New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-11
IN MANILA BAY.
A BIG HARBOR UNPROTECTED FROM THE
TROPICAL TYPHOON.
ROMANTIC STORIES CONNECTED WITH CoRREGI-
DoR-cHARAcTER OF THE COUNTRY
AROUND THE BAY.

world could ride on Manila Bay spoke the truth
but in order not to let the truth suffer by oms-
sion II would be we'll TO advise the navies Of the
world TO get out Of it when the typhoon comes
In. The harbor is large and beautiful. and the
anchorage is good. hut nature did not properly
protect IT, The highlands are too far away to
break the force OF the terrific revolving storm OF
the Far East. In October 1850. a typhoon sent
eleven ships and steamer ashore dismasted
another. and sent three more into collision. and
other casualties have been frequent 1t is also
the scene OF frequent squalls common to the
tropics. and the sturdier whaeboats Of the
American feet have picked up several water
logged native craft since their control OF affairs
here.
There Is perhaps no harbor in the world so
completely landlocked that shipping AT anchor
enjoys absolute protection. but still Manila must
suffer by comparison even II It Is on account Of
her proximity to the place where nature makes
her typhoons. There are protected places. how
ever. and the development OF the group Of ISL
ands when progress and modern methods are let
In will bring them into use The anchorage off
the mouth Of the Pasig River In front Of the city
Of Manila Is probably the most exposed point
anywhere on the harbor. There is a little
breakwater there hardly large enough to serve
as a foundation for It's long name. and 1T does
no good to shipping.
Still. the bay must command admiration from
the WARRIORS the business mans or the artists
point OF view. II can be made absolutely I'M
pregnable: 1t is a great highway for both foreign
and domestic commerce. and II is endowed with
many pretty scenic features. The entrance to
this great body Of water Is one Of the prettest
spots in the Orient The majestic bluffs at the
then come Boca Chica. the narrow entrance to
the bay: then Corregidor. rugged and high; then
Boca Grande. the large entrance. and on the
south the Jagged rock FL Fraile West OF Cor
regidor and distant about mile juts up a bar
rem rock called the Haycock. and south Of the
island and closer TO IT rises Caballo which with
IT'S little plain hayward and perpendicular rock
seward resembles legless easy chair. Cor
regidor rises abruptly from the sea to height
Of GO feet. 1t is over three miles long. and
makes an impressive picture from the sea.
THE ROMANCE OF CORREGIDOR.
The gateway TO Manila abounds in history
and romance. Corregidor was twice 81.
Helena FOR high Church diCnitaries and was for
years dreaded as a desert isle It's prettiest
romance is the legend OF how the three principal
points at the entrance 10 the bay got their
names Early In the seventeenth century there
came 70 Manila in Mexican galleon n family
named Velez. Maria one OF tho daughters. was
a pretty girl with more dash than p'ety in her
makeup and when her family placed her in
the Convent 81 Santa Clara she promptly fell IN
love with a handsome young Franciscan frar.
He. too. weak. and they decided to
T ounce their orders and fee
They decided 10 70 20 tho ancient town ~
Camaya in the little land-lockcd hny on tho
north side ~ the entrance 10 tho harhor. and
there await tho next galleon 70 Mexico They
eloped by csnoe and safely reached their desti-
nation Their going scandazcd Manila and
they were proclaimed The town crier warned
oil who heard him that 10 harhor tho culprits
would bing severe penalty. Their course was
finally discovered. and one ~ the city correg-
doris (aldermen) headed expedition composed
OF notary and twelve arqucbusiers for their
capture.
The couple had Jared badly. Maria had
capped from the convent in n monks habit. hut
missed the galleon and fell among unfrlendly
natives The latter attempted to take ,he girl
and the frlar defended her The corregldor
reached the beach AZ Camaya - Ind Maria
lying on the sand bleeding and unconscious
with the wounded friar kneeling AT her side
The cuprits were brought back T. Manila. and.
while Maria Vclez was sent 20 Mexico 10 end
her days in closter ;he monk was hanished
TO the jungle. there to seek 70 save few native
souls 10 remove the tarnish from his own.
Camaya took the name Of the pretty girl who
had found its shores inhosptable. and has over
since been called Mariyclos. The island was
named for the sturdy corrcgldor. while the lone
" rock of alone the other side Of Boca
Grandc was named for the errng friar. Not
only did Camaya and the bay take the name
Marlveles bat tho natives applied 1t 10 the
mountain range back OF the town.
Marveles is Of no importance despite the fact
that IT was once provincial capital the harbor.
although small. Is good one II has been used
as a quarantine and signal station. apd only
boasts OF a few score of houses II is beauti-
fully situated and the we'll wooded steep noun
tains named for Maria Valez rise abruptly all
abou; It. Nature has erected baitlenents that
will permit the perfect defence ~ the harbor.
The Spanish mounted twenty good sized guns
on and between the two harbor heads but II
was the man behind the gun that was lacking
When Dewey's entrance into the bay was be
trayed by a sparkling funnel only one OF the
either the one on the south mainland
or FL Fraile and probably the latter. opened fire.
There was a flashing of signals from both the
heights OF Corregidor and the signal station at
Marveles but the guns were silent.
THE UNKNOWN BATTERY OF Ell FRAlLE
The existence Of the battery on FL Fralle was
not known, although from the shelf Of masonry
and cement built on the side OF the rusged rock
the work Of completing the battery must have
consumed several months. Consul Williams
did not know Of its existence. and none OF the
other advisers Of Admiral Dewey reported It,
The American chips fled past within two hun
drcd yards OF II. unconscious Of the danger they
were in. Corregidor could be made n veritable
Gibraltar II runs generally east and west and
tanks both channels for over three miles. and II
nronerlv defended VOuld make hard gantlet