"Manila Bay should enter a state of military readiness immediately. Especially at the mouth of Manila Bay, mines and other obstacles should be laid to prevent the enemy from driving straight in."
As one of the few great bays in the world, Manila Bay was easy to defend, but its entrance was also extremely wide. If the Spanish Navy had been powerful, that would naturally not have been a problem. But now the enemy was strong and they were weak, so the Spanish Navy had to rely on external assistance to gain an advantage over the American Navy.
"At the same time, the coastal defense artillery on both shores of Manila Bay's entrance must be maintained promptly. This time, East Africa has provided quite a number of large-caliber coastal guns, which can replace some of the antiques. Of course, those obsolete guns must also be put to use, expanding Manila Bay's artillery coverage as much as possible and coordinating effectively with the local navy."
"Corregidor Island in particular lies at the very center of Manila Bay's entrance and must be modernized at once. The military facilities built on Corregidor Island are far too outdated. Modern artillery and warships are no longer comparable to those of the Age of Sail, and the original military installations can hardly cope with modern weaponry."
Corregidor Island's crucial position had destined it to become ground every military force fought over. Spanish colonialists had occupied the small island in the ninth century, stationing 250-millimeter cannons there with a range of 2,000 meters and establishing a checkpoint where every passing vessel had to undergo their inspection.
After the United States occupied the island, it valued it even more, spending vast sums to establish Fort Mills there, complete with barracks, a hospital, an ice factory, a cinema, a