The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-30
MADE INSURGENTS FLY
CONVERTED GUNBoATs TERRI
Fly THE NATIVES.
Network of Rivers About Manila
4 Bamboo Barricade Forced and
Its Defenders Driven Away Dur
ing Voyage of Exploration-A
Governor Friendly to Americans.
New York SUM-

de Bay. 1t is a wide, fiat structure
with the old-fashioned side paddle
wheels to push it laong through the
dirty waters of the river. Liberal coats
of lead-colored American war paint
tgive the vessel anything but the APP
pearance of demonstrating boat OF
war, yet the belligerent Filipinos run
like mad for shelter when they see this
ugly-loolling hulk splashing through
the water toward their villages on the
banks of lake or stream. They have
discovered that the heightened sides OF
the old steamboat are made of sheet
steel. and that through the portfolios
there bark all manner of fiendish guns.
The Laguna de Bay comes in the class
known III the navy as converted. Armed
with four Cuttings, two 3-inch guns and
two Hotchkiss guns, the Laguna de Bay
has made quite a record in conquering
the territory along the Pasig river and
the big lagoon.
After ten days of overhauling, refit-
ting, coaling and painting the prov of
| the Laguna de Bay was turned down
| stream early on Sunday morning, May
| Z, TO test her prowesS in new waters.
! The Covadonca, a recently captured in
surgent gunboat of light draught, fell
! in behind and completed the squadron,
which whistled for right of way in the
waves of Manila bay. The big white
| Oregon doomed up in all its glory of
| Wilderness in the early morning SUM-
| light, and alongside lay the majestic
- mpia, the craft of the monarch of
the bay. Major Grant of the Utah light
| battery, commander of the gunboat, on
his errand to test the war feeling in the
heart of the Pampanga province, prob
ably felt his Importance fully as much as
did Admiral Dewey on another Sunday
morning a year earlier.
The Rio Pasag empties into Manila
bay in d corner about due northwest
from the city of Manila. A Filipino
pilot. a member Of the Macabebe tribe,
which is at peace with the Americans.
and an old map were Major Grants
means of finding the mouth of the river
which he wished to enter and navigate.
1t takes a good navigator to strike the
river he wants in Manila pay, for hun
dreds of estuarieS cut UP the land to the
north of Manila. Some of these lead
into rivers and some end like many of
the streets of Manila in a blind termi-
nal. In these little waterways ii is pos
sible for any number of craft to hide
away. a certain Spanish firm in Ma
Mia boasts of the feat of one of it's YES
sells which entered Manila bay after
hostilities opened in May, 1898, and to
escape being captured. made its way
from CorregidOr entirely around the
edge of the bay to Malabon, keeping
out of sight by sailing up the many lit
tie rivers and estuaries. thus working
its way around, virtually by land.
Before we reached the mouth of the
Pasag river we realized how easy it has
been for the insurgents to pass from
their battle lines into Manila and out
again without fear of detection. Sail
ing down these rivers in innocent look
tr,rr hnr mr. hoc
bic for them to paddle innocently across
Manila bay and enter the city with as
much cOmposure as if they belonged
there. The cruise of Major Grants
squadron into the river Pasag showed
that the river is more easily navigable
than the Pasig river, which flows past
Manila. and connects with the heart
of the insurgent country. 1t was also
discovered that the insurgents expected (
the Americans to make their primary
advances into their country by way of |
this river instead of from Caloocan. |
From observations made during this /
Sunday il was evident that this plan ,
might have been carried out with ease
and with much less loss of life than re-
suited in the long rushes by land TO |
bIalolos.
The Filipinos had erected a weak i
barricade a short distance from the /
mouth of the river. Bamboo poles had f.
been driven into the river bed in such |
manner as to reach out both directions /
to head off craft attempting to go .
either way This barricade was COW /
cred by line of trenches on the bank.
Major Grant decided TO disable these
before attempting to pass the blockade.
The Laguna de Bay and Covadonca
came to standstill, and suddenly
opened up in all their fury. Calling
guns ratified and seven-pounders hurled
their bowling missiles at the trench
line In twenty minutes the entrench-
nents were evacuated. The Covadonca
tried a small open place in the barri-
cade, and got through. The Laguna de
Bay followed, crushing the bamboo
poles as if they were straws.
Speed was put on, and the exploration
If the river began. 1t was fully 400
FEET from bank to bank, and the bends
n the stream were delightfully."- easy TO
navigate. The lead line showed a gen.
,rous depth. The banks of the stream
ire covered with heavy growths of the
lipa. the material from which Filipino
'oofs are manufactured.
a deserted village, built partially in
he stream was passed. The inhab-
tants had heard the firing at the bar
-icade and cared not to remain.
With that equanimity which has
marked the actions of all fighting
americans, the crews of both gunboats
at down to dinner while a small detail
teered the crafts along the tortuous
curse and looked for the 800 Filipino ;
oldiers which a native in a canoe at
he mouth OF the river told US were .
here. ,
Ii has become an established fact in )
his war that the Filipino will seldom ,
ire a shot when he is entrenched, UNI !
il the enemy is fairly within short
ange Major Grant had just lighted i,
is after-dinner cigar when the look ,
uts reported the enemy. \ bend in ,
he river had brought handsome line
+ earthwoTlSs into view, and in plain
light was a row of Filipino sombreros.
he wearers were waiting to try con- $
lusions with the river monsters with /
heir guns. These trenches marked the G
eginning of the village of Sesmoan. /
-hich stretches along the left bank Of S
ne stream for a mile. ]
open with the Gatlings," command L
d Major Grant, and the Gatlins v
pened. o
The row of hats went down as If
ach had been hit with a brick. Back 2
anne a shower of Mauser bullets which I
aimed and battered against the iron /,
des of the boats. 1t needed no more n
rders. Those of the fifty men on the c
agun de Bay who were not needed in Z
orking the Calling guns and the IL
lree-inch marine guns, seized their n
fes and Joined in the grand roar over |.
lie side of the vessel. Straight into the p
eth of the tempest the Laguna de d
ay led the way, roaring, rafting,
noking hulk. She swept close to the Il
ank and made the turn in the river. il
he Filipino shooting grew weaker and N
eaker, and finally stopped The gun s.
pats fairly combed out the nipa hutS N
. oil ha ,f.,a I