Atlas of the Philippine Islands/Introduction

by José María Algué

 

ATLAS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

INTRODUCTION.

ORIGIN OF ATLAS.

Treasury Department.

Office U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Washington, D. C. December, 1899.

Shortly after the Philippine commissioners reached Manila it was learned that a series of maps, covering the more important islands of the archipelago, was being prepared at the Jesuit Observatory under the supervision of the director, Rev. José Algue, S. J.

An inspection of such of the maps as already had been completed satisfied the commission that they were superior to anything hitherto published. It was learned that the Jesuit Fathers planned to make the series quite complete, but that they had no very definite ideas as to when the work would be completed or how the maps would be published eventually.

The commission conceived the idea of securing their cooperation in the preparation of a comprehensive atlas of the archipelago, and with this end in view asked them to submit a tentative list of maps. The request was promptly complied with. After some discussion the series here published was decided upon, and an arrangement was entered into whereby it should be completed and become the property of the commission by August 15. 1899.

It is an interesting fact that the technical work was executed wholly by native Philippine draftsmen. It was carried on under the immediate supervision of Rev. José Algue, S. J., director of the Manila Observatory.

The entire absence of accurate surveys of many of the islands was necessarily a serious drawback, but the Jesuits spared no pains in securing all available data, and verified them by consultation with members of the other religious orders, as well as with old residents, travelers, and explorers. To the admirable work of their own Order is due practically all of our present knowledge of the interior of Mindanao.

While strictly accurate maps can never be prepared until the necessary surveys have been made, it is believed that this atlas fairly represents the present state of geographic knowledge of the Philippine Archipelago, and that it embodies a large amount of new information.

At the suggestion of the Philippine commission and of the Department of State, and in view of its usefulness as a preliminary compilation, it was decided to publish the maps through the agency of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Owing to the contradictions involved in the arbitrary scale and projection of the original drawings, some of the maps were redrawn at the Coast and Geodetic Survey Office. It was also deemed timely to append the statistical information which follows this introduction and to give an interpretation of the conventional signs used on the maps.

Henry S. Pritchett,

Superintendent.

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 8^h 03^m 52.2^s east of Greenwich or 10^h 47^m 55.6^s 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:

Island.	Latitude, north end.		Character of mineral resources.
	°	′
Luzon	18	40	Coal, gold, lead, copper, iron, sulphur, marble, kaolin.
Catanduanes	11	08	Gold.
Marinduque	13	34	Lead, silver.
Mindoro	13	32	Coal, gold, copper.
Cacraray	13	21	Coal.
Batan	13	19	Coal.
Rapu Rapu	13	15	Coal.
Masbate	12	37	Coal, copper.
Romblon	12	37	Marble.
Samar	12	36	Coal, gold.
Sibuyan	12	30	Gold.
Semirara	12	07	Coal.
Panay	11	56	Coal, oil, gas, gold, copper, iron, mercury (?)
Biliran	11	43	Sulphur.
Leyte	11	35	Coal, oil, mercury (?).
Cebu	11	17	Coal, oil, gas, gold, lead, silver, iron.
Negros	11		Coal.
Bohol	10	10	Gold.
Panaon	10	10	Gold.
Mindanao	9	50	Coal, gold, copper, platinum.
Sulu Archipelago	6	30	Pearls.

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.

AREA.

