Evening journal., 1898-09-02
THE CITY OF MANILA.
Facts About the Capital of the
Philippine Islands.
Its Location, Population aud General
Aspect-The Seat OF Dominican
Learning and Judicial
Authority.

Manila, the capital of the island of
.uzon and all the Philippine islands,
is city of about 100000 population,
not including the adjacent suburbs.
which have total population Of about
sO, 600 additional. The name of the city Is
pronounced by the Spaniards as
though IL were spelled Mn-ree-la, with
he accent on the middle syllable. II
Is the see OF the Roman Catholic arch.
bishop and one Of the great emporiums
Df the east. 10 Is located on the bay
VI the same name at the mouth Of the
River Pasig, latitude IA degrees &c min
ntes north; longitude i2i degrees
east.
The city proper forms the segment
Of a circle between the river and the
sea. and its suburbs extend over nu-
merous islets formed by the river and
lis branches. The Pasig is prolonged
into the bay by two piers, terminal
Ing, the one IN a small fort, the other
In a lighthouse. Vessels of some hun,
ired tons may come up as far as the
bridge On the south side stands the
city. having dilapidated look, but
strongly fortified On the north is
situated the Blonde suburb, more pop
ulous than the city itself. It Is the
residence of the foreign merchants
md the great center of trade.
The aspect of the whole is at once
spanish and oriental. Long lines OF
heayily-mounted batteries, somber
churches, ungainly towers and mass-
I've houses Of solid masonry mingle
with airy cottages in groves Of trop-
lcal trees, raised on posts to permit
the free passage of the waters in the
rainy season and SO constructed as.
hy their elasticity to stand the shecks
Of an earthquake. The streets are
straight, but for the most part un-.
paved, and during the rains almost
lmpassable. In the city The houses are;
two stories high and each has It's cen
tral court yard. Here reside the heads
Of the state, the church and army, aud
all who would be thought TO be of the
iristocracy.
bridge leads across the river into
the Blonde suburb, where a street,
called the Esoolta, runs TO the right
and the left, lined with innumerable
shops and Stalls and crowded with q
strange and motley population OF va
rious races. Beyond the Escolta a
Z swarm of Chinese. Indians and half
sastes appear as goldsmiths and jewel
ers. painters and enamelers- oil and
soap merchants, confecioners and
keepers Of gambling houses and cook
shops.
other suburbs have each their special
D character. San Fernando Is the seat
Of great cigar manufactures, and
a santo Mesa OF cordage manufactory.
+ AZ the Alcaiceria the Chinese sampans
= discharge their cargoes. Fishermen
G and weavers inhabit the division OF
! roudo and It's gardens supply the mar
Sets with fruit and vegetables. Ma
late Is famous for its embrolderies.
Paco is inhabited by artisans and art
lists. Convalescents resort for health
= o Santa Anna and San Pedro Macati.
The principal public buildings are
he cathedral, the palaces OF the gov
lrnor and the archbishop, a beautiful
Town house, ten churches belonging 10
! different religious orders, several
! monasteries and converts, the arsenal,
hree colleges for young men and two
lor young women, the supreme court,
prison, civil hospital, university, ma
rine and commercial school, a large
heater, the custom-house and bar
racks. The city has several squares,
IN the largest Of which, the Prado,
a here is a bronze statue Of Charles ".
The Royal and Pontifcaluniversity OF
St. Thomas Is in the hands OF the Do
ninicans. and has an attendance of
! about 900 students. The College Of St.
Joseph belongs to the Jesuits; that of
ST. John Latern gives n plain eduea-
{ lion TO Indians and half-breeds. The
: Escnela pia belongs to the city and is
for Spanish children alone. A royal
marine school was established in 1920
= and q commercial school in 1910. The
lolleges Of ST. Potentiana and St. Isa-
: bella are for girls, the latter for or
Ohans. Manila is the seat of govern
. nent and of the supreme courts. The
municipality dates from 1871.
Manila, which formerly occupied a
I rank of comparative obscurity, Is now
regarded as commercially equal TO
Calcutta and Batavia. This change
! has been wrought by legislative and
political changes during the nine
leenth century. Being the chief port
of the Philippines, all their productions
dow to and through it, and it IS the re-
sort of great number of colonial
ressels of all sizes. 1t exports sugar,
; tobacco, indigo, manila, hemp and
! sordage, gold dust, birds nests, coffee,
lapan wood. mats. hats. hides, tre-
= pang, tortoise she'll, cigars, cotton and
, rice. The manufactures OF Manila
consist chiefly of cigars and chez
roots, government monopoly which
gives employment to several thousand
men and women; cordage from the
6 naments OF the abaca and the beau
? liful fabrics called pinas, woven from
! the fibers of the pineapple leaf and
2 afterward beautifully embroidered.
Manila was founded by Legaspi in
: i571. In 1645 il was nearly destroyed