Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-16
MANILA,s OLD FORT.
Santiago Was Built More Than 90
Years AGO,

Santiago Was Built More Than 800
Years Ago.
A score Of miles down the bay from
Manila, right at the very front
door of the archipelago, lies hidden on
Corregidor island q veritable hornets
nest Of masked batteries. According
to the Overland Monthly, these bat
teries make the Port Arthur emplace-
ments of yesterday seem like mere old
fashioned toys, and paper ones at that.
The Gruson turrets, made Of con-
crete and steel and sunk on rock foun-
dations, natural or artificial, In the
Ideep, 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 hump backed Cor
regidor is covered from crest to shore
line with guns, honeycomb Of un-
derground cement tunnels, pits and
runways, wireless equipment, electri-
cal apparatus. searchlights and other
contrivances to aid In repelling an
enemy
When II comes to age and romantic
history, however, old Fort Santiago is
far ahead Of Corregidor. Manila's
walled city, town in itself. consisting
of several city blocks with paved
streets. business houses and large
dwellings. is surrounded by 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
water. having drawbridges at the va
rious gates Most, II not all. Of the
moat has now been filled In, but ro
doubt the walls will stand for years.
II for no other reason than for their
historic interest.
or this vast yet crude system Of de-
tense Fort Santiago stands as the
key. What the Tower Of London Is TO
England. what the Vatican is to
Rome. what the Bunker Hill monu-
ment is to the United States, Fort
Santiago is to the Philippine islands.
The Spanish invaders made Manila
their headquarters In 1871 and began
to fortify II about twenty years later.
The first stone construction was the
circular wall, which Is still standing.
Since the American occupation Of the
fort its armament has been taken
away and the buildings within the
parks have been converted into bar
racks and storerooms.
Commodious office buildings have
been erected on top Of the walls along
and overlooking the Pasig, and here
the commanding general Of the Phil
ippine division has his headquarters.
In one Of the beautiful parks within
the fort Is located the military arsenal.
with It's big steam and electric work.
shops.
Some of the maps and plans Of the
fort are now In the British museum.
in London, where they were carried
after the British conquest Of Manila.
The fort, mostly In It's present form,
has stood for 800 years. There are ell
sorts Of stories floating about con-
cerning secret chambers In the walls
and wings.
So far as the secret chambers are
concerned, there Is some truth In the
rumors. The filing Of the old moat
closed many Of the entrances to these
chambers, probably forever. When
the wall In Gale Aduana was remov-
ed, an inner chamber was found filled
with human skeletons.
Natives have q wholesome terror of
the old place, and absolutely no de-
sire to see anything below the surface
of the thick old walls. Americans
who, with electric lamps. have started
explorations, have given up, owing to
the foul air, crumbling passages and
other hindrances.
Only three flags have flown above
Fort Santiago For 32S years the
Spanish ensign was unfurled to the
tropic breeze, except for the brief time
the British flag supplanted that Of the
rightful lords The hoisting Of the
third flag is well known to all Ameri-
cans.