Name.	Square miles.	Square kilo- meters.		Name.	Square miles.	Square kilo- meters.
Babuyan	36	93		Ybayat or Ibayat	22	57
Bagata or Quinalasag	27	70		Ylin	24	62
Balabac	38	98		GROUPS
Basilan	350	907
Batan	21	54		Alabat	76	197
Bantayan	26	67		Jomalig
Bohol	1,439	3,727		Banton	44	114
Bucas	41	106		Simara
Burias	163	422		Romblon
Busuanga	328	850		Daram	41	106
Caluyan	37	96		Buad
Camiguin (Babuyanes group)	54	140		Camotes group:
				Ponson	74	192
Camiguin	71	184		Poro
Catanduanes	680	1,761		Pasijan
Cebu	1,742	4,512		Calaguas group:
Culion	117	303		Tinagua	19	49
Dalupiri	20	53		Guintinua
Dinagat	259	671		Cuyos group:
Dumaran	95	246		Cuyo	28	73
Fuga	21	54		Cugo
Guimaras	176	456		Agutaya
Leyte (Leite)	2,713	7,027		Hamipo
Linapacan	40	104		Bisukei
Luzon	47,238	122,346		Laguan	23	60
Mactan	20	52		Batag
Malhou (Homonhon)	35	91		Limbaucauyan	184	477
Marinduque	287	743		Mesa or Talajit
Masbate	1,290	3,341		Maripipi
Mindanao	36,237	93,854		Balupiri
Mindoro	3,972	10,987		Biliran
Negros	4,854	12,571		Lubang	184	477
Olutanga	71	184		Ambil
Panaon	57	148		Golo
Panay	4,708	12,194		San Miguel	82	212
Panglao	24	62		Batan
Pangutaran	32	85		Cacraray
Paragua or Palawan	3,937	10,197		Rapu Rapu
Polillo	231	598		Tawi Tawi group:
Samal	105	272		Tawi Tawi	183	474
Samar	5,040	13,054		Tabulinga
Sarangani	36	93		Tandubato
Semirara	23	60		Others of the Tawi Tawi group	54	140
Siargao	134	347
Sibuiyan	131	339		Total measured	118,542	307,025
Siquijor	83	215
Sulu or Jolo	241	624		Estimated area of unmeas­ured islands	1,000	2,590
Tablas	250	648
Tacao	94	243		Total area	119,542	309,615

LENGTH OF GENERAL SHORE LINE.

Name.	Statute miles.	Kilo- meters.	Name.	Statute miles.	Kilo- meters.
Bohol	161	259	Mindoro	322	518
Cebu	310	499	Negros	386	621
Jolo Archipelago	858	1,381	Palawan	644	1,036
Catanduanes	126	203	Panay	377	607
Leyte	363	584	Samar	412	663
Luzon	2,144	3,450	Minor islands	3,505	5,641
Masbate	244	393	Total	11,414	18,417
Mindanao	1,592	2,563

POPULATION.

The Philippine Commission has adopted 8,000,000 as the total figure for the population at the present time and consider it a conservative estimate. Baranera, whose figures are believed to be carefully prepared, places the total at 9,000,000. Any estimate of the total population must manifestly depend on the number of inhabitants assigned to the various wild tribes, of which there are no less than 69. The following table, given by the Philippine Commission, shows the names of the several provinces and military districts of the Archipelago, with their capitals, as well as the island in which each is situated, together with their populations.

[C. = civil; P. M. = politico-military.]

