Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-04
MANILA AND MANILA BAY.


Manila is not an ocean seaport, Ss is
generally supposed. 1t lies nearly thir
ty miles back, at the end of a broad,
nearly circular bay of the same name.
This bay is on the west coast of the
Isle OF Luzon, which is the largest
and most lmportau: of many hundreds
of islands in the Malayan archipelago.
Before the American fleet could get
at The city of Manila it had to make
its way past two fortified islands at the
entrance to the bay and past the
fortified naval station of Cavite.
Cavite is built upon small PENN
sula in the bay south along the
shore from the capital, seven miles dis
SAINT from Manila across the water, Fl =
teen around the curve of the shore.
Cavite lies somewhat on the inner side
of the peninsula upon which it is built,
thus stfording safe harbor from the
terrible monsoons, which was more
than could be said of Manila until a
nieakwater was built of shore in the
y V few years ago.
he two small islands a. the en-
trance to the bay would be the chief
stumbling blocks in the way of Ad
mirai Dewey, it was generally believ-
cd, for the Spaniards have been fortify-
ing them in haste in the past few
weeks. using both guns and torpedoes
nom the fleet at Cavite. They are
small, but rather precipitous islels,
and with long range guns would easily
command the entrance to the bay. The
laryer one, CorregiGor, sometimes call
I'd Bervales, is only two miles from
he mainland at the north end. The
otner, Ceballos, is few miles further
out, and between them they divide the
channel into three parts. IL is said to
be impracticabe to plant minesin these
channels, for the reason that the depth
is great and the tides are heavy.
A recent traveller writes es follows:
"No description can paint the msgnifi-
cence of the scene one discov-
ers when, after having made
me channel and left behind
the Isle of Corregidor, you sail out Oh
pig blue sea, bordered almost in cir
Gle by q chain OF forest-covered noun
tains, while straight ahead of you lies
the captain of the Philippines. Moth
ing else | have ever seen can compare
with it, unless it be the harbor of Rio
Janeiro."
Manila itself is not an attractive
city. 1t is rather low-lying, though
mountains rise Immediately behind it.
The CITY is divided by the river Pasig.
which Is fourteen miles lorg and the
outlet for large inland lake. On the
south bank is the old walled town,
commonly called the Piazza de Manila,
while on the north bauk is Binondo,
the business part of Manila, and San
Miguel, It's fashionable quarter. These
are Intersected with canals, much like
Venice. Beyond are suburban villages
containing pretty villas of European
residents, including a fine country
house for the goverDor-general, who
also has two palaces in San Miguel and
an old one in the va led portion. The
population of the walled town is y 600
and of the / CIV portion about 800 900
The public buildings OF Manila are
divided between the two quarters. In
Binondo is famous cigar factory, COW
erng six acres and giving employment
to 10000 women; garnero, or large
military storehouse; the E-c0lts, or big
Chinese baz4r, and the hospital of ST.
Lazarus. In the old town, whose cita-
del or fort is called S.. Isgo, the gov
errors palace, the town hall and the
cathedral are in Il large square in the
centre of which is a statue of Charles
~ of Spain, surrounded by q garden
of flowers. The other buildings near
are the mint and museum, civil and
military hospitals, the University st.
Thomas, which has 500 stu ents, an
academy of arts, an arsenal, a prison
and numerous barracks, monasteries
and converts.
Beyond the walls is an esplanade,
with promenade facing the bay,
where several military bands play
twice week to large con-
course of people This forms the
chief outdoor attraction for the
elite" says recent visitor to
Manila. There are two theatres,
occasionally visited by companies from
II is, or should be, the highest aim of