Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-04-08
That Toledo Bluejacket.
MANILA, P. l., March 4. 1904

Your very welcome leCter WAS reCelNeu
by me today also the violin string and
the papers. l was very glad to hear
from home. 1t took your letter just A
days to reach me. The mail service
between San Francisco and Manila is
very poor, even at Chez Foo we got our
mail every two weeks regular but here
1t only comes once month and some
times not that often, which makes it
quite a long time to wait.
We finished big gun target practice
last week and have run into port so we
are now lying at Cavite. We got 49,
hours liberty as soon as the mud hook
was down, the first liberty from the
ship for three months, and l never
want and more liberty in this place.
Manila is the nearest to Chez Foo for
filth and dirt to anything / ever saw.
They have dirty, narrow streets paved
with cobble stones foot high, and lit
tie dirty shacks for buildings. don't
think there is one building in this city
as fine as some of the stores in Toledo,
and Manila IS city of, 100000 popula-
ton. One thing they have got that is
fancy and that is prices. You pay 50
for IL pleasant smile. There is, think,
$4,000 Cinnamon in the city and about
100, coo natives, so you can imagine how
things are. l have come to the con-
clusion that Manila is as big fake as
Dewey's victory over the Spanish row
boats in Manila bay. managed to stay
- honrs out of 49 on shore, which was
enough for me, and then made tracks
for the ship. There is nothing at all to
see here except the Walled City, the
bridge of Spain and the Bellibid
Prison. These are the only places of
interest, and they are not of much int
crest to the casual observer, although ]
suppose they were interesting to the
natives at times when the Spanish got
after them.
Cavite is seven miles from Manila
across the bay, and to get there one
has to take the ferry from here. Cavite
is a small town, but is, l believe, far
ahead of Manila. About half mile
from Cavite is "a native village known
as San Roy1e. 1t is composed entirely
of native hnts made from bamboo. 1t
is quite sight to 60 through the place
just to see how they build their houses.
We are to lay here sixteen days more
on account of some damage that was
done to the after turret in this target
practice, then we are to go to Hong
Kong with the Kentucky. She will go
in dry dock, then to New York and
then home. The Juan de Cuba leaves
for home tomorrow. She is gunboat
in our navy, but was a first class cruiser
in the Spanish fleet against Dewey and
is about the size of the T. NJ. Richard
sou. She is to go to the st. Louis Fair.
but to my way of thinking she is poor
sample of Dewey's victory.
! suppose we will soon be going north
now. After we leaye Hong Kong we
will go either to Shanghai or Chez Foo
We cannot go to Japan-that is, and
get any liberty-on account of the jap.
Russia war. l don't have any idea how
they will come out. We don't hear
much about it. We know there is war
between the two countries but that is
about all. You know more about the
war than we do. All the United States
cruisers have gone the seat Of war 10
protect American property or interests.
From what war news we get Russia
seems to be getting the worst of it..
You want to know if ! was not sorry I
left Bremerton. No, lam not. | would
not sell the experience and the sights |
have seen if | never had any more
book learning. l am in the navy now.
You could not call Bremerton the navy.
although that is the starting point. |
like going to sea. There is always
something new to see and it is healthy
life, although the climate here is very
bed. Well, l have doue pretty we'll
writing, so am going to quit, for do
not want to tire you out Write long
letters and send me lots of LEADERS
aud Reporters, for like to see what
hay is selling at once in while, also
to see when Dave Williams comes to
town. Well, must close, hoping to
hear from home soon, am as ever,
5. w. RosEBRooK.
U. S. S. Wisconsin.