Provinces and districts.	Islands where situated.	Provincial capitals.	Designations.	Popula­tion.
Abra	Luzon	Banquet	Province (P. M.)	49,700
Albay	Luzon	Alcay	Province (C.)	148,425
Ambos Camarines	Luzon	Nueva Caceres	do	165,504
Amburayan	Luzon	Alilem	Comandancia (P. M.)	30,150
Apayaos	Luzon	Abulog	do	16,000
Antique	Panay	...	...	114,483
Balabac	Balabac	Balabac	Province (P. M.)	1,100
Baras	Mindanao	Baras	Comandancia (P. M.)	...
Basilan	Basilan	Isabela de Basilan	District (P. M.)	12,000
Bataan	Luzon	Balanga	Province (C.)	52,000
Batanes	Batanes, Saptang, Ibayat, Calayan	Sto. Domingo de Basco	Province (P. M.)	9,475
Batangas	Luzon	Batangas	Province (C.)	312,192
Benguet	Luzon	La Trinidad	Comandancia (P. M.)	15,932
Binatangan	Luzon	Binatangan	do	5,000
Bohol	Bohol	Tagbiláran	Province (P. M.)	248,000
Bongao	Bongao	Bongao	Comandancia (P. M.)	(?)
Bontoc	Luzon	Bontoc	do	14,745
Bulacan	Luzon	Bulacan	Province (C.)	230,000
Burias	Burias	San Pascual	Comandancia (P. M.)	1,753
Butuan	Mindanao	Butuan	do	16,246
Cabugoan	Luzon	Piddig	do	(?)
Cagayan	Luzon	Tuguegarao	Province (C.)	96,357
Calamianes	Calamianes Is.	Cuyo	Province (P. M.)	16,380
	Cuyos Is.
	Linapacan
	Dumaran
	Agutaya
	North Palavan
Capiz	Panay	Capiz	do	128,006
Catanduanes	Catanduanes	Virac	do	35,683
Cavite	Luzon	Cavite	do	132,567
Cayapa	Luzon	Cayapa	Comandancia (P. M.)	1,854
Cebu	Cebu	Cebu	Province (P. M.)	504,076
	Camotes
	Mactan
	Bantayan
Concepcion	Panay	Concepcion	District (P. M.)	19,602
Corregidor	Corregidor	Corregidor	Province (P. M.)	575
Cottabato	Mindanao	Cottabato	District (P. M.)	3,048
Dapitan	Mindanao	Dapitan	Comandancia (P. M.)	12,615
Davao	Mindanao	Davao	District (P. M.)	14,000
Ilocos Norte	Luzon	Laoag	Province (P. M.)	156,700
Ilocos Sur	Luzon	Vigan	Province (C.)	172,836
Iloílo	Panay	Iloílo	Province (P. M.)	427,798
	Guimaras
Infanta	Luzon	Binangonan	Comandancia (P. M.)	10,100
	Polillo
Isabela	Luzon	Iligan	Province (C.)	54,026
Itaves	Luzon	O’Dona	Comandancia (P. M.)	15,208
Iligan	Mindanao	Iligan	(?)	(?)
Laguna	Luzon	Santa Cruz	Province (C.)	177,000
Lanao	Leyte	Marahui	District (P. M.)	(?)
	Mindanao
	Panaon
Lepanto	Luzon	Cervantes	Comandancia (P. M.)	16,160
Levac	Mindanao	(?)	do	(?)
Leyte	Leyte	Tacloban	Province (P. M.)	270,491
	Baliran
	Panaon
Malabang	Mindanao	Malabang	Comandancia (P. M.)	(?)
Manila	Luzon	Manila	Province (C.)	500,000
Masbate	Masbate	Masbate	Province (P. M.)	19,517
	Ticao
Matti	Mindanao	Matti	Comandancia (P. M.)	16,180
Mindoro	Mindoro	Calapang	Province (P. M.)	172,711
	Lubang
	Ylin
	Marinduque
Misamis	Mindanao	Cagayan de Misamis	District (P. M.)	113,695
	Camiguin
Morong	Luzon	Moron	Comandancia (P. M.)	42,083
Negros (oriental)	Negros	Dumaguete	Province (P. M.)	94,782
	Siquijor
Negros (occidental)	Negros	Bacolod	do	296,995
Nueva Ecija	Luzon	San Icidro	do	155,000
Nueva Viscaya	Luzon	Bayombong	do	17,039
Palawan (Paragua)	Palawan	Puerto Princesa	do	50,000
Pampanga	Luzon	Bacolor	Province (C.)	222,932
Pangasinan	Luzon	Lingayen	do	304,000
Principe	Luzon	Baler	Province (P. M.)	11,000
Quiangan	Luzon	Magylang	Comandancia (P. M.)	29,800
Reina Regente	Mindanao	Reina Regente	do	(?)
Romblon	Romblon	Romblon	do	38,000
	Tablas
	Sibuyan
	Carabao
	Banton
	Simara
	Maestre de Campo
Samar	Samar	Catbalogan	Province (P. M.)	200,753
Sarangani (bay and islands)	Mindanao	(?)	Comandancia (P. M.)	(?)
Siassi	Tapul group	Siassi	do	12,269
Sorsogon	Luzon	Sorsogon	Province (P. M.)	98,650
Sulu	Sulo group	Sulu	do	17,000
Surigao	Mindanao	Surigao	District (P. M.)	95,322
	Binagat
	Siargao
	Bucas
Tarlac	Luzon	Tarlac	Province (C.)	115,000
Tataan	Tawitawi and islets	Tataan	Comandancia (P. M.)	2,500
Tayabas	Luzon	Tayabas	Province (C.)	105,576
Tiagan	Luzon	San Emilio	Comandancia (P. M.)	2,500
Tukuran	Mindanao	Tukuran	do	(?)
Union	Luzon	San Fernando	Province (C.)	105,135
Zambales	Luzon	Iba	do	86,641
Zamboanga	Mindanao	Zamboanga	District (P. M.)	21,364

