A.) BAD CONDITION
B.) FAIR CONDITION

ABOUT THE WORK

Despite the different titles, these are two editions, the second of them updated, of the same work. This is a truly useful book, judging by the enormous amount of statistical tables and information it provides. This Manual is probably the best portray of the archipelago. It has sections dedicated to history, notable events since 1863 (with information about earthquakes and hurricanes), climate, minerals, fauna, customs, agriculture, industry and commerce. There are special sections dedicated to the most important institutions, such as the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País or the Hospital de San Juan de Dios. Of special interest to the curious reader are the numerous informative tables about: kilometer distances between the heads of the provinces. population (Manila had 314,000 inhabitants and the entire Philippines had a little more than 5.2 million inhabitants). languages (we learnt for example that Spanish was just spoken as a first language by nearly 90.000 people) prices of basic commodities price tables for tobacco and stamps telegraph rates prices of products from Spain Philippine products exported to Spain ports and tariffs colonial government budget. Other interesting lists are those of civilian and military doctors, which totaled no more than forty for all the islands, and that of Manila's neighbors, with an indication of each person and his address. It comes with two interesting color maps: the first of them of Manila and its suburbs, the second of them of the entire Philippine archipelago. Very striking are the last 160 pages, many of them in color, dedicated solely and exclusively to advertisements.