Manila

MANILA, one of the two incorporated cities of the Philippine Islands (the other being Baguio, q.v.) and the capital and prin cipal port of the archipelago, having the rank of a province, situated on the west coast of the island of Luzon, on the east shore of Manila bay, at the mouth of Pasig river, 14° 35' 31" N. and 120° 58' 8" E. Pop. (1876), 93,595; (1918), 285,306; (1932, estimate), 341,034. Of the total population in 1918, the brown race numbered the yellow, 19,255; whites, 6,366; blacks, 30; and mestizos or mixed bloods, 7,701. Of the total, 156,741, or about 55%, were males. The foreign-born included 17,760 Chinese; Americans from the United States, 2,916; Spaniards, 2,050; Japanese, 1,612; British, 664; Germans, 201; French, 121; Swiss, 71; and all others, 474. The Tagalogs predominate.

Physical Aspect.

The city covers an area of about 14 sq.m., and has a perimeter of over 16.5 miles. It lies on low ground very slightly above sea-level, and was formerly one of the most insanitary cities in the Orient. The Pasig river divides it into two parts. Manila bay is one of the largest land-locked harbours in the world (about 120 m. in circumference). Entrance into the city from the sea lies through the narrow channel of the bay which is obstructed about midway by the fortified island of Cor regidor, a hydroplane station for the United States, while near by are the two fortified islets of El Fraile and El Carabao. The channel leading into the Pasig is kept dredged to a depth of about 18 ft., and the lighter ships can enter the river for some little distance. Most of the shipping, however, enters the city through an extensive breakwater system on the southern side of the river. It is designed to keep the basin inside dredged to a depth of 3o ft., so that the largest ships can enter safely. To the north of the city are the rugged Mariveles mountains and toward the east the city extends about halfway to the Laguna de Bay (a lake nearly as large as Manila bay). On its land side, the city, through which run also several esteros or tide-water creeks, is entirely surrounded by Rizal Province. Intramuros, the old city, which is about identical with that founded in 1571 by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, lies on the southern side of the Pasig, formerly along the bay for about 1 m. but now separated from it by the Port district. Intramuros is enclosed by thick stone walls about 25 ft. high and 21 m. in circuit. These were begun by Governor

Santiago de Vera, about 1584, and completed by forced Chinese and Filipino labour. Formerly a moat flanked the city on the land sides, but in 1905 this was filled in. About two-thirds of the wall is still intact, as well as the beautiful gates and several of the bastions. In the north-eastern angle of the walled city stands Ft. Santiago, built before 160o. The principal square, faced by the cathedral and Government building, has been renamed Plaza McKinley. In Intramuros are many churches and the convents of the several religious orders, besides the Dominican university of Santo Tomas, the oldest university under the American flag, the Dominican school San Juan de Letran, the Jesuit Ateneo or high school, the Philippine library, many of the Government bureaux, several hospitals and other institutions.

From Intramuros and the districts lying on the southern side one passes to the districts lying on the northern side by several bridges, the principal one of which is the new Jones concrete bridge. The immediate district entered is the old village of Bi nondo, which is the principal financial and shopping district. Here paralleling the river lies the Escolta, one of the busiest thorough fares, and extending north, Calle Rosario, noted for its Chinese shops and its embroidery vendors. Between Binondo and the bay, in the district of San Nicold.s, are the customs house and shipping establishments. North of San Nicolas and bordering the bay is Tondo, the most densely populated district, almost entirely native, where the majority of the houses are of nipa and bamboo. Here the streets are narrow and there are small, navi gable, tidal streams; many of the inhabitants are fishing folk. East of Tondo and Binondo lies Santa Cruz, a large district partly fronting on the river and reached most easily from Intra muros by the Santa Cruz bridge. Here are the race track and the Cemetery of the North. Quiapo, an old Jesuit mission town now rapidly becoming a business section, lies farther east, the former, as does San Miguel, lying partly along the river, with many fine residences, among them the beautiful State-owned governor's palace of Malacarian. North of these sections is the large native district of Sampaloc, with its new and high suburb of Santa Mesa.