The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-06
SCENE OF THE
NAVAL FIGHT

eavite, the scene OF Sundays naval bat
tie. in the Philippines. is fortified seaport
town on the island of Luzon. on which
Manila. the capital of the Philippine islands
Is situated. Cavite is in the Bay of Nam
Tia. The town of Cavite has population
of over 5000, and the population of the port
is less than 600 souls. There Is an arsenal
at Cavite, which Is the capital of the pro-
vince of the same name. The residence of
the governor is situated there, and the
place is the chief naval depot of the Span
ish possessions of that part of the world.
Manila. the capital city of the island of
Luzon. and of all the Philippine islands,
Is also situated on Manila Bay, at the
mouth of the River Pasig.
The town stands ON the south side, has
dilapidated look. but is said to be strong-
ly fortified. On the north side is the
Binondo suburb, which is the residence OF
the foreign merchants and the great CEN
ter of trade. 1t is more popoulous than the
city itself.
Manila has both Spanish and an ORR
entail appearance. There are long lines of
heavily mounted batteries, dark-fooking
churches, strengthening towers, and
massive houses of solid masonry. These
mingle with little lighthouses, or cot
tages, m groves of tropical trees, raised
from the ground by posts, in order to per-
init the free passage of the waters in the
rainy season. The streets are straight,
mostly unpaved, and almost impossible
during the rainy season.
In the city the houses are two stories
high, and each has its central courtyard
There besides the heads of the state, the
church. and the army, and all those who
claim to belong to the aristocracy.
Beyond the Escalta is colony of Chinese,
Indians and half castles, who do business
as goldsmiths and jewelers., painters and
enamelers, oil and soap merchants, confec-
TONERS and keepers of gambling houses and
cook shops. The other suburbs have each a
special character. For instance, San Fer
nando is the seat of the great cigar manu-
factories, and San Mesa is the center of the
cordage mandatory. At the Alcaicerfa
suburb the Chinese sampans discharge their
cargoes; the fishermen and weavers inhabit
the suburb of Tondo and it's gardens sup
ply the markets With fruit and vegetables.
The suburb of Maate is famous for its
embroiderfes. Pace is where the artists
and artisans live, and heaEth-seekers flock
to Santa Ana and San Pedro Macati.
The principal buildings in Manila are
the Cathedral, the palace of the governor,
the palace of the archbishop, the town
hall, a beautiful building; ten churches,
belonging to the different orders; several
monasteries, number of converts, the
arsenal, three colleges for young women,
the supreme court building, the prison, the
civil hospital, the university. the marine
school, the commercial school, the theater,
a large building; the custom house and the
barracks.
There are several large squares in Manila.
the largest of which is the Prado, in which
is situated a bronze statue of Charles ".
Manla's municipality dates from the year
151, when the city was founded by Lee
gaspi. 1t is splendid trade center, and
ranks with Calcutta and Batavia. Being,
the chief port in the Philippines, all their
productions flow there and its harbor is
visited by very great number of vessels of
all sorts and sizes. IT'S exports consist of
sugar, tobacco, indigo, Manila hemp and
cordage, gold dust, birds nests, coffee, sa-
panwood,- mats, hats, hides. trepang, tor
toise shell. cigars, cotton, rice. etc.
Its manufactures are chiefly cigars and
cheroots, a government monopoly; cordage
from the filaments of the abaca; beautiful
fabrics, known as pinas, woven from the
dbers Of the pineapple leaf, and afterward
exquisitely embroidered; various other
cloths made of the abaca filament. pure and
mixed cotton fabrics, mats and cigar cases.
In 1915 Manila was nearly destroyed by
earthquakes, which have since frequently
and severely visited the place. A British
fleet captured Manila in 1852, and held 1t for
fifteen months, when it was by treaty re-
stored to Spain.