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I ! II i . V .-J B'v ! II i HI 11 ♦■r * ■ mis MANILA AND THE PHILIPPINES. Interesting Information About This Great Archi pelago (Tver Which Our Flag Now Floats. LL authoritieR agree that the Thilippine Isl ands constitute one of the greatest archi pelagoes of the world. They lie in the north tropic zone and separate the South China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The eastern shore of the prin cipal island is ubo^t ftOO miles east of Hong Kong; it is the largest and most northern great island of the group—a group which, extending from live de- 8 bfJ, w KSev /- r. TlfPES pr MANILA VOLUNTEERS. These are business men of Manila, who volunteered to defend the capital against the Insurgents. grees to twenty degrees north latitude, •nd over a longitude of ten degrees to 117 degrees east of Greenwich, covers • north and south line of 1050 miles, •nd an oast and west line of about 700 miles. It is estimated that this group com prises 1400 islands, of which by far the larger part are mere islets. They are of coral ard volcanic formation, the latter often haring tremendous •ruptious. The largest of them are Luzon, on the north, of nearly 41,000 '"-Vv .DinIL nv A SCENE IN ARSENAL STREET, MANILA. •qnare miles area, and Mindanao, on the southeast, having an area of 37,450 flquare miles. The total area is com puted at 114,000 square miles. The chief seaport of the group is Manila, overlooking a capacious bay on tbe southwest shore of Luzon. The other chief ports aro Iloilo and Cebu, on the islands of the same name, iuthe central part of the archi pelago. There are half a dozen other islands in the central and western part of the group, the areas of which range from that of Rhode Island to that of Con necticut. They are inhabited, ,in round numbers, by about 8,000,000 people, of whom a dwarfed race of j Negritos, now driven into the moun tains and interior lands, seem to be the descendants of the aborigines. The bulk of the population is Malayan, of whom there are numerous tribes; the dirtiest ami most pagan is known ns the Igorrotes, and yet they display exemplary qualities. They are one of the most important mountain tribes of Luzon and are among the population who virtually escape omnivorous Spanish taxation. They are good farmers, laying out terraced fields on the mountains, constructing irrigation canals and having a considerable rep utation as metallurgists. Their do mestic morality is favorably iu contrast with that of their neighbors. Another element of the population are the Chinese and their Mestizos, or descendants of mixed Siuitic and native blood. There is scarcely a community on these islands where the Chinese are not found. Petty trade and banking are almost entirely in their hands. Europeans and their descendants are not numerous here, alttiough there is • considerable breed of half-castes, derived from European fathers. It was not nntil the close of the six teenth century that the archipelago passed under Spanish domination, dur ing the reign of Philip II. About the middle of the century an expedition eailed from Mexico iu five ships, but Accomplished little. In 1566 Hon Miguel Lopez de Legazpi reached the islands and /ouuded a Spanish settle ment at the town of Cebu, and it is in bis correspondence that the name of Philippine Islands ia first recorded. Jt was given .in honor of bis sovereign. of the thermometer during the year is from a little over sixty degrees to about ninety. The year may bo di vided into three seasons; the first, cold and dry, commences in Novem ber; tbe second, warm but still day, commences in March, the greatest heat being experienced from April to the end of May, and the third, which is excessively wet, continues from June to the middle of November. Generally speaking, tbe natives are mild aud amiable, predisposed to re ligious observances, extremly super stitious and very hospitable. Those of Ratangas, Cagayan aud Southern Ilocos are better and more industrious la borers than those of the other prov inces. During their youth they work with energy and a certain mental vigor, but ou reaching more advanced age lapse into indolence, which is one of their greatest defects. The women are averse to idleness, have a spirit of enterprise and often Manila and America had been left free, was interrupted and at times almost completely stopped by absurd restric tions devised to secure to Spain a monopoly of the American trade. For Under this monarch an ecclesiastical organization, principally of monastic orders, was established. 