The Red Cloud chief., 1898-08-05

hiiippiuc 6.OuD were u~lSCOVeT-
ed by an expedition under Magellan In
i521, the islands, on the occasion of o
later expedition under Villabos, were
named Philippine In honor of the then
Prince OF the Asturias, afterwards
Philip ii. Manila was founded In 1871,
and since that date has been held by
the Spaniards, except for a brief in
terval between l762 and 1854, when 1t
was occupied by the British.
situation. Topography.
The Islands of the Philippine archl-
pelago are described by Sir John Bow
ring as 'innumerable." Other author
lilies variousiy estimate them at from
400 to 1900 in number. The eleven
most important. embracing some 95 per
cent OF the total area computed at
il4,350 square miles,, and the great
mass Of tire population are Luzon, Min
danao, Ncgros, Panay, Mindoro, Cebu,
Samar, Leyte, Palawan, Bojol and Mas
bate. Lying between Borneo and For
mosa, the archipelago extends some 900
leagues from north to south. and 1870
from east to west, and covers l4m de-
grees OF latitude and 0 degrees of lon
gitude. Luzon and Mindanao together
exceed all the other Islands combined.
Manila, the capital. situated on the
west coast Of Luzon is In latitude IA
degrees &c minutes north and longitude
l20 degrees 81 minutes east. Its posi-
ton, 'sas a central point betw cen ia
pan. China, AMMAN, the English and
Dutch ports Of the Malayan archipelago
and Australia" is, observes Jagor, Tex
tremely favorable to the development
OF a worldwide trade" Some 1000
miles distant from San Francisco, 1t
lis but $50 miles from Hongkong, while
from the northern extremity of Luzon
TO the south cape OF Formosa is little
more than ECO miles.
The Town Of Manila
The site OF Manila wps selected chief
" on account OF its fine harbor or bay,
circular in form, and capable of hold
ing all the navies of the world Into
this ~debouches the river Pasig. which,
with a breadth Of about $50 feet, flows
through the city, dividing 1t into Ma
Mia proper or old Manila, and new
@Ianila or Binondo. The former, &C.
eupying the left or southern bank Of
the river, is the fortress or citadel. 1t
contains, besides the principal Yortif-
cations, the palace and the cathedral.
and is surrounded by old walls. bas-
TONED and mOated. and dating back
IN part to the sixteenth century. These
walls have been cracked by earth
uuakes, and could easily be preached
BY modern artillery. Jagor describes
he old town as "a hot, dried-up place,
'ull Of m~onasteries, converts, barracks |
and government buildings" 1T still
preserves" says a later writer, "all the
austere appearance Of a city of the
reign Of Philip H." Upon the walls. /
however, and beneath them, have been
Arranged pleasant promenades, where
the aristocracy stroll and drive and
ride In the cool OF the evening. The
district OF Binondo, on the right bank
Of the river. is the place Of business,
he rea commercial capital; and here
are the shops and warehouses and the
movement of modern life. Here. also,
Ind In the pleasant suburban villages
Or pueblos behind the city. live the
foreigners and the Weather class. Be-
hind the city stretches a fiat region
rich in tropical vegetation, through
which flows for some twenty miles the
/ great fresh-water lake called the La
guna: the country around being known
q the Laguna province. Beyond this
region the land rises towards the ir-
regular mountain chain OF. sierra which
u parallel with the east coast, and,
which, abounding In grand and pictur-
ssque scenery, Is the home Of the Wild
Or native tribes. From this range as
tends Mayor, an active volcano OF con-
ical form, about eight thousand feet In
deviation, a conspicuous landmark from
the sea. This height. with that Of b.
na;ao (6.600 feet). and San Cristobal
1875 feet), are but little exceeded by
Halcon in Mindoro (8,S6S feet. Next
In population to Manila Is the town OF
cavite, at the southern point OF the
bay. eight miles distant, where were
, he Spanish naval and quarantine sta
lion and arsenal, and the defences so
cleyerly turned by Admiral Dewey In
the dawn OF that eventful first OF May.
Other ports in the Philippines which
have beer opened to general trade are
sual In Luxon, Iloilo In the island Of
panay, and Zamboansa in Minda-
10. sual has probably the best
harbor, but Iloilo ID the more i'm
,ortant point, its province being the
most advanced after that of Manila.
rhe pfna fabrics made here are the
most esteemed. Capis. or Capix, also
IN Panay, 10 another considerable tsyn.
r~acloban, the chief tovh Of TIE isidnd
Of Leyte, has IN yexeellentt harhsrr spd
= the emporium Of trade between Man
La ana the islands Of Leyte and ss-
mar. Another trade station is Csbu.
The principal town Of the island Of Sc
Blu. From MaSila to lloilo It 10 80
hours by steam and Is hours further to
csbu. other points in provinces OF dis
tricts OF Albay, Bulacan. North and
South Cansarines, Batangas, Pagsan-
- - - 49, NJ 0uvan Vallav (rtrh In |