The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-26

iards and the Moros were precipitated
through an unprovoked attack by the
former on one of the Moro chiefs in
north Mindanao. The attacking force
was almost annihilated, and the fanat-
ical passions of the Moslem warriors
We're thoroughly aroused. They forth
with began to organize forays against
the ChristianiZed native coast towns of
the central and northern islands. From
the outset they met with great success,
and their piratical expeditions soon be-
came annual events. With each recur-
ring southeast monsoon hordes of Mo-
ros manned their war praus and sailed
for the north, where they harried the
coast. butchered the men and made
caDtives of women and children, until
changing winds warned them to turn
their faces homeward.
For two and a half centuries this
state of affairs continued. Embold-
ened by continued success. the Moros
did not confine their attention to de-
fenseless natives. Spanish planters
and even government officials were
killed and held for ransom. The spe-
cial delight of the Moslem warriors
| was to capture the Spanish priests and
| friars, toward whom they displayed the
bitterest hatred, a feeling that was
| reciprocated by the churchmen. The
| Spaniards, on their part. did not tame
| ly submit to such incursions. Expedi-
| tion after expedition was organized
| against the Moros. Millions of dollars
| and thousands of lives were wasted.
| Temporary success would be gained,
| but they resulted in no perma-
| nent advantage On several oc-
| casions landings were made on
! Sulu itself, the residence OF
| the Moro Sultan; forts were built there
| and Garrisons established; but the
| troops were, eventually, massacred or
| driven from the island. The steel weap-
| ons of the MorOs We're Of excellent quail
| ity, and for many years they were
really better armed than were the SOL
diers sent against them. But such can
| non and rifles as they possessed were
| antiquated, and the gradual improve
| ment in firearms brought to the Span
| iards an advantage in which the Moros
did not share to any great extent. II
was not, however. until the day OF
light-draught steam gunboats and
| rapid-iire guns that piracy was finally
checked. An efficient patrol OF gunboats
| was at last established. The Moro
| praus were forbidden to put to sea
| without Il written permit from the
| nearest Spanish Governor, and were or
dered to fly the Spanish flag. When
q prau was encountered that did not
! show the tlag or could not produce a
| passport it was rammed and cut in two,
or sunk by the fire of machine-guns. No
quarter was given. AS opportunities
offered, the gunboats would shell the
vi Nyh b,iIt hn
and so could be easily reached. The
town of Sulu which had always been
the seat of the Moro Government, and
the residence Of the reigning Sultan,
Nas destroyed in 1876, and a Spanish
military post was established in its
place. At first the MOrOs had the habit
of dropping in and decimating the gar
rlsOn, but this was constantly rein
forced and from 1876 to the present day
Spanish occupation has been nearly
continuous. Other points in Mndanao,
l}asilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi were
taken and fortified. Many of the coast
villages were burned, and the inhabi-
tants driven inland, until, finally, q
sort Of armed truce prevailed. Such was
the condition oc affairs on the south
coast of Mirdanao and in the smaller
neighborlng islands at the time OF
Prof. Worcestcr's visit.
Before taking leave of this book, we
would say u word about Cebu, partly
because the island occupies an import
ant strategic position in the center Of
the archipelago, and partly because the
Germans ere said to have desired to
acquire it, The island itself is some
what smaller than our state Of Della
ware As being the site OF the first
Spanish settlement in the Philippines,
the town Of Cehu is a place of consid-
cradle historic interest. Up to 1871
1t was the capital of the colony, and
up t. t759 it continued 10 have a mu-
nicipal government, which was then
abolished because there was but one
SpaniGTd i'm the place capable of be-
ing a city counsellor, The municipal
government was not restored until
1890. The city is on the east coast OF
the island, little north Of its center.
The population AT the time of our
authors visit was computed at 10000.
The town was clean and well built,
and, what is unusual in the Philip
pines, fairly good carriage roads led
out from it for some distance In sew
merous and conspicuous directionA