Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29
SCENES IN PHILIPPINES
oLOBE-TRoTTERs IMPRESSIONS
OF MANILA AND COUNTRY.

"a ccNAouS TedSouS no city or the orient
can be Of greater interest to an American
traveller than is the metropolis of the Phil
lppines. While 1t is our own town by right
OF conquest, by right of purchase and by
right OF occupation, 1t also is a city where
every aspect is so foreign to the Ameri-
can visitor that he is constantly agape with
wonder at Its sights, sounds. methods of
transacting business and everything that
II Is or does. AS regards the Philippines
IN general our predicament is very similar
to that Of a len that has Matched a duck
ling. and. though convinced that It will
eventually take to the water still makes
desperate efforts to prevent 1t from so do
ing But while at present the Philippines
as whole are worse than worthless to u.s.
the city OF Manila, together with its mag
innocent harbor. Is of such vital Importance
as to have become one of our most yalua bile
possessions. and 1t alone is well worth the
price we have paid. Without 1t we would
have so little voice in the affairs OF the
far east that. even IL we spoke, no one
would pay attention. With it. our slight
est whisper in that direction is listened to
with respect. and our very wishes are an
ucipated. IT, by any means, We should lose
Manila, our influence In the orient would
sink to par with that of France in the
new world after the loss of Quebec: but
holding 1t. we also hold the balance of
power on the Pacific. Manila then. Is an
CITY 10 nave ana TO hold for
so long as We desire to remain a world
power with an equal voice In the affairs of
nations.
| Viewed in this light it is city that no
American traveller can afford to omit from
ms itinerary. 1t Is so easy of access that
ne may reach it by way of Japan without
leaving the steamer that has brought him
from San Francisco. while from Hong
kong. only two days distant there is at
| least one first-class passenger steamer
every week. There is French line from
Saigon. two North German Lloyd's per
month from Singapore, a monthly British
India from Calcutta. and cargo boats from
| half the ports of the world.
Manila bay may be likenet to huge bot
tie very loosely corked by Corregidor Is
land. This frowning mass of rock nearly
channel on either side. No American can
fail to be filled with honest pride as he
surveys the situation and recalls that mem
orable May day of 1898. OF course he
knows, and the world knows, that the al
legged sea fight off Cavite that followed
Deweys arrival was the mere battering to
pieces from safe distance, of lot of
helpless craft that the Spaniards had vain
ly imagined to be warships. But when he
sees Corregidor that should have been, and
was supposed to be heavily fortified and
when he notes the narrow channel be-
tween it and Miravales Point that should
have been, and was supposed to be paved
with mines at the time of the American
approach, he realizes the sublime heroism
that, without tremor or sign of faltering,
sent those American ships through mid
night blackness, into what was believed to
be the very jaws of DEATH and he has am
pie reason to be proud of his birthright.
The broad eXpanse of Manila bay Is
fringed with mountains, and it's shores are
heavily forested, but most of the firewood
used in the city Is brought from Burneo, or
| from distant Singapore, because the Fill
pinos are too indolent to cut the abundant
supply growing at their very doors.
After crossing this beautiful bit of land
locked sea the ship comes to anchor a mile
or so from shore, off the mouth of the
| Pasig river. and If darkness has fallen. or
the sun Is anywhere near Its setting. pas
SengerS must remain board until the
next morning. There is. however. plenty
to interest them as they lounge in long,
cane-woven steamer chairs under the deck
awnings, and gaze at the brilliantly illu-
minated city outspread in a great semi
circle before them. Nearer at hand shine
the myriad lights of anchored shipping.
with here and there grim man-of-war
flashing colored signals from tall mast
heads. In the blazing armament many Of
the newcomers now note for the first time
the four pendant jewels OF the southern
cross, and realize that they are fairly
within the tropics.
Most interesting of all is to watch the
cleaning torches of innumerable fishing
canoes that, from the fall of darkness until
midnight, dart to and fro. like so many
fire flies, over the placid waters in pur-
suit of a small sivery fish that swarms in
this part of the bay. Attracted by the
faring torch, and it's reflected glare. this
willing victim does not wait to be caught,
but leaps into the canoe of his own accord
until the craft Is so full that its enticing
torches must be extinguished to avert dis
aster. During the whole OF their fishing the
canoemen keep up furious beating on the
sides and gunwales of their craft with
hardwood sticks. and with = hundreds of
them thus engaged the racket is appalling.
| WHY they do this Is a mystery to the I'M
taI IA ma
most desirable torches. or possibly as a
musical inducement for the fish to enter
the boats, though it would seem as though
such a bedlam might frighten away every
asb south of the Tropic of Cancer.
In early morning the ship is boarded by
| lust such throng of blue uniformed, burst
| ing with importance, health and customs
officials as may be encountered IN the mar
| hors of New York San Francisco; ana
| a steam launch flying the absurd eagle OF
the American customs service waits along
side to convey passengers, with their ias
gage to the embarcadero aduana or GUS
tom bouse landing. 1t is half a mile above
| the mouth of the Pasig. up which the
launch threads its way amid swarm OF
tive sailing craft, all flying American flags
and holding to their rights-of-way with
more than American independence. ON the
right frown the gray wall and mediaevai
tnwers of ancient Manila, while on the LEFT
is outsnread the unwalled and more mod
ern town On this side the passenger
lands to undergo the ordeal OF the Gus
tom house, which is not nearly SO severe
40 at home save in one particular NO
frearm. dirk or other weapon more deadly
than a penknife may be carried into Ma
Mia. and the free born American citizen
protests vigorously against having his re-
yoIyer. together with its ammunition, taken
from him by American ofhciais on Ameri-
can SOIL In spite of protests ana threats
Of what he will do when he gets nome.
he is Obliged to submit to the indignity OF
heing disarmed, nor will his gun De re-
turned to him until he Is once more on
shipboard and about to leave the country.
Finally. with his customs anairs settieo
more or less harmoniously. the traveIer
nnds himself in glaringly hot ana DUSTY
street. surrounded by clamorous throhss VI
little brown men who wear white linen ano
straw hats. or dirty undershirts, drawers
and no hats Also there are many oiapn-
anous coats made of a coarse MOSQUITO net
ting that cover without conceaing the
sniied underwear. The stranger looks hope
Suiiv about him for the serviceabie Jlnriki-
sha to which, by this time, he mas become
Accustomed, but none is to be seen, nor -
there one in all Manila. save In storage
warehouse where some 800 OF those useIui
little vehicles repose in idleness.
Tha r,hlic carriage service OF Mania Is