Page:Atlas de Filipinas.djvu/5

4 GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITS OF THE PHILIPPINES.

The Philippine Archipelago was ceded to the United States by treaty signed at Paris December 10, 1898.

The cession includes the islands in the geographical limits set forth by the wording of the treaty as follows:

A line running east along or near the twentieth parallel of north latitude, and through the middle of the navigable channel of Bachi, from the one hundred and eighteenth (118th) to the one hundred and twenty-seventh (127th) degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich; thence along the one hundred and twenty-seventh (127th) degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich to the parallel of four degrees and forty-five minutes (4° 45′) north latitude; thence along the parallel of four degrees and forty-five minutes (4° 45′) north latitude to its intersection with the meridian of longitude one hundred and nineteen degrees and thirty-five minutes (119° 35′) east of Greenwich; thence along the meridian of longitude one hundred and nineteen degrees and thirty-five minutes (119° 35′) east of Greenwich to the parallel of latitude seven degrees and forty minutes (7° 40′) north; thence along the parallel of latitude seven degrees and forty minutes (7° 40′) to its intersection with the one hundred and sixteenth (116th) degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich; thence by a direct line to the intersection of the tenth (10th) degree parallel of north latitude with the one hundred and eighteenth (118th) degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich, and thence along the one hundred and eighteenth (118th) degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich to the point of beginning.

In the description of the northern limits the line through the navigable channel of Bachi governs as against the statement that it shall follow along or near the twentieth parallel of north latitude.

LONGITUDE AND DATE.

The cathedral in Manila is in north latitude 14° 35′ 31″ and in longitude 120° 58′ 03″, or 8h 03m 52.2s east of Greenwich or 10h 47m 55.6s west of Washington.

Spanish maps, as a rule, reckon the longitude from the meridian of San Fernando, which is 6° 12′ 20″ west of Greenwich.

The date reckoning now conforms to European usage. Prior to 1845, however, there was a difference of one day. The change was made by suppressing the date following December 30, 1844, which would have been Tuesday, and calling it Wednesday, January 1, 1845.

PHYSIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES.

The geographic and physiographic features of the archipelago are shown as far as they are known on the accompanying maps, and therefore require no textual interpretation, and the purpose of this publication forbids verbal generalizations. Attention may, however, be called to the seismic map showing regional frequency of earthquakes, and to the map showing the positions of the numerous active and inactive volcanoes. These are based on data collected by the seismic meteorological service established in Manila since 1884. Numerous and destructive earthquakes have occurred in the islands; the earliest recorded took place in 1616, while the most recent was the destructive eruption of Mayon in 1897.

It is believed that the names given on these maps will serve as a standard of reference and that the maps will be for some time to come the base maps for representing graphically the results of the inquiries into the varied resources, and the political, social, and climatic conditions of the islands.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.

The Philippines are said to be of inexhaustible fertility. All tropical fruits flourish there and hemp, sugar, and tobacco, are the principal articles of export.

MINERAL RESOURCES.

The reported mineral resources are sketched in the appended table taken from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey:

NUMBER OF THE ISLANDS.

Many different statements have been made in regard to the number of the islands composing the archipelago. The cause for this must be attributed to the scale of the charts on which the count was made and the difficulty of distinguishing between rocks and formations of sufficient area to dignify them by the name of islands. Thus on a small-scale Spanish chart of the entire group 948 islands were counted; on various large-scale charts of the same area there were found 1,725.

The principal islands, with the extent of shore line of some of them and their area, are given on the following lists. The areas were carefully measured, but are subject to the inaccuracy of the charts.