“ Zamboanga has one of the most healthful sites in the islands, its climate being decidedly cooler than that of Manila. Since the American occupation the trade has greatly increased and various improvements have been planned or are under way, including a new custom-house, better facilities for docking, pavements, bridges, and public parks. ”

“ There is considerable valuable timber in the vicinity, live-stock is extensively raised, and rice, copra, hemp, sugar-cane, tobacco, and sweet potatoes are other important products. Zamboanga was one of the oldest Spanish settlements in the islands, it having been taken and fortified as a base against the Moros, and it still contains an old stone fort. Many of the inhabitants are descendants of slaves who escaped from the Moros and sought Spanish protection. ”