The record-union., 1899-04-17
FIGHTING AT MANILA.
Filipinos Make the Stone Churches
Their Forts.

MANILA. March 10 (via San Fran
cisco, April 16.)-War has become so
commonplace an experience 10 Mania
that the average citizen no longer
thinks of becoming excited over 1t.
Every night some point of the horizon
is crimsoned by the reflection from
burning huts kindled by the soldiers TO
deprive the insurgents of hiding places
Every nights quiet is shaken by the
firing from the line encolnpassing the
city. Every morning brings its pitiful
little consignment of accomplishing
wounded to the hospital. Manila forms
an American oasis in the island OF
Luzon. Around the city stretches a
thin line fifteen miles long of entrench-
ed soldiers.
The Filipino goes into the iell unen
numbered with useless baggage. Fol-
lowing the course of their retreat be-
yond Guadalupe Church went the
souvenir enthusiasts who hang about
the American army, but they found
nothing more than few tin cooking
utensils and empty cartridge shells
whose pattern prove that the insurgents
have the very latest style of rifles.
Trousers or drawers, a shirt worn out
side them. straw hat cartridge belt
and rifle, a section of bamboo stalk fill
ed with rice, a handful of green pep
pers tied in a handkerchief, sometimes
sandals-these form the equipment of
a Filipino soldier.
No finer country for defensive fighting
and no more embarrassing for offensive
operations than the land around Pasig
Lake could be imagined. The Chinese
are the scavengers of the war. Like
vultures they hover in the wake of the
army, ffocking down upon the ashes of
every hut and the ruins of churches to
dig out stuff that no white man could
possibly use. Being beyond suspicion
of any interest in the hostilities save
gain, they are admitted to the camps
and employed as servants. Some Of
them peddle water and cigarettes on the
line. One, more daring than most,
crept about the trenches of the Kan
sas Regiment under a hot fire and did
a good trade. When competitors ap-
peared he fastened to point out to them
the spot where soldier had been
wounded, seemingly impressing on than
the dangers of their position, for they
ran away.
The forces of destruction are concen-
trated upon the churches. They are
all solid buildings of stone, so the ma
tives use them as forts Some church
has served as the keystone of nearly
every Filipino defense, and the Amer
lean artillery is compelled to batter
them. Caloocan Church is a picture
of the havoc of war. There General
Macarthur has his headquarters The
roof, a skyblue fresco studded with
gilt stars has jagged holes where shells
from Dewey's ships came through
Within the chancel rail is the office of
the staff and the pulpits are used for
desks. The rail holds a string of sad
dies. a telephone hangs beside the
statue of a saint. while the telegraph
clicks necessarily in an alcove. Cots
and haanmocks fill the body of the
church. where soldiers are sprawled out
smoking and reading when off duty A
hospital occupies a chapel in a corner
The soldiers do not lack reverence, but
everything must bend before their
work. General Otis has put a stop to
the plans of officers who wanted to
bring their wives and families to Mania.
He said:
This not picnic nor G. A. r. en-
campment. This is war"