Luzon,
The principal and most northerly island of the Philippine group; between the
Chinese Sea and the
Pacific Ocean and lat. 12° 30′ and 18° 40′ N. and long.
119° 45′ and 124° 10′ E.; area, 44,400 square miles; population, estimated by the
United States military authorities in 1898, 3,426,000.
It comprises the portion of the
Philippine Islands with which
Americans are most familiar because of the initial naval operations in
Manila Bay and the subsequent movements of United States troops against the Filipino insurgents.
The surface of the island is to a large extent mountainous, showing volcanic formations, and there are also vast tracts of swampy land which greatly embarrassed the
American military authorities in their pursuit of
Aguinaldo.
The island is rich in economic productions, and there are also indications of mineral resources of large value that are awaiting intelligent development.
These include gold, coal, copper, lead, iron, sulphur, marble, and kaolin.
In agriculture
Luzon and Mindoro, separated from it by
San Bernardino Strait, yield crops of rice and corn, an amount usually inadequate for home consumption.
The best quality and largest amount of tobacco is grown on
Luzon, and in the southern portion of the island hemp and cocoanut are cultivated extensively.
There is a large internal commerce between
Manila and the different islands in the group, carried on
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almost exclusively by water.
At the time of the cession of the islands to the
United States there was but a single line of railway, built by English capital, and extending from
Manila north to Dagupan, about half the distance between the extreme northern and southern extremities of the island.
The roads in the immediate vicinity of
Manila are macadamized and generally in good condition; elsewhere they are of dirt, and become almost impassable in the rainy season.
The different provinces of the island are connected with
Manila by telegraph lines, and there are cables from that city to the southern islands in the group and also to
Borneo,
Singapore, and
Hong-Kong.
Manila has a street railway, a telephone service and electric lights.
Since the occupation of the island by the
United States the work of modernizing the various public activities has progressed with much success, and with a rapidity surprising in view of the natural and artificial obstacles.
The Philippine Commission appointed by
President McKinley became the legislative body of the archipelago on Sept. 1, 1900, with power to take and appropriate insular moneys; to establish judicial and educational systems; and to make and execute all laws necessary to Americanize the archipelago.
The early results of this new governing body were seen in the establishment of new school laws; in the organization of a competent judiciary; in the improvement in the different provinces of
Luzon, as well as in the other islands of the group.
In no field has the new order of things worked so quickly and beneficially as in the educational.
The new public school law is modelled on the methods pursued in the
United States.
The
general superintendent of education is
Dr. F. W. Atkinson, and a considerable number of teachers are, like him, from the
United States.
The native youth are very quick to learn, and, at the close of 1900, there were thirty-six public schools in
Manila alone, under the superintendence of
Rev. George P. Anderson.
On June 29, 1900, a college of primary and secondary education was opened in
Manila, being the first educational enterprise in the Philippines that was not under the control of the priests, and that depended for support on voluntary contributions.
Over 500 pupils were enrolled at the opening.
During the calendar year 1899 the imports of merchandise at the port of
Manila alone aggregated $17,450,412, and, with gold and
silver coin, $18,701,469.
