SORSOGON, sor-sorgon', Philippines, (1) Pueblo, capital of the province of Sorsogon, Luzon, on Bay of Sorsogon. The bay is 19 miles in length from the town to its entrance and affords one of the best harbors in the Phil ippine Archipelago. Sorsogon is a port of call for steamers from Manila, and has a consider able export trade, particularly in hemp and copra. In 1840 it suffered from an earthquake which lasted almost continuously for 35 days; the churches were destroyed, 17 persons were killed and many injured, and the ground for some distance sank five feet below its former level. Pop. about 15,000. (2) Province of the island of Luzon, situated in the extreme south eastern end of the peninsula of Luzon, bounded on the north by the province and the Bay of Albay, and on the south by San Bernardino Strait, length from northwest to southeast 47 miles; greatest width, 40 miles; area, 755 square miles. The coast line is very irregular; on the northwest coast is the deep indentation of the Bay of Sorsogon; and on the northeast coast Sogod Bay, an arm of Albay Gulf ; from the extreme northeast shore of the Bay of Sorso gon to the nearest waters of Sogod Bay the distance is but three miles. The mountain sys tem of the province includes a range in the north, forming the boundary line with Albay and another range extending from northeast to southwest, forming the central watershed, but nearer the east coast than the west. In this
range is the active volcano of Bulusan, visible for 60 miles at sea. The largest river of the province rises on the western slopes of Bulu san; there are many small tributary streams. There are comparatively few highways, one road connecting Sorsogon with Bacon on the opposite coast. There are several trails, and much coastwise trade in native canoes. The staple products of Sorsogon are hemp and copra (a product of the cocoanut, the form for shipment to be made into oil), and large quan tities of both are exported. Native textiles, cordage, etc., are manufactured from the hemp; and the cultivation and manufacture of hemp, and the cultivation of the cocoanut are the principal industries. Sorsogon was formerly a district of the province of Albay, and in 1901 was created a province a_.d placed tinder civil government in accordance with the provision of the law of the Philippine Commission. Pop. about 130,000.