ON THE FAR EASTERN STATION

Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] There are 3,141 islands in the Philippine group and most of them are mountainous. Fertile gardens, built-in terrace form lie along mountain slopes, and large palm groves stretch away into the distance. Volcanoes have laid waste the surrounding landscape many times in the past. And in one of the extinct cones is immense Lake Tal. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Manila is a favorite port for the Navy's Asiatic Fleet. A short ride in one of the native carriages brings us into the center of the city. In the side streets and more remote sections, a sailor can spend his time and money bargaining for souvenirs with natives who have brought their goods into Manila from Cebu, Samar, Mindanao, or one of the many other smaller islands. [Music] [Applause] [Music] But don't buy any cigars, sailor. Only native women can stand them. [Applause] The ruins of old Spanish forts will bring back memories of exciting days to old-timers in the Navy. Days of Dwey and Manila Bay. Those are cold, damp dungeons down there. A tough place to have to spend the night. Here's a site worth stopping for. The occasion is a native wedding. The bride dances, [Music] the groom, and the bride's father. [Music] and while the dance goes on, food is being prepared for the celebration that will follow. [Music] At the end, the bride and groom are carried off on the shoulders of the musicians, and everybody sits down to eat together. [Music] The Navy introduced baseball to the Filipinos, and from the looks of this game, they did a pretty good job of it. The costumes may not quite fit the picture, but it's real baseball. Manila has its babe roots, too. [Applause] [Applause] The efficient native constabularary, the Philippine Scouts. These fellows look as though they might be able to take care of themselves. Under the supervision of American officers, they have become a well- drilled, capable body of men. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. The public square is turned into a racetrack for the annual gig race. Ponies are hitched to little carts and they're off. Looks almost like the state fair back home, but not quite. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Here's [Music] a game to try. Football with a net, a wicker ball, and a tennis court. It takes years of practice to do this fancy kicking. Heat. Heat. [Music] Shore leave in the Philippines wouldn't be complete without a boat trip. A sailor just can't stay away from water, no matter where he is. And this boat trip has plenty of excitement. There are many swift moving streams in the Hilly Islands, and shooting the rapids in a native canoe is a real thrill. Heat. [Applause] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Applause] The United States Navy is a familiar site to Filipinos, and Navymen are always glad [Music] Revelation. Hey sailors, the sun's up and it's time to hit the deck. We're steaming up past Hong Kong and the river is full of junk. Crazy Chinese sailing junks with eyes that see and fleeking Latin sails. [Music] Chinese say no got eyes no can see. No can see, no can go. [Music] San Pan city. Thousands of floating homes. Perhaps 10 people live in every boat. born in a sand pan and they'll die in a sand pan. An American gunboat on patrol has these river families as neighbors. [Music] Housekeeping Saman style is not complicated. A simple and nearly everyone seems happy. Happy as long as there's plenty of rice. Rice for the mouths of China. It is truly the oriental staff of life. [Music] A walking department store. Buy something, sailor. Buy a souvenir. [Music] A strange looking vehicle. Not strange than the orient. simply a bride going to her groom in the manner of old China. [Music] You've never been to a theater that sounds like this. Plenty of noise, plenty of action. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'm so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Let's travel on to Shanghai. [Music] The Wangpool River filled with junks from Aloy, sam pans from Suchao, and plenty of sampans for sailors bound for a liberty in Shanghai. [Music] One of the most modern cities in the entire Orient, the International Settlement of Shanghai is really an up-to-date transported to China. [Music] No, don't take a taxi cab. A rickshaw in Shanghai. Wake up, [ __ ] You drag me while I take in the sight. [Music] Traffic cops with beers. There are six imported from the Punjab of India. Good fighters, too. [Music] No one can ever accuse the Chinese of being afraid of work. And they are good workers. [Music] The bird market. Chinese are fond of birds as pets. This bird man comes from Tingo. [Music] Keep your eyes open. A million interesting spaces and strange sights await the sailor who visits Shanghai. A sidewalk peep show around the world for half a penny. [Music] China has its full quota of pretty girls who combine oriental charm with modern snap. The result is not hard to look at. The Willow Pattern Tea House, where crooked walks have been built to keep out thieves. Chinese legend tells us that only honest men can turn corners. Evildoers, they believe, must walk in a straight line. Top sticks with expert instruction. [Music] Your cruise to China ends, but you'll soon come back. The east is always calling. Come back, sailor. Come again. And if you're a true sailor man, you'll return to China, land of pleasant adventure. [Music]