If its tillable lands were under high
cultivation, it would support half the population of the Philippines.
_Palawan_
In endeavouring to show that Palawan is without political importance
Blount has followed precisely the procedure which he adopted in the
case of Mindoro. First, he gives the area and the population of the
island, when he should concern himself with the province. The area of
the island is 4027 square miles; that of the province, 5238 square
miles. According to the 1903 census, the population of the island
was 10,918, while that of the province, which contains such thickly
settled and fertile islands as Cuyo and Agutaya, was 39,582. Of course,
if one wishes to emphasize the unimportance of Palawan, it is more
convenient to take the figures for the island.
Blount says:--
"Paragua, [327] the long narrow island seen at the extreme lower
left of any map of the archipelago, extending northeast-southwest
at an angle of about 45 deg., is practically worthless, being fit for
nothing much except a penal colony, for which purpose it is in fact
now used." [328]
I must deny the truthfulness of his statements, even if we limit
our consideration to the island of Palawan. Only 159 of its 4027
square miles are utilized for a penal colony.
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