Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-25
MANILA's OLD FORT
e6fTi3GO WAS BUILT MORE
Than 200 YEARS AGO.
Key OF city's Vast System Of Defense
Constructed by the Spaniards Is
Nov Used as Military Head
quarters.

4 score OF miles down the bay from
| Manila, right at the very front door
| Of the archipelago. lies hidden on Cor
regldor Island veritsble hornets
! nest Of masked batteries. According
10 the Overland Monthly. these bat
teries make The Port Arthur implace-
ments Of yesterday seem like mere
old-Iashloned toys, and paper ones II
! thst.
The Gruson turrets, made OF coll
crete and steel and sunk Oh rock
foundations, natural or artificial, III
the deep, resembling huge gray turtles
sticking mp ont 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 10 shore
line with guns, Z honeycoInb Of under
ground cement tunnels, pits and run
ways, wireless equipment. electrical
. apparatus, searchlights and other co!-
! triyances 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 a
stone wall about thirty feet high and
from thirty to forty feet thick.
The walls once were skirted on the
outside by deep moat, filled with va.
ter having dra%bridges at the various
gates. Most If not all OF the mout
has now been filled in. but no doubt
the walls will stand for years il for
no other reason than for their historl
cal interest.
Or this vast yet crude system OF
defense Fort Santiago stands as the
key. What the Tower Of London is
10 England, what the Vatican is 10
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 1911 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
tue commanding general Of the Phil
| ippine division has his headquarters.
in one OF tie beautiful parks within
he fort is located The military arsen-
al, with its big steam and electric
workshops.
Some OF the maps and plans Of the
fort are how in the British museum.
In London, where they were carried
after the British conquest Of Manila.
The fort, mostly in its present form.
has stoodfor 800 years. There are all
sorts OF stories floating about concert
ing 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 ths
wall in Gale Aduaua was removed, an
inner chamber was found filed With
! human SkaleiOnS o.:
Natives have q wholesome terror Of
the old place, and absolutely no desire
to see anything below the surface OF
the thick old walls. Americans who.
with electric lamps, have started ex-
plorations have given UP. owing to the
| foul air. crumbling passages and 9TH
er 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 hosting of the
third flag Is we'll known to all Ameri-