The author was British and spent some years in the Philippines documenting. His intention was to present the English-speaking reader with a complete and accurate description of the entire Philippine archipelago. It is a personal book, the fruit of his curiosity, and also very benevolent, as much with Spaniards as with Americans and Filipinos. It is full of interesting illustrations and deals with all subjects: history, war, industry, commerce, agriculture, languages and ethnic groups, political organization, Manilan society, etc.