The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-24

! numbers in the Islands OF Luzon, Ne
gros and Mindenao and i'm the noun
| tain regions OF Panay and Samar. The
| tribes in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi
are independent and control the interior
of those islandc. while Spain, until re-
| Gently. held the coast.
In the early part OF Spain's rule she
was given most trouble by the Tagals
in the northern, and the Visayas, I'm
the middle islands. They not only de-
stroyed her peace on land but fitted
out craft To seize her ships, plunder
them and send the crews captured into
the strongholds of the pirates to be con-
demned TO death or slavery. After
many years OF struggling Spain sue
ceeded in nominally conquering thes,
tribes. This, however did not insure
peace. for no sooner had these been
brought into apparent subjection than
the Moros, as the Spaniards called the
tribes In the southern islands, began OPP
erations. They were not alone in their
attacks. Several Chinese fleets at
tempted to take Manila. The most dar-
ing OF the pirates were those that came
from Sulu and Mindanao. They carried
their deeds OF destruction and pillage
to the very doors of the Spanish strong
holds. and they have never been con-
quered. Piracy was exterminated from
the northern islands OF the group, but IL
continued with telling effect in those of
the south, which were ruled over by a
sultan.
The Chinese pirates also caused the
Spanish considerable trouble. They
swooped down and captured or destroy
ed the small towns along the coast un-
til 1T was found necessary TO build
watch towers and forts to prevent the
Mongolians from landing. The first
Chinese pirate to attack the coast was
LIMA Hong. In 1894, with a fleet of So
warships or armed junks, he started
for the Philippines. He sacked the vii
lagos along the coast and captured
many Spanish ships before he met de-
feat in Manila bay. In 1862 Koxinga, a
famous Chinese pirate king, threatened
to invade Manila. The Spanish officials
got wind of his coming and prepared to
give him a warm reception. They also
prevented him from finding any allies
among the Chinese population by at
tacking and killing more than 10 900 of
the latter.
The sultans of Sulu have given Spain |
trouble from time to time, and il was
not until the early sixties OF the present |
century that the sultans power was |
broken. This in q great measure was
done by Great Britain, who was in the |
van of movement TO clean out piracy /
in that section Of the world. as had been |
done elsewhere. She was ably seconded |
by the other powers.
AS early as 1895 the sultan OF Sulu !
became thorn in the side of the Span
iards. He held sway over large part I
OF northern Borneo, nearly all OF Min |
danao. the islands of Palanan. the
Pangutarang, Tawi Tawi and the Ba-
silan groups. His subjects in Sulu num-
bered about 100000. while i'm his vassal
lands there were more than / 200 900
who obeyed his commands and paid
him tribute. He levied tribute on the
Europeans as well as the natives and
was terror to commerce even on the
China coast His powerful feet of fast
infested all the waters of the
archipelago, and many foreign ships
became his prey.
The vessels Their used by the pirates I
and even now employed by those who
remain are of peculiar type and well
adapted for the purpose for which they
are intended. They are long and mar
row and sharp at both ends. They