THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



Til 



SPANISH FORTIFICATIONS NEAR MANILA 



By courtesy of Leslie's Weekly 



the past two hundred years. It contains seventeen streets, laid 

 out at right angles. The .governor's palace, the cathedral, and 

 archiepiscopal residence face on the plaza, or public square, 

 which is adorned with magnificent tropical shrubbery and 

 flowers, surrounding a statue of Charles IV, which stands in the 

 center. The barracks for the military forces, the government 

 offices, and custom-house are all located in this old town ; but 

 as there is very little business or commercial activity there, it is 

 intensely dull and life there is monotonous. Just outside the fort- 

 ifications is a broad road called the Calzada, which is to Manila 

 what the Paseo de la Reforma is to the City of Mexico, Hyde 

 park to London, or the Champs Elysees to Paris. Every fine 

 evening from 5 o'clock to dusk it is crowded with carriages and 

 equestrians, seeking relief in the cooler evening air after the heat 

 of the day, and society enjoys the luxury of seeing and being 

 seen. 



Near the river stands a stone column erected to the memory 

 of Fernando de MagalhaBS, the Portuguese navigator and discov- 

 erer of the islands. It stands on a marble pedestal, and is sur- 

 mounted by a bronze sphere, and decorated midway with dol- 

 phins, anchors, and laurel wreaths. 



On the opposite side of the river, and connected with the old 

 city by several bridges, is the newer town, which is the commer- 