9 The history of these islands during the nineteenth century has been one of oppression, restrictions on com merce and ferocious taxation, in which the ecclesiastics nsed their influence for the support of the Spanish sov ereignty. The last revolt broke out iu 1896. The conspiracy was discov ered before the day appointed for the fining, and the plans of the insurrec tionists were disconcerted. Yet when the authorities proceeded to arrest those known to be involved the rebels mustered iu force, amounting to sev eral thousand, but were dispersed when they offered battle iu the neigh- borhood of Manila. The insurgents established themselves in the province of Cavite, ou the south shore of Manila Hay, eight miles southwest of the port of Manila, aud h«ld it until the arri val of 25,000 reinforcements from Spain and of a considerable naval fleet, which enabled the government to suppress them. Here was the scene of the bat tle of tbe 1st of May, 1898, between tbe American Commodore Dewey, with seven vessels of war and two transports, and the Spanish Admiral Montijo, with ten armored vessels, iu which the latter was disastrously de feated. Iu the inaccessible mountainous parts of the islands there are still un subdued savages. In tbe last census returns the number of natives not sub jected to the civil government and paying no tribute is given as 602j853, while tbe number of natives paying tribute is returned as 5,501,356. “The latest records of the Philadel phia commercial museum furnish these statistics; The public revenue of the island is almut 85,000,000, of which the larger part is raised from direct taxes, poll taxes, customs, monopolies and lot teries. The chief articles of produce are sugar, hemp, tobacco, coffee aud copra. The foreign trade is confined to the ports of Manila, Iloilo, Cebu and Jamboanga. The climate of the Philippines varies little from that of other moun tainous tropical countries. The range The names given to the thirteen ves l sels were Boston, Congress, Effing- ham, Delaware, Hancock, Montgom 1 • ery, Raleigh, Trumbull, Virginia, Er i-' Warren, Washington and Randolph. A rillLUTINn MALAY BEAUTY. rniLIPPINB NATIVES. engage in various trades with suc cess. They are economical and sac rifice themselves cheerfully for those to whom they are attached. Before the days of Spanish rule there was considerable commercial in tercourse between .the Philippines and China and Japan, bat this, which would naturally have developed onop- monaly if the Spanish',trade between a long period only a single galleon, and that under government super vision, was allowed to proceed yearly from Manila to Acapulco, the Value*)! the cargo each way being restricted within a prescribed sum. Direct trade from Europe via the Cape of Good Hope commenced in 1764; but, as if the exclusion from it of all but Spanish ships was not sufficient, in 1785 a mouopoly of this commerce was bestowed ou the Royal Company of the Philippines. With tbe close of the eighteenth century a certain amount of liberty began to be conced ed to foreign vessels. Tbe first Eng' lish commerciaj house was establishei iu Manila in 1809, and in 1834 th monopoly of the Royal Company Oj pi red. Manila remained the only p for foreign trade till 1842, when Cebu was also opened. Jamboanga (Minf danao), Iloilo (Pauay), Snal (Luzon)] Legazpi or Albany (Luzon) and Ti cloban (Leyte) are now in the sai category, but only Manila, Iloilo ani Cebu have proved of real importance, as they are the only ports where for eign-bound vessels have hitheito load ed. The exports from the United States to the Philippines have always been very insignificant, although our im ports from the islands have often reached large proportions. Tbe prin cipal articles exported from this coun try to tbe Philippines are flour, petrol eum, leather goods, iron and steel, etc. Imports from the Philipiues are chiefly sugar and hemp. The foreign trade of the Philippin has always been subject to great flqc Illations. The insecurity arising der the Spanish administration, the consequent di£satisfaction of native population, together with co iWht’<r nwr^tn^ -’trA nr rente nV/Tuyli prevented these islands from develop - ing the riches with which nature has bountifully endowed them. Gold, sulphur and large deposits of excellenf steaming coal aro widely distribute over the country, and an iutelligen government, coupled with enterpris in business and humanity of spirit] could rapidly turn this fertile regio into a source of great wealth for manl kind. Wltrli Wreaths. A remarkable object illustrating a popular survival of tbe belief in witch craft has just been presented to the museum of the University of Pennsyl vania by Professor William Romaine Newbold. It consists of a matted ring of chicken feathers, about three inches iu diameter, described as a “witch wreath.” It was secured by Dr. George B. Kline, of Pittsburg, who gave it to Dr. Newbold, wlio trans ferred it to the museum. A resident of Pittsburg who liadj been ill for several years, died in July, 1897. During his last illness, extend-. ing over several months, he would frequently throw his pillow away, say ing: “There is something in that pil low that hurts my head.” His wife said that this was impossible, as she had gathered the feathers and made the pillow herself a few years before. Some days after her husband’s death the wid jw claimed that something' seemed to say to her, “Look at the pillow. •’ Upon opening the pillow she found this object within it. When