The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25
CRUISE UP A MANILA RIVER
YNgURGENTg PUT IN FLIGHT BE
CONCERTED GUNBOATS.

nIorntion- Welcomed by the Natives.
MANILA. May CIT looks like an immense
tood this gun boat. the Laguna de Bay. 1t
wide. fat structure. with the old-fashioned
aldo paddle wheels to push 1t along through
the dirty waters Of the river. Liberal coats OK
lead-colored American war paint give the Ves-
ael ANYTHING but the appearance OF terror
strikine boat Of war. yet the belliseroht tll-
ninos run like mad for shelter when
thew acc this ugly looking hulk splash-
inc through the water toward their vile
Iogaa 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 portholes there
bark all manner Of tendish guns. The Laguna
de Bay comes in the class known In the navy
as converted. Armed with four datHngs' Two
3-inch guns. and two Hotchkiss guns 'ho
Laeuna de Bay has made quite a record In con-
QuerinR the territory along the iasis hi'ol
and the big lagoon.
After ten days OF overhauling. reltting. coal
ing and painting tho PROV OF the Laguna de
Bay was turned down stream early on SUNDAY
morning. May Z. to test her prowess IN new
waters The Covadoncn. n recently captured
insurgent gunboat OF light draught, fell In bee
hind and completed the squadron. whch
whistled for right OF way in the big PasiR hlVer
and bounced out on the waves OF Manila Bay
glory of wilderness in the early morning sum
light, and alongside lay the majestic Olympia.
the craft OF the monarch OF the bay. Major
Grant OF the Utah Light Artillery. commander
of the gunboat. on his errand to test the war
feeling in the heart OF the Pampanga province.
probably felt his importance fully as much as
did Admiral Dewey on another Sunday morn
ing year earlier.
The Rio Pasac mpties into Manila Bay In
abo, Ina at frOm
Manila A Filipino pilot. a member OF the
Macabebe tribe. which is at peace with tho
Americans. and an old map we're MAJOR
Grants means OF finding the mouth OF the
river which he wished to enter and navigate.
1t takes q good navigator to strike the river he
wants In Manila Bay. for hundreds OF cstuarios
cut up the land to the north of Manila. Some
OF these lead into rivers and some end lke
many Of the streets OF Manila in blind terml-
nal In these little waterways il is possible
for any number Of craft to hide away. A cer-
tain Spanish firm in Manila boasts Of the feat
OF one OF its vessels which entered Manila Bay
after hostilities opened in May. 1893 and to
escape being captured. made its way from
Corregidor entirely around the edge OF the bay
to Malabon kecning out Of sight by sailing up
the many little rivers and estuaries. thus work.
ing 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 detec-
ton. Sailing down these rivers in innocent
looking bancas or canoes 1t has been possible
) for them to paddle innocenty across Manila
Bay and enter the city with as much compos-
ure as II they belonged there. The cruise OF
Major Grants squadron into the River Pasng
showed that the river is more easily
navgabe than the Pasig River. which flows
past Manila and connects with the heart tho
insurgent country. 1t was also discovered that
the insurgents expected the Americans to mako
| their primary advances into their country by
way of this river instead of from Caloocan.
From observations made during this Sunday
1t was evident that this plan might have been
carried out with ease and with much less loss
of life than resulted in the long PUSHES by land
| to Malolos.
| The Fipinos had erected weak barricade
a short distance from the mouth Of the river.
Bamboo poles had been driven into the river
| bed in such manner as TO reach out both direc-
trenches on tho, bank. MAJOR Grant decided
came to a stanistill and suddenly onened up
seven Founders hurled their bowling missiles
at the trench line; In twenty MINUTES int the
donca tried small open place in the barricads
and got through, The Laguna dc Bay followed.
! crushing the bamboo poles as II they were
Speed was put on and the, exploration Of tho
5 bends IN the res de
lightfuily easy to navigate ~ The lead lipe
9s SSks OF h the
nipa. the material from which Filipino roofs
are maa aartaf red on ,ru. r,,,,v T., ~,
stream, was passed The Inhabitants had
heard the firing at the barricadc and cared not
With that equanimty which has marked tho
actions Of all hghting, Americans, the crews OF
small detail steerea the crafts along I the st tortu.
Gus course and looked for the 800 Filipino sol
It has bsc2me an established fact in this war
! that the Filipino will seldom fire n shot. when
he Is lntrenched. until the enemy is fairy
within short range. Major Grant had juSt
outs reported the enemy bend in ' the T rysr
M hnd hrought handsome line OF earthw9rks
pno The wa Ire M were 0 WaSng %
Try conclusions with the river monsters with
the ynss o the wh nH
stretches along the left bank of the stream for
o"Open with the Cuttings. commanded Major
Grant, and the Catncs opened.
The row Of hats went down as If each had
auser bullets which Taine "f' and SI pnttnr.I
against aG the iron sH"s Of the boats II needed
Lagnna dc Bay who were not needed in work.
Ing the Calling guns and the hree-inch ma
StlEc'l tHtlT TlllrS ana joined III tn5
| grand roar over the side OF the vessel Straight
into into the ds t to"th Of the tempest the Lac
| tling smoking hulk She swept close to
the the, b n and made the turn in the river.
weaker and finally Stopped. The MeI Gupbo sna
fairly combed out the npa huts as they went
Along up the river toward the village OF Guagua
seen in the distance. A column Of smoke was
seen to rise from the centre of the town and
| We knew the insurRt nts there had given I'M
tho struggle before it had begun. and. follow
lowing the ru 10 laid down 10y Aguinaido, fired
NO shots of resistance were sent from
tuaRua. and hero the cruise Of the boats
| ended MacArthur's infantry and artillery
division, was known to be AZ San Fernando,
iour miles further up tn" river but II was
| deemed unwiso TO attempt navigation beyond
| this point. The marinrs landed and explored
the burning town. Natives began to return in
| groups OF twos and threes bearing the white
! nag. Presently the Governor OF the Pampanga
province discovered himself and asked aid in
| Euttink out the IRE in his residence. In return