Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-01
LETTER FROM MANILA.
FREELAND BOYS DESCRIPTION OF
THE SHERlDAN'S TRIP.
Mentions the Interesting Sights Between
New York City and the Philippines
and Tells of the Condition of Affairs
In Our New Possessions.
Manila, April 25, 1899.

and Telk of the Condition of Affairs
in Our New Possessions.
Manila, April a5, 1899.
Dear Father and Family landed in
Manila on April IA. We made the trip
from New York on the transport Sheri
dan in fifty-four days. We had fine
voyage. Our first stop was at the Rock
of Gibraltar, right across from Spain.
1t is grand fortificaton. We took
coal there. 1t was Spaniards that
coaled us. They carry the coal on
board in baskets and work hard. The
same amount would be put ON board in
America with one-third the men in two
hours. 1t took them ten hours to do
the work. The coal at Gibraltar comes
from England.
Then we went through the Mediter
ranean sea, stopping at Malta, another
English port. 1t is q very old place.
The city is built within wall and
some very fine specimens OF stone work
were seen there. Tho natives are
known as Maltese. Very few of them
wear shoes. l saw them cracking
stones on the streets In their bare feet
and they didn't seem to mind it. There
are no horses there, all donkeys.
WELL PROTECTED ISLAND.
There are twelve English battleships
in the harbor. Nine of them are first
class. The island is further protected
by absut 1000 British soldiers, most of
them being Scotch and Irish. They
gave us a rousing reception. We took
more coal there. 1t was again carried
on board in baskets. The Maltese are
a race nearly like the Italians. There
are many old churches there and the
people appear very religious. The
church where st. Paul was imprisoned
is in the city. Anybody may view it.
1t is there Napoleon raised terrible
troubles in his day.
We stopped at Malta three days, then
left for Port Said, at the entrance of the
Suez canal. More coal was taken
aboard there. 1t is said a ship can
be coaled there by baskets faster
than anywhere else in the world. 1t
the workers are paid about 40 cents a
day-and no shoes on. 1t looked to us
like slavery.
THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL.
\ The trip through the Suez canal,
which is about ninety miles long and
100 yards wide, was very pleasant. We
ran at half speed going through. One
ship goes through at time and it takes
about sixteen hours to run the length of
tho canal. The ships keep about two
miles apart. The next sixteen hours all
vessels 20 the other way.
The canal is the dividing line between
Egypt and Arabia. 1t was the first
place we saw people going about with
out clothes. They are really half wild.
The Mohammedan religion is very strong
in that quarter of the globe.
We anchored in the gulf of Suez one
day. The town of Suez is filled with
British soldiers. From there through
the Red sea the voyage was very
dangerous. The sea is full of rocks.
We had u pilot from Port Said to Alden,
where we left him off. We then went
through the gulf of Alden to the Arabian
sea and on to the Indian ocean.
CHINESE EVERYWHERE.
We stopped at Colombo, another
English port, on the island of Ceylon.
They have few horses there. The
traffic is done with bullocks or sea-bulls.
You can get hauled all over the city for
25 cents, or the natives will pull you
around in a two-wheeled cart. They
can run like deers. 1t is full of Chinese
all through these places.
Our next stop was at Singapore.
Nothing there but Chinese and Japs.
From Singapore we came direct to
Manila, landing on the 14th. We
camped one day and night in the city.
| 1t is full of soldiers and the war against
the Filipinos is still going on. We have
20, 900 American troops here, but there
are lots of Filipinos around. We were
not long here until we were up against
them.
| NO GOOD WITH THE GUN.
| Our soldiers have the natives driven
back in the interior as far as the
Spaniards ever had them. In every
engagement so far the insurgents loss
has been terrible. They are no good
with the gun. They don't understand
the use OF the elevation on the weapon.
On the guns lying beside many of them
who were dead or wounded we found
the elevation up to 1,sOO yards when we
were only 100 yards or 50 away when
they were firing.
Some of the natives are very smart.
Many have the Mauser rifles, which
shoot 1000 yards, and the others have
the Remington rifles. We use the Krag-
Jorgensen. When we make charge
the natives run away every time. II
one of them gets hit and drops his gun
five OF his comrades rush for the weapon
They carry away their dead and wound