money drawn from all 
sources, together with that raised by the St. 
Louis subscribers, will reach about 130,000,000. 
Work is going forward as rapidly as is 
possible in the formative period of an under- 
taking of such magnitude. Buildings and 
sewage systems are under contract, Lakes 
and other landscape features are in course 
of construction, and branch railways are sur- 
veyed. Invitations have been extended to 
all foreign countries, and many of them— 
about 12 or 15, including Prance and Japan 
—have been accepted. Diplomatists are in 
negotiation with Governments, representa- 
tives are busy over new schemes, and exhibit 
agents are devising plans in every part of 
the world. Among novel features a balloon 
tournament has been provided for, upon which 
it is proposed to spend $200,000 in expenses 
and prizes. Congresses, drawing their dele- 
gates from all over the world, are being 
arranged, and patriotic, religious and social 
bodies are preparing to hold conventions or 
to make exhibits. Energy and bustle, with 
a desire to rival or excel all previous efforts 
in this line, are everywhere evident. 
As a part of the work, and from a desire 
to interest visitors and exhibitoi's from the 
United Kingdom, offices have been opened 
at Sanctuary-house, Tothill street, Westmins- 
ter, S.W. The representative is Mr. George 
F Parker, formerly United States Consul in 
Birmingham.—London Times, March 13. 
PHILIPPINES : THE FAVOURED LAND. 
Luzon, on which Manila is located, contains 
an area of 47,238 square miles, which is nearly 
2,000 square miles larger than Pennsylvania and 
3,000 square miles larger than Ohio. It j ossesses 
millions of acres of land awaiting the coming of 
the American husbandman. Its minerals com- 
prise coal, gold, lead, copper, iron, sulphur, mar- 
ble and kaolin. 
The area of the Island of Mindanao is 36,237 
square miles. This island alone possesses enough 
wealth when utilized to make it a world power. 
On the gulf of Sibuguey there are practically in- 
exhaustive deposits of coal ; in Cagayan de 
Misamis and Surigao, ns well as on the head- 
waters of the Rio de Grande, gold is found, while 
copper in large quantities abound. 
Of several of tke larger and more prominent 
islands very little outside of their fertility is 
known. This is true of Negros, with an area of 
4,854 square miles, Parag-ia 3,937 square miles 
and Mindoro 3,972 square miles. 
The combined area of these three islands is 
12,763 square miles. The comhined area of the 
Hawaiian group is 6,740 square miles. The esti- 
mated value of the sugar crop of Hawaii this 
year is placed at !$28,000,000. What would be 
the estimated value of the su;:ar crop and other 
crops of Negros, Paragua and Mindoro, possessing 
nearly double the area of Hawaii, if the soil were 
cultivated by American intelligence ? 
The area of other islands of destined importance 
is as follows : — Samar 5,040 square miles, Panay 
4,708, Leyte 2,713, Cebu 1,742. Bohol 1,439, 
Masbate 1,290. Each of these islands is teeming 
in riches. Each possesses vast areas of timber, 
agricultural and mineral lands, which make ex- 
aggeration puny in describing,— 7I/o?M7rt Volcmto, 
Maich 8. 
COMPETITION OF INDIAN COAL 
IN CEYLON. 
In view of the fact that Colombo is one of, if not 
the most important British coaliog station in the 
East, it is somewhat disconcerting to find that Ceylon 
is becoming so large a user of Indian coal. Thia 
008,1 imported into Ceylon is drawn from Bengal 
and the quantities imported since 1894, according to' 
Prof. W R Dunstan's report to the Society of Arts 
have been as follows : — ' 
Tons. 
1894 ... .. ., 61,586 
1895 ... .. 47,566 
1896 ... .. .; 67,417 
1897 ... ... .. 105,213 
1898 ... .. .. 213,852 
1899 .. ... ... 163,908 
1900 .. ,. ... 335,346 
1901 (For 9 months, Jan. 1 Sept. 30) 260,869 
Prom this it appears that the tonnage is increasing 
rapidly, the greater part being for the supply of 
steamers callim? at Colombo ; but about 40,000 tona 
a year are now being consumed on the Ceylon Govern- 
ment Railway. 
The chemical analysis of some well-known Bengal 
coal is as follows : — 
Per Cent. 
65-75 
Carbon fixed 
Volatile matter 
Ash 
Moisture 
26-05 
6-55 
1-65 
10000 
The objections to Indian coal as compared to Welsh 
coal are that the former leaves more ash, and conse- 
quently about 25 per cent more is required to 
accomplish the same amount of evaporative work 
but steamers are finding it so much cheaper than 
Welsh coal that it is being more largely used every 
year, and there is every likelihood of it coming into 
general use for all but mail steamers, which require 
Welsh coal on account of the speed required to be 
maintained. Indian coal ia used by industrial 
establishments in Colombo, such as ice factories, the 
electric car generating depot, &c., but the qaantitj 
thus consumed is not large. 
The consumption of Indian coal by steamers ia 
likely to expand rapidly, for, as new steamers are 
built, provision is made for draught in the furnace* 
such as will admit of its being used more generally ; 
and. in a measure, this will tend to the displacement 
of Welsh coal. 