questioned closely she declared that the sewing was hers, and that it showed no signs of having been tarn- , pered with. The neighbors believe in tbe woman’s truthfulness. Dr. Kline writes that a similar wreath was found in the pillow of a six-year-old child who died of the same disease and about tbe same time as tbe above-mentioned patient. This was burned by the witch doctor with out Dr. Kline seeing it, hut he is in formed that it was precisely like this one. By inquiry Dr. Kline learned of four or five other families who were said to have found witch wreaths in their pillows,, and who ascribe to their presence cases of illness iu their families. It appears that a belief in the evil efforts of witch w reaths is extremely common in parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey among the descendants of German settlers, and it used to be customary to put a Bible under the pillow to prevent their forming. Philadelphia Press. Diamond Combustion. No one can tell where the diamond goes to in combustion. Burn it, and it leaves no ash; the flame is exterior, like that of a cork, and w^n it has blazed itself out there remains not even so much as would dost the an tenna) of a butterfly. There are forty varieties of the to bacco plant *• Brilliant Achievement* oi Admiral Kieklel Hopkin*. The outbreak of the Revolutionary War foupd the patriots without a navy. Congress had to create one. Font merchantmen were first purchased, hastily equipped with gnns and sent to sea as cruisers; bat their defects as War vessels soon became so apparent that Congress determined at once to •et about the building of a navy. Ou October 3, 1775, Congress ordered two cruisers built; and on December 13 the order was increased to five 32- gun ships, five 28-gun ships and tlpree 24-gun ships. They were to be ready for the sea by the following April. These were the first war vessels con structed in the United States. The first Commander-in-Chief was Ezekiel Hopkins, of Rhode Island, a younger brother of Congressman Stephens Hopkins. Ho was appointed to this high office on December 22, 1775. In a short time n fleet of four ships aud three &loops was ready, aud w ith jthese Admiral Hopkins set out to win glory for himself and country. Among his lieutenants was the famous John Paul Jones, who was, probably, the most brilliant aud daring naval officer of the wars with England. The Bahama Islands in the West Indies were then au English colony, with New Providence as their princi pal seaport and seat of government; ADMIRAL EZEKIEL HOPKINS. and hither tbe new Admiral sailed the new navy. He attacked the city, cap tured the harbor fort aud town, and brought back with him to America the English Governor as a prisoner, eighty cannons and a very large quantity of ammunition and military stares. This brilliant achievement was a godsend to the disheartened and impoverished p&ttiots. Soon after his return from the Baha mas he met two English ships off Block Island, and captured both of them. Two days later he had an en gagement with the English twenty- nine-gnn ship Glasgow, but did not succeed in capturing it. Ezekiel Hopkins in 1777 equipped a fast and powerful privateer and again went to sea. He sailed to the East Indies, where his daring and skill found rich rewards. During one cruise he captured a sufficient number of rich English merchautmen to cause his profits to foot up over 81,000,000. At another time he fell iu with a largo fleet of English merchantmen pro tected by a man-of-war. He boldly joined the fleet, aud every night cut out and captured a vessel, until he had sent ten home and could spare uo more men from his crew-. He became the most successful and daring of all the American privateersmen. When the war ended he returned to Rhode Island, and became one of her cjost prominent and busy citizens. VoMon Common's Gates. Massive ornamental iron gates, which were never closed, and the posts supporting them and bearing tall lanterns, all of which have stood for years at one of the entrances to .Boston Common and now have given way because of the subway excava tions, are to be re-erected at tbe en trance to the site of the Confederate military prison at Andersonville, Ga. When originally placed the gates were “dedicated” by Governor John A. Andrew, of Massachusetts. First Itun on a Bank. The firsl “run” on banking insti- tntions in London was in 1667. Many Lombard street goldsmiths and bank ers had lent out the money intrusted to them, and being called upon for payment, were unable to meet the de mand. A crowd of creditors and others assembled and a riot followed, in which four bankers were hanged at their own doors before order coaid be restored and the angry creditors per suaded that they were not being swin dled. _ Origin of Infantry. The term “infantry” soldiers origi nated with the Spanish, and was first applied to the military force employed by an infante, or young prince of Sjiain, to rescue his father from th« Moors. Strpclillilren. THE REALM OF FASHION. mm Two Attractive Stock*. To