The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-03

Forming as they do very large pro-
portion of the population. nearly equal
to that Of the natives themselves, and
having by their industry and business
ability sustained the fame Of Manila
as q commercial power, they are thorn
In the side Of the Spanish mercantile
class, aside from the conventional dis
like extended by the latter toward all
foreigners. Being commercial by nature
and having realized the gc/l policy Of
keeping their word in bu, Tess matters,
in contrast with the ef,iasting pro-
crastinating and "manana" ling of the
Spaniards, they have built up large
business with the English and Ameri-
can houses, who infinitely prefer ~ deal
with them rather than with the owners
of tho soil. Their thrifty ways and tend
ency to save money and send it home to
China rather than to spend it where
they are is another source Of grievance
to the naughty "Espanoles.
Then their ability and willingness to
perform every kind of manual labor,
from carpentering, shoemaking, etc., to
cody work, from morning to night at
the lowest wages, is q cause OF envious
irritation to the indolent native "Fili-
pinos," and a constant feud Is waged
between the two races which has been
handed down for generations. In a
street fight, however, I have noticed
that the Filipino" is very apt to come
out ahead, although many Of the coolies
hare the most superb muscular develop
ment which have ever seen.
Long ago, according to history, a feet
Of Chinese junks, under the famous
pirate chief, Ii Ma Hong, bore down
on Manila with the intention Of cap
turing it and its many treasures. The
little garrison in the fort defended it
with gallantry such as Spaniards can
and will display in desperation, and Lii
Ma Hong, possessing no petroleum
shells" and storm coming up provi-
dentially, the feet was ingloriously de-
feated. Some Of the junks went ashore
ON the northern coast Of the island, and
there is today curious race Of SO called
Chinese "Igorotes, or savages, living
in the Businesses Of the mountains and
supposed to be the descendants Of the
shipwrecled pirates A certain day in
January is the anniversary Of the fight,
and ON that day hardly Chinaman in
Manila dares to show himself out of
doors, for every small boy, native or
Spaniard, feels in duty bound to "heaye
o rock" at him.
so T., 49, Gv-<, In l,o
town, it is always assumed that the
Chinese have set it, and they are very
scarce in the streets while the conflagra-
tion lasts, for tacit instructions would
seem to have been given on these occa-
sions to the effect that "if you see
Chinaman, hit him."
Early in the spring Of 1898 the Span
ish iron steamer San Juan sailed from
Hongkong for Manila with cargo
largely composed of kerosene, which
had been carefully slowed as near the
boilers as possible, and on deck were
some 800 Chinese coolies, composing
the passenger list, who could sit ON the
cases and knock embers from their pipes
against them. 1t is not surprising that
the ship took fire when just within
sight of Luzon, and the Spanish captain,
with most of his officers, promptly took
to the boats and pulled for the shore,
leaving raging, frenzied mass Of Chi
nese shrieking at them from the doomed
vessel, for no provision is made OH these
steamers for the safety Of the coolies in
case of accident. In few minutes the
San Juan was afire from stem to stern.
As many as could climbed the masts,
only to fall back suffocated into the
blazing furnace below. Even the more
merciful death of drowning was denied
them, for the sea was alive with sharks,
attracted by the glare, swarimng around
the ship as mackerel swarm around q
bucketful Of curry"
, Thirty-six hours later another steam
or sighted the wreck and bore down to
the rescue. Out Of the original 800,
some 80 wretched creatures were found
alive, clinging to the big gangway
which hung over the side and to the
stern davits and boat tackle, with the
iron hull of the steamer redhot in places
and the sharks leaping at them. The
rescuing boats had literally to fight
their way through the ravenous brutes.
/ saw the survivors as they were
landed. and discouraged looking lot
they were. The San Juan, an empty,
scorched hull, was towcd in and an
chcred in the mouth of the river to cool
off until the 20, 600 Mexican dollars in
her bottom could be dug ont Of the de-
bris. melted mass And not an express
sion of regret did l hear from any of my
"Chino" friends over the disaster to
their countrymen. "Pah, coolest" was
all they said. d.--Boston Trnnscript.