The Tagals and Bisayers are the most numerous native races. They dwell in the cities and cultivated lowlands;. 2,500,000 being converts to Roman Catholicism, and a considerable number, especially of the Bisayers, Mohammedan. The mountain dis tricts are inhabited by a negro race, who, in features, stature, and savage mode of living, closely resemble the Alfoors of the ,interior of Papua, and are probably the aborigines driven back before the inroads of the Malays. A few of the negroes are Christian, but they are chiefly idolaters, or without any manifest form of religion. and roaming about in without fixed dwelling. The Mestizos form an influential part of the popu lation; by their activity engrossing the greatest share of the trade. These nit mostly of Chinese fathers and native mothers. Few Spaniards reside in the Philippine islands, and the leading mercantile houses are English and American. The Chinese exercise various trades and callings, remaining only for a time, and never bringing their wives with them. The principal languages are the Tagalese and Bisayan. Rice, sweet-pota toes, fish, flesh, and fruits form the food of the Tagals and Bisayers, who usually drink only water, though sometimes indulging in cocoa-wine. Tobacco is used by all. They are gentle, hospitable, fond of dancing and cock-fighting. • With the exception of two Spanish brigades of artillery and a corps of engineers, the army is composed of natives, and consists of seven regiments of infantry and one of cav alry. There is also a body of Spanish militia in Manila, whom the governor, as com mander of the naval and land forces, may call out in an emergency. The navy has four steamships, one brig. six gunboats, and a great number of feluccas for coast service. Education is far behind, and similar to what it was in Europe during the middle ages. There is an archbishop of Manila; and bishops of New Segovia, Nueva Caceres, and Zebu. Religious processions are the pride of the people, and are formed with great rarade, thousands of persons carrying wax-candles, etc. The natives not only build canoes, but ships of considerable tonnage. They weave various textile fahrics•of silk, cotton, abaca, and very fine shawls and handkerchiefs from the fiber of pine-apple leaves. These are called pines, and often sell for one or two ounces of gold apiece. The piuilian is the finest sort, and is only made to order—one for the queen of Spain costing $500. They work in horn, make silver and gold chains, fine hats and cigar cases of fibers, and beautiful mats of different colors, ornamented with gold and silver. The governor-general is appointed direct from Spain, and resides at Manila. There arc also a lieutenant-governor, governors of provinces, and chiefs of pueblos or townships, who are elected yearly. Acting governors reside also at Zamboange iu Mindanao, and Iloilo in Panay. They are appointed for six years by the governor-general.
It is to be remembered that all the ports of this archipelago, except Surd, Iloilo, Zebu, and Manila, are still closed against foreign vessels. ln 1868, there seemed a gleam of hope that a inure liberal commercial policy would be adopted by Spain for their pos sessions among the Philippine islands. In that year it was decreed that differential ditties should be abolished in April, 1871. They were abolished accordingly, hut only for three months. In July, an order was issued granting importers, under the Spanish flag, of foreign goods, an advantage of of 2.5 per cent. The value of the produce exported from the Philippine islands, in 1871, to Great Britain and her colonies, was $0,422.770. The total exports from the Philippine islands in 1877 were valued at £3,592,900, of which Great Britain got £1,239,000; Australia, £32,800; Straits, and India, £S0,000; Hotig-Kong, L40,000. The imports for 1876 were 432, the duties on which amounted to 71- per cent. on thdir value. The principal exports are sugar, tobacco, cigars, indigo, Manila hemp of Abaca (q.v.), coffee, rice, dye-woods, hides, gold-dust, and bees-wax. Cotton, woolen, and silk goods, agricultural imple ments, watches, jewelry, etc., are imported. British and American merchants do the largest business, the imports from Great Britain being about £1,000,000 per annum.
The Sooloo islands have a population of 150,000; are governed by a sultan, whose capital is Sung, in 66° 1' n. lat., and 120° 55' 51*c. long., who also rules over the great est part of Paragoa, the northern corner only being subject to Spain.
Luzon has a-population of 2,500,000, one-fifth part being independent; the Bissayas Islands, 2.000,000, of whom three-fourths are under Spanish rule, The population of Panay amounts to 750,000, and that of Zebu to 150,000. Of the numbers in Mindanao nothing, is known; the districts of Zamboanga,..Misamis, and Caragan, with 100,000 inhabitants, being all that is subject to Spain. The greater part of the island is under the sultan of .Mindanao, resident at Selanga, in 7* 9' n. tat. and 124° 38' e. long., who, with his feudatory chiefs, can bring together an army of 100,060 men. lie is on friendly terms with the Spaniards. Ilesides Manila, there are very many large and important cities, especially in Luzon, Panay, and Zebu. The great centers of trade are Manila in Luzon, and Iloilo in Panay.
The Philippine islands were discovered in 1521 by Magellan, who, after visiting Mindanao, sailed to Zebu, where, taking part with the king in a war, he was wounded, and died at Madan, April 26, 1521. Some years later the Spanish court sent an expedi tion under Villabos, who named the islands in honor of the prince of Asturias, after wards Phillip II. For sonic time the chief Spanish settlement was on Zebu; hut iu 1581 Manila was built, and has since continued to be the seat of government.