The Coconino sun., 1925-04-03
Manila, P. /, February 4.

Manila, P.I., February A.
"You may fire when ready, Mr..
Gridley," said Admiral Dewey, May
1, 1898.
Bang! and the Spanish fleet bit
the DUST" or words to that affect.
Thus ended 400 years of Spanish
reign of the islands.
We arrived off this port early on
Wednesday morning and went through
about 20 miles of outer bay to the i'm
ner harbor. and past Cavite, the pres
ent u. S. naval base and the point
where Dewey changed the complexion
of the Philippine government, thus
bringing the stars and stripes and
prosperity.
AS we came in along the islands, a
fort off to the right popped off big
one. Don't know whether is was just
tickled to see our big boat from the
states or because it hadn't got over
Chinese New Year, but we accepted it
as salute. One very intelligent lady
was very much peeved because our
ship didn't return the salute, gun for
gun. She didn't know that the only
gun we have on board is small bam-
boo pop-gun one Of the children pur-
chased in Shanghai.
Commodore Buchanan, a retired U,
S. naval officer, kindly pointed out
Cavite and the approximate location
Of Dewey's fleet and that of the Span
ish fleet when the famous order to
fire was given. Cavite stands out
into the bay from the main land and
is several miles from the city of
Manila which lays off to the left.
Many will remember the details Of
this little affair which caused consid
cradle commotion not only in this To-
United States and-Cuba.
We struck a little mud going into
the harbor and were stuck up for a
short time by the fact that there some
several passengers who did not show
up with inspection cards when the port
doctor came on board to give the gang
the once over. These delinquents were
routed out and we moved up to pier 4
and were plastered against it at noon,
It was rather inspiring to be greeted
with the famous Filipino band and a
vast throng of soldiers, sailors and
civilians lining the big dock as the
gang plank was rolled into position
/ from the upper deck. There were
cheers on both sides quite mutual
The big buildings setting well back
from the docks and open plazas about
indicated different kind of city
than most we have been visiting.
Our first drive about the city was
very interesting, owing to the vast
number of old Spanish buildings, an
cient cathedrals and public buildings
The streets were wide and it was evi-
dent that the old Spanish grandees did
not approve of crowding things, for
there were wide plazas or parks scat
tered in here and there along the way
We went through Fort Mckinley anc
in getting there discovered that many
streets were named after our states
That helped some to convince one
that the old U. S. A. hadn't been for
gotten over here and that you were
liable to find friends who murdered
English much as we do.
The thatched-roofedf Filipino resi-
i dences of the old style were scattered
through among the newer buildings
and as one wanders off out into th'
country along the Pasig river thes'
primitive homes were more numerous
The noted caribou is much in u.s.
here as beast Of burden. You know
the animal-larger than one OF on
cows, built good deal on the plan g
the American buffalo, black but al
most hairless; big horns curvini
hack from the head. They were origin
ally imported here from India. ! q
NOT know where they got the llttl
chubby ponies they use to drive tn
quaint little two-wheeled buggie
around with one or two passengers
They look very much like an oyel