The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-09-16
MALAY PIRATES.
Fierce Moros From Borneo That Overrun
the Philippine Islands.

Fierce Moros From Borneo That Overrun
the Philippine Islands.
Professor Dean @. Worcester of the
University of Michigan, contrib utes an
article on "The Malay Pirates of the
Philippines" to The Century. Professor
Worcester says of the dreaded Moros OF
the southern Philippines:
The Moros entered the Philippines
from Borneo at about the time of the
Spanish discovery They first settled IN
6ulu and Basilan, but rapidly spread
over the numerous small islands of the
6ulu and Tawi Tawi archipelagoes and
eventually occupied the whole OF the
great island of Mindanao to the east
and Balabac and the southern third Of
Palawan to the west. Before their con.
quest of Palawan was completed they
had their first serious collision with
Spanish troops and have not since been
able to extend their territory, but what
they had taken they have continued to
hold.
Hostilities between Moros and Span
iards were precipitated by an unprovok
ed attack by the latter upon one of the
Moro chiefs of north Mindanao. The at
lacking force was almost annihilated,
and the fanatical passions of the Moros
were aroused. They forthwith began to
organize forays against the Spanish and
native towns of the central and northern
islands, and from the outset met with
great success. Their piratical expedi-
tions soon became annual events. With
each recurring southeast monsoon hordes
of them manned their war praus and
sailed north, where they harried the
coasts until the change of monsoons
warned them to return home.
Thousands of captives were taken,
Men were compelled to harvest their
own crops for the benefit of their cap
tors and were then butchered in cold
blood, while women and children were
carried away, the former to enrich the
seraglios of Moro chiefs, the latter to be
brought up as slaves.
For 2 q centuries this state of affairs
continued. Emboldened by continued
success, the Moros no longer confined
their attention to the defenseless ma
tives. Spanish planters and government
officials were killed or held for ransom.
But the delight Of the grim Moslem
warriors was to make prisoners Of the
Spanish priests and friars, toward whom
they displayed the bitterest hatred Is
lands which had once been prosperous
were almost depopulated. Even foreign
sailing vessels were attacked and cap
tured.
The Spaniards did not tamely submit
to this state of affairs. Expedition after
expedition was organized. Millions of
dollars and thousands of lives were
wasted. Temporary successes were
gained, but they resulted in no perma-
nent advantage. On several occasions
landings were made on Sulu itself, forts
built and garrisons established only to
be driven from the island or massacred
to a man.
The steel weapons of the MoroS were
of the best, and for years they were
really better armed than the Spaniards,
but with the improvement in firearms
the Spaniards gained an advantage in
which the Moros did not share. Such
cannon and rifles as they possessed were
Anticipated, and they had difficulty in
getting ammunition, but it was not I'M
tif the day of rapid fire guns and light
draft steam gunboats that they were
finally confined to the southern waters
of the archipelago.
An efficient patrol of gunboats was
established, and the Moro praus were
forbidden to put to sea without first OBJ
tanning written permit from the near
est Spanish governor. They were also
ordered to fly the Spanish flag, When
prau was encountered that did not show
the flag or was not provided with
pasaporte it was rammed and cut in
two or sunk by the fire of machine
guns. No quarter was given.
AS opportunity offered, the gunboats
shelled the Moro villages, which were
built over the sea and so could be easily
reached Sulu, which had always been
the seat OF government and the resi-
dence of the reigning sultans, was de-
stroyed in 1876 and Spanish military
post established where it had been. At
first the Moros had disagreeable habit
of dropping in from time to time and
wiping out the garrison. 1t was con-
stantly REINFORCED or renewed, how
ever, so that from 1876 to the present
day the Spanish occupation at this point
has been almost continuous.