The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-02-06
LETTER FROM THG PHILIPPINES.
WRITTEN BY WARREN TURNER TO HIS
FATHER.
U. S. Flag Ship New York.


Dear Papa:-
Since my last letter to you, we have
had one round of glorious scenery
| and weather. We were out OF the
general run of mail steamers so
waited until returned to write, in
stead of dropping line on the trip.
For some months we had contem-
plated a tour of the Southern Islands
of the Archipelago, but were detained
at Cavlte, from time to time, by one
cause or another. You remember
wrote you some time ago that we
were going then. A telegram was
received Nov. aIst, stating that one
OF our Golfers, the Iris, had grounded
on Sigmjor Island, two or three humid
red miles south of Manila Bay, and
Admiral Rodgers decided that the
New York should go to her assistance.
Several other vessels of our fleet
have been likewise unfortunate. We
have no true charts of the whole
Islands yet and sometimes we must
depend on Spanish charts which are
very seldom true. Navigation in these
waters is very difficult, as the Philip
pines are one continuous chain of
Islands large and small, and reefs and
shoals extend out from them in all
directions. Most of our Navigators
are yet unfamiliar with the channels,
and as there are few accurate charts,
much caution must be exercised at
all times, and even so, mlshaps are
inevitable. Our Government is ex-
pending considerable money at present
making photographic Surveys and
Charting the Coast line and channels.
1t will take some time, however, be
fore this work will be completed, at
any rate the grounding of the Iris
caused us to start south, reaching the
scene Of her trouble, we found her
floating having been pulled off the
beach by the "Piscatagua' a powerful
tug purchased from the P. & R. r. R.
and brought over here last fall in
company with the "Wompaetuck
another large tug which formerly be-
longed to the Standard Oil Co. These
are the two largest tugs in the U. S.
Navy. We often have instruction
and practise in Secondary Battery
aboard her. Both of them are con-
structed of steel mounted with guns
and serve as gun boats.
Seeing the Collier safe, the Admiral
decided that as long as we were so
far south, and having taken on full
bunker capacity of coal, upon leaving,
we would continue and make the
"Grand Tour" as it would be the
height of folly for stranger to navi-
gate vessel the size of the "New
York" through these Islands. The
Captain telegraphed, before leaving
Cavite, to Francisco Suehy Orts, a
Spanish Pilot of more than twenty
years experience in these waters to
meet us off the coast of Panay. This
Pilot, now in the employ of the U. S.
Navy Dept. is located at Ilo lilo.
After leaving the Iris, our first OBJ
jectivc point was the City of Cebu,
situated on the Island of the same
name, it is the Oldest European settle,
mert in the Philippines. Here the
great discoverer, Magellan, first set
foot, April 9TH, 1891. Magellan as
you know, was one of the ables,
mathematicians, and skillfull and bold,
navigators OF the age in which he
lived. He was Portuguese by birth,
but on account of adverse circum-
stances at home he offered his services
to the king of Spain, Charles First
who accepted them and fitted him out
for an expedition of discovery. He
left Spain Aug. 10th, 1919 discover
ing the Straits which bear his name,
the Ladrone Islands, and finally the
Philippines. At first the natives at
tempted to expell him from the Islands
but was at last welcomed by them be-
cause of his friendly mission, and
tiSdt) was ulduC tnSui' iIC diuCu TIC
natives in a struggle against hostile
tribes and was mortally wounded by
an arrow. A slab on Magton Island
marks the place where he fell, and an
imposing O5elisk on the beach at
Cebu perpetuates his memory among
those whom he gave to the civilized
world.
After Magellan's death number Of
his followers were killed at banquet
and the remaining few after many
hardships escaped to Spain. Cebu is
the third largest port in the Islands
and has an established Custom House,
its population is about 1900 while
the whole population of the Island of
Cebu is 100000. The City suffered
much in the rebellion against the
Spanish in 1897, and still shows num-
erous signs of the Bombardment by
~ - Af .