make a very fhowy taffeta stock get one yard of taffeta to match your gown. Cut it iu two strips length wise and sew the ends together. Line throughout with white ribbon. Upon A TAFFETA STOCK. EOBIN RED BREAST STOCK. the ends sew white needlework em broidery, or if you choose you cau procure fringe or chiffon ruffling. A standing collar must be worn with this stock, which is tied around the neck. Tie in one loop and two ends, and pull the loop through until it hangs almost as long as tho short end. This will be found very useful all summer to wear w ith the gown it matches. “Any color at all as long as it’s red, is the color that suits me best,” sang Eugene Field. And tbe same theme is echoed by many tastefully dressed women who find no toilet complete without a touch of the robin red breast hne. The most brilliant scarlet satin is used in neckwear, and you can scarcely have too many or too vivid combinations. One of the showiest of these consists of a plain red satin The skirt is cut in seven gores and fits smoothly across the front and over the hips, all the fulness at th® back being lail in deep plaiting to give the fan effect. The rever which make the only trimming, is attached to the left front seam and lays over smoothly upon the cloth. To cat this waist for a lady of medium size 2J yards of material forty-fonr inches wide will be re quired. To cut the skirt, which meas ures four yards at the lower edge, five yards of forty-four inch material will be required. Gingerbread For Soldier*. The women who have been wanting to do someting to help or comfort the men in camp will be glad to learn with what enthusiasm the efforts <£ the women of Topeka, Kan., in this direction were received by the volun teers stationed there. An immense quantity of gingerbred was baked by private individuals and sent to tbe camp. Each soldier was given a loaf of it, and their appreciation of this gift from the women of Topeka was loudly expressed. Prudent Advice. A lofty young person who manages to keep above tbe maelstrom of cur rent events wrote to a city friend tho other day; “Do give me a suggestion for a costume for a Spanish gypsy. We are going to have a fancy dress ball.” The city friend wrote back: “The safest costume for a Spanish gypsy to wear just at present would be one made of cast iron, spangled with steel.” Pocket Bible* In War. Every girl should give her soldier boy sweetheart a pocket Bible to carry in his vest pocket. Statistics gathered from religious periodicals and women’s magazines will show that fully half the bullets fired in the late war were WAIST WITH BLOUSE FRONT AND SEVEN GORED SKIRT WITH BEYERS. stock with a red satin bow in front. Back of the silk loops are three showy loops of white embroidery with a bright red satin bow to set them off. At the back there is another red satin bow, backed by white embroidered ends. A Striking Feature of the Season. Two striking features of the sea son’s styles are delineated in the large engraving in this handsome costume of Hussar blue glove cloth, viz., the blouse with revers that cross in surplice fashion, and the single rever on skirt meeting right rever on waist to give the desired princess effect. The revers of white satin are over laid with lace net, gathered frills of soft blue taffeta finishing the edges. The blouse fronts are gracefully dis posed over linings fitted with the usual bust darts, the seamless side back and under arm gores rendering a glove fitting adjustment. The stylish two-seamed sleeves are formed in puffs by gathers at the top, and three downward turning fplaits at each edge of the upper portion, small round cuffs that correspond with the revers finishing the wrists. A full plastron and collar of taffeta closes in centre back, allowing to advantage the four-in-hand tie of white mous- aeiine here worn. The belt droops slightly in front, closing at the left side with a mother of pearl buckle. Smooth faced clothes, amnre, hen- rietta, cashmere, serge, plain or mixed light weight cheviots, or novelty fabrics in silk or wool, will all de velop stylishly by the mode, contrast ing fabrics such as silk, velvet, etc.; braid, applique or any desired deco*- at : on being used for cuffs turned aside from the heart of the man shot at by a pocket Bible given him by his weeping sweetheart or his mother. The New Button*. The new buttons are almost hand some enough to be nsed for brooches and promise to be one of the foremost dress garnitures. Buckles in all metals from gold to steel, and in all sizes from a very diminutive one to five inches long, are a perfect craze. How to U*e Independent Tro»se*. How to use independent tresses without detection is one of the accom plishments most coveted by women. In this picture is presented a comb with hair attached, which comes as near reaching the desired end as any- thing yet devised. The hair can be IfiTW AIDS TO HAIR DRESSING. an ’* n £>®<l in a moment in any mann desired without the least chance detection, the chief virtue of the r to graceful coiffure being i simplicity.