DICTIONARY OF CONVENTIONAL SIGNS USED ON THE MAPS.

Signos convencionales.	Conventional signs.
Algo frecuentes.	Somewhat frequent.
Barrios.	Small villages.
Bosque.	Wild, uncultivated land.
Cabeceras.	Capitals of the provinces.
Caminos carreteras.	Wagon roads.
Caminos de herradura.	Trails.
Casa hacienda.	Farmhouse.
Destacamento militar.	Military post.
Estación central.	Central station.
Estaciones meteorológicas.	Meteorological stations.
Estaciones seismicas.	Earthquake stations.
Faros.	Light-houses.
Faros en proyecto.	Proposed light-houses.
Frecuentes.	Frequent.
Ferrocarril.	Railroad.
Ferrocarril en proyecto.	Proposed railroad.
Luces.	Lights.
Límite de provincias.	Boundary of provinces.
Linea telegráfica.	Telegraph line.
Muy frecuentes.	Very frequent
Muy raros.	Very rare.
Pueblos.	Large villages or cities.
Rancherías.	Settlements.
Rancherías de Moros.	Moros’ settlements.
Raros.	Rare.
Raza Indonesiana.	Indonesian race.
Raza Malaya.	Malay race.
Senderos.	Footpaths.
Terreno de cultiva.	Cultivated land.
Territorio de los cristiano-hispano-filipinos.	Territory of the Spanish Filipino Christians.
Territorio de los cristianos nuevos e de los infideles.	Territory of the recently converted Christians and of the heathens.
Territorio de los Moros.	Territory of the Moros.
Tranvía.	Street car lines.
Volcanes activos.	Active volcanoes.
Volcanes no activos.	Inactive volcanoes.

GENERAL REMARKS.

In the preparation of this collection of maps, the best, and especially the most recent ones, published by the Hydrographic Commission have been consulted.

The meridians are given with reference to Greenwich.

For the lineal value of 1 degree of latitude the mean value for the zone of the Philippine Archipelago has been adopted, or 1°=110,000 km.

SPECIAL REMARKS.

The original maps are Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 16, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29.

The maps Nos. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, and 23 are based on those published by D. Enrique de Almonte, with new data.

Map No. 20 is a reproduction of one published by D. Enrique Abella.

Map No. 30 is taken from a plan recently published by the Spanish hydrographic commission.

Map No. 22 is based on one published by D. Enrique Abella, except the detail in the vicinity of Cebu, which is from the Spanish hydrographic commission.

The original maps Nos. 26, 27, and 28 are based on information from the Mission of the Society of Jesus and the maps published by that mission in the Philippines. For the other maps, especially the originals, the information furnished by the missionaries of the other religious orders in the Philippines has been very valuable.

INDEX OF THE MAPS.

No.

A general map of the Pacific. A political map of the Philippine Archipelago. An ethnographical map of the Philippine Archipelago. An orographical and volcanographical map of the archipelago. A map of the Philippine Archipelago showing the meteorological districts and stations. A map of the Philippine Archipelago showing the distribution of earthquakes. The island of Luzon. The island of Luzon. The island of Luzon. The island of Luzon. The island of Luzon. The island of Luzon and the island of Polillo. The islands of Batanes and Babuyanes. The island of Catanduanes. The island of Mindoro. The islands of Sibuyan, Romblon, and Tablas. The islands of Masbate and Ticao. The island of Samar. The island of Leyte. The island of Panay. The island of Negros. The island of Cebu. The island of Bohol. The island of Paragua, or North Palawan. The island of Paragua, or South Palawan. The island of Mindanao, general map. The island of Mindanao, eastern part. The island of Mindanao, western part. The bay of Manila. The strait of S. Juanico.

