Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-07-17
MANILA'S OLD FORT
SANTIAGO WAS BUILT WORE
~ THAN 3U' YEARS AGO.
Key of City's Vast System If Defense
Constructed by the Spaniards Is
Now Used as Military Head
quarters.

quarters.
A score of miles down the bay from
Manila, right at the very front door
of the archipelago, lies hidden on Cor
regidor Island veritable hornets
nest of masked batteries. According
to the Overland Monthly, these bat
.teries make the Port Arthur implace
ments Of yesterday seem like mere
old-fashioned toys, and paper ones al
that.
The Gruson turrets, made Of con
crete and steel and sunk on rock
foundations, natural or artificial, ir
the deep, resembling huge gray turtles
sticking up out Of the water with pro
truding gun barrels for necks, occupy
Ell Fraile and other small islets in the
vicinity, while old .humpbacked Cor
regidor is covered from crest to shore
line with guns, a honeycomb of under
ground cement tunnels, pits and run
ways, wireless equipment, electrical
apparatus, searchlights and other con
trivances to aid in repelling an enemy
When it comes to age and roman
tic history, however, old Fort Santi
ago is far ahead of Corregidor. Ma
nila's walled city, town in itself, con
sisting of several city blocks with
paved streets, business houses and
large dwellings is surrounded by q
stone wall about thirty feet high and
from thirty to forty feet thick
The walls once were skirted on the
outside by deep mOat, filed with wa
ter having drawbridges at the various
gates. Most If not all Of the mOat
has now been filed in, but no doubt
the walls will stand for years if for
no other reason than for their histori
cal interest.
Of this vast yet crude system OF
defense Fort Santiago stands as the
key. What the Tower of London is
to England, what the Vatican is te
Rome, what the Bunker Hill monu
ment is to the United States, For
Santiago Is to the Philippine Islands
The Spanish invaders made Manila
their headquarters in 1911 and bega1
to fortify it about twenty years later
) The first stone construction was tn,
circular wall, which is still standing
Since the American occupation of thu
! fort its armament has been takel
away and the buildings within thu
parks have been converted into bar
racks and storerooms.
Commodious Office buildings hav,
been erected on top of the walls alon,
and overlooking the Pasig, and her
the commanding general Of the Phi
1ppane division has his headquarters
In one Of the beautiful parks within
the fort is located the military arser
al, with its big steam and electri
workshops.
Some of the maps and plans of tn
fort are now in the British museum
in London, where they were carrie
after the British conquest Of Manila
The fort, mostly in it's present form
has stood for 800 years. There are a
sorts of stories floating about concern
ing secret chambers in the walls an
wings.
So far as the secret chambers ar
concerned, there is some truth in tn
rumors. The filling Of the old mos
closed many of the entrances to thes
chambers, probably forever When til
wall in Gale Aduana was removed. a
inner chamber was found filled wit
human skeletons.
Natives have a wholesome terror
the old place, and absolutely no desil
to see anything below the surface
the thick old walls. Americans VIII
with electric lamps, have started e
plorations have given up, owing to tt
foul air, crumbling passages and OF
er hindrances.
Only three flags have flown abo1
Fort Santiago. For 1928 years tt
, Spanish ensign was unfurled to IL
tropic breeze, except for the brief tin
the British flag supplanted that Of tt
rightful lords. The hosting of tt
.. third flag is well known to all Amer
cans.