e works was carried
away by a typhoon on September 29, 1890. To defray the cost of making
this harbour, a special duty (not included in the Budget) of one per
cent. on exports, two per cent. on imports, 10 cents per ton on vessels
(besides the usual tonnage dues of eight cents per register ton), and a
fishing-craft tax were collected since June, 1880. For eighteen years'
dues-collection of several millions of pesos only a scrap of sea-wall
was to be seen beyond the river in 1898, of no use to trade or to
any one. In 1882 fourteen huge iron barges for the transport of stone
from Angono for the harbour were constructed by an English engineer,
Mr. W. S. Richardson, under contract with the Port Works, for P82,000.

The Port of Manila was officially held to extend for 27 miles
westward from the mouth of the Pasig River. This tortuous river,
about 14 miles long, flows from the Laguna de Bay.

The anchorage of the port was in the bay, two to two and a half miles
south-west from the red light at the river-entrance, in about six
fathoms. There was no special locality reserved for warships.

Ships at the anchorage communicated with the shore by their own
boats or steam-launch, and the loading and discharging of vessels was
chiefly effected in the bay, one to three miles off the river mouth,
by means of lighters called _cascoes_.

Manila Bay has a circumference of 120 nautical miles, and is far too
large to afford adequate protection to ships. The country around it
is flat in character and has really nothing attractive.

On October 20, 1882, a typhoon drove 11 ships and one steamer ashore
from their anchorage, besides dismasting another and causing three
more to collide. When a typhoon is approaching vessels have to run
to Cavite for shelter.

The entrance to the bay is divided into two passages by the small
Island of Corregidor, on which was a lighthouse showing a revolving
bright light, visible 20 miles off. Here was also a signal-station,
communicating by a semaphore with a telegraph station on the opposite
Luzon coast, and thence by wire with Manila. North of Corregidor
Island is situated the once important harbour of Mariveles. [164]

The entrance to the Pasig River is between two moles, which run out
westward respectively from the citadel on the south bank and from the
business suburb of Binondo on the north bank. At the outer extremity
of the northern mole was a lighthouse, showing a fixed red light,
visible eight m