Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-05-13
F0RTIFIoAT10 ABOUT THE CITY.

son with other Asiatic forts. Within 3
very short time the defenses Of the haf-
Dor have been greatly strengthened.
When I first entered the magnificent
bay of Manila, where. as has been we'll
said, all the navies Of the world might
anchor and leave many square miles Of
water unoccupied, thought how easily
it's few batteries could be silenced by a
few of our warships., Then very few
modern guns were mounted, and these
were poorly protected from attack by
ships But while / was stationed at
Manila Governor General Blanco de-
voted great deal of attention to
strengthening the old Notifications.
New guns from Europe were mounted
in modern earthworks, and strong gar
risons of Spanish troops were brought
from Spain to man them.
''Cavite fortress was made the prin-
cipal stronghold. The town of Cayite
lies on the southeastern shore of the
great bay, some 20 miles from the quar-
antine station at the harbor entrance
and ten miles from Manila. For 20
years the town has been in the control
of the Insurgents, But the ancient for
tress which defended the harbor when
Draper raised the English flag in Ma
nilla is impregnable to infantry attack.
The insurgents, with their bows and
arrows and old muskets, have assailed
it in vain. The castle stands upon a
rise of ground and reminds ono of Moro
Castle at the entrance OF Havana har.
Dor. With it's masonry walls and
smoothbore guns it would be useless in
defending the harbor against modern
warships.
"On the Cavite peninsula, between
the castle and the shore, modern earth
works were thrown up. Under Blanco
they were not more than 10 feet high,
but thick enough to stop the heaviest
projectiles of modern guns. Behind the
earthworks were mounted eight inch
breechloading guns, built in Germany
by the Krupps. They were mounted on
barbette, nondisappearing carriages and
comparatively close together. Here in
New York harbor our big guns are
mounted On disappearing carriages and
placed many yards apart. Shipboard
guns cannot reach them. At Cavite it
was entirely different. The great Krupp
guns were exposed to the fire of ships,
and the men behind them would find
their positions untenable at the ap.
proach of an attacking warship.
''Near the southern shore of the Pasig
river, which divides the modern bust
ness portion of Manila from the old
walled town, modern batteries were
erected. Manila fortress, short time
ago, had only brass and iron smooth
bore guns, but Blanco transformed the
place. Above the driveway along the
shore, just below the old fortress, strong
earthworks were thrown up. Two bat
teries of two guns each we're located be-
tween the mouth of the Pasig and the
Luneta, the fashionable promenade.
The guns were 10 inch Krupps. While
I was in Manila third battery was
constructed still farther south, between
the Luneta and tho Cavite. The two
guns mounted there were Is inch
Krupps, the most powerful in the har-
Dor.
''These ii Krupps made up the mod
ern armament of the interior harbor for
tifcations. Within two years fortifica-
tions have been built at the entrance of
the harbor. Manila bay, you know, IS
not far from 40 miles wide, north and
south. From the quarantine station to
Manila is a 20 mile stretch Of water.
Even between Cayite and Manila the
distance is SO great that feet could lie
at anchor between them without being
in danger from the firing of either fort.
''The harbor entrance is 10 miles
wide. Corregider island lies in the en-
trance, about two miles from the north
shore. The shore and the island were
fortified with heavy Krupp guns, vary
ing in caliber from inches to>12. Two
years ago Corregidor island was with
out gun. The number of guns mount
ed there since do not know: Across
on the shore, at Mariveles, Governor
General Primo. de Rivera constructed a
strong ratification. But these new forts
had the same weak points as the old.
Commodore Dewey's passage of
these modern forts was q courageous
performance, but / do, not believe there
was any great loss Of life on our ships.
It wouldn' t surprise me to hear that not
q man was lost. The cable reports seem
TO indicate that our feet divided, part
entering the main ship channel between
Oorregidor and Mariveles and the other
ships taking the southwest channel.
The former is used By ships from Hong
kong and the latter by the traders from
Singapore and other southern ports!
When Dewey had passed the entrance
forts, he had to steam 10 miles or more;
before he was within rangesf the In;
terror forts Our hole navy could 90
through the squadron evoluti ions in Ma
Enilla bay without getting within range
:of the forts.
#.. W hys do think Dewey suf ered lit
tie loss? = ou. evidently have never wit;
messed Spanish target practic Spanish,
Ignnners had plenty of opportunity f
firing the big guns while was IL Ma
snilla.Gl went ont one day q watch the
practice. n a raft carry ing a great wood
en- target was lowed 8 mile ont from