OBSERVACIONES GENERALES.

1ª. Para trazar los mapas de esta colección se han consultado los mejores mapas publicados por la comisión hidrográfica, especialmente los más recientes.

2ª. Los meridianos se han trazado con referencia al de Greenwich.

3ª. Para el valor lineal de un grado de paralelo se ha adoptado el valor medio para la zona del archipiélago filipino de 1°=110.000 km.

OBSERVACIONES PARTICULARES.

1ª. Son mapas originales los números 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 16, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.

2ª. Los mapas números 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23 están basados en los publicados por D. Enrique de Almonte, con nuevos datos.

3ª. El mapa número 20 es reproducción del publicado por D. Enrique Abella.

4ª. El mapa número 30 está tomado de un plano publicado recientemente por la Comisión Hidrográfica Española.

5ª. El mapa número 22 está basado en el publicado por D. Enrique Abella, excepto el detalle de los alrededores de Cebú que son de la Comisión Hidrográfica Española.

6ª. Los mapas originales 26, 27, 28 están basados en los Informes de los Misioneros de la Compañía de Jesús y en los mapas publicados por la Misión de la Compañía de Jesús en Filipinas, para los demás mapas, especialmente los originales, han sido muy valiosos los informes dados por Misioneros de otras órdenes religiosas en Filipinas.

ÍNDICE DE LOS MAPAS.

No.

Mapa general del Pacífico. Archipiélago filipino. Mapa político. Archipiélago filipino. Mapa etnográfico. Archipiélago filipino. Mapa orográfico y vulcanográfico. Archipiélago filipino. Proyecto de distritos meteorológico-séismicos. Archipiélago filipino. Distribución de temblores. Isla de Luzón. Isla de Luzón. Isla de Luzón. Isla de Luzón. Isla de Luzón. Isla de Luzón é Isla de Polillo. Islas Batanes y Babuyanes. Isla Catanduanes. Isla de Mindoro. Islas de Sibuyán, Romblón y Tablas. Islas de Masbate y Ticao. Isla de Samar. Isla de Leyte. Isla de Panay. Isla de Negros. Isla de Cebú. Isla de Bohol. Isla de Paragua ó Palawan Norte. Isla de Paragua ó Palawan Sur. Isla de Mindanao. Mapa general. Isla de Mindanao oriental. Isla de Mindanao occidental. Bahía de Manila. Estrecho de S. Juanico.

THE PRONUNCIATION OF SPANISH.

The Spanish language has but one accent, called acento agudo, which is placed over the vowels a, e, i, o, u; it serves to lengthen the syllable and to accentuate it more distinctly and forcibly than the other vowels.

As a general rule, all Spanish words ending in a vowel are accentuated on the penultimate, or the last syllable but one; they do not, therefore, require the accent, but if any other syllable is to be accented it is indicated.

With the exception of proper names and adverbs, most words ending in a consonant have the accent on the last syllable.

The Spanish a always has the sound of the English a in father; the e that of ay in English; the i that of ee; the o that of oh; and the u that of oo, as in boot, root, etc.

The vowels in Spanish must always be fully and distinctly pronounced, but the u is silent in the syllables gue, gui, que, qui, which are pronounced gay, gee, kay, kee.

The Spanish y has a sound nearly equivalent to the English j; the z exactly that of English th, as also the Spanish c when it comes before e or i. All the other consonants are sounded as in English except ll, which is pronounced as ly in English.

In the English interpretation of the sound of the Spanish words the th has always the lisping sound of these letters in thin, path, etc.

The main difficulty in pronouncing Spanish is the j (hoetah), which has the sound of h very strongly aspirated.