The Philippine Islands

Colonial government, island trade and the workings of local industries share the pages of John Foreman's account of the Philippines. Combining history, geography and observations gathered during years in the archipelago, he surveys Spanish rule and the American administration that followed. The contents range from volcanoes and monsoons to religious orders, agriculture, Manila and the struggles over independence.

The discussion of gold mining gives this broad survey a practical focus. Foreman describes royal concessions, failed companies, disputed claims and deposits worked by local people. Stories from Luzon and the Surigao coast connect the search for wealth with official authority, investment and conflict. His prefaces also explain his relationships with Spanish officials, revolutionary figures and American administrators. Readers interested in the Philippines can examine both the information he collected and the colonial assumptions that shape his account.