arew on the 10th October. By a ved by us to day, it will also be Jacobs' case has been adjourned h'instant. By this we conclude that Mrs. case is being continued, and that it is evident that Miss Jacobs has not been committed för murder, but it may be for perjury; and that her oase has been concluded. However, it is impossible to judge correctly, and we must wait patiently till we get the fact from the Japanese papers.
THE REBELLION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
From Manila papers on the 13th January we learn that on the 2nd January a court-martial was held for the trial of Francisco L. Roxas and's lieutenant of the reserve and fifteen others accused of being concerned in the rebellion,
On the 4th January there were executed thirteen men, including three native priests, who were tried by court martial on the 29th December. The charge against them was that of conspiring to raise a rebellion in the province of Camarines. It appears that the Civil Governor of that province received confidential informa- tion that a chemist named Tomas Prieto had received a quantity of arms. This man was arrested and he made a confession which resulted in the discovery of a vast conspiracy, a ramification of those of Cavite and Manila. Pietro stated that in conjunction with Victoriano Luciano, who had since been executed at Cavite, he had arranged a shipment of arms by a native vessel, which was discharged on the coast, the arms being then divided amongst the leaders of the movement. Secret meetings were held and it was decided that the rising should take place on the 26th September, but owing to the discovery of the plot that date passed quietly. A number of persons were arrested, and, in the investigation held locally, some having been found. innocent and others acquitted for want of evidence, the thirteen found to be the leaders were sent to Manila to be dealt with. Tomas Pietro, who was the first arrested and whose confession led to the arrest of the others, was amongst those tried, condemned, and executed.
The Comercio attaches great importance to the victory of Cacarong and Sile, which it con- siders a decisive blow to the rebellion in the province of Bulacan.
From files of the Comercio received on the 18th January we gather that the Spanish forces are steadily subduing the rebellion, but no reference is made to the approaching attack on the rebel stronghold in Cavite.
A map is published illustrative of the action of the 1st January at Sile, in which the rebels were dislodged from their position in the province of Bulacan with a loss of eleven hundred kiled. The positions of the opposing forces are shown, from which it would appear that the rebels were completely surrounded.
An order was issued by the Governor-General on the 11th January the preamble of which recites that large numbers of the loyal inhabi- tants are desirous to shed their blood for king and country and to assist by their personal service in the restoration of order; and the order authorises the formation of native volun- teer corps. A Madrid telegram states that the news of the formation of native volunteer corps has been received with much satisfaction in Spain.
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Another proclamation of the 11th January holds out a free pardon to those of the rebel who have not actually taken part in the movement” and a remission of the death penalty to rebels who surrender with their arms and to those who give information sa to stores of arms, etc., the advantager of fored the proclamation to remain in force un- til the 23rd January. A large number of persons ported to have already availed themselves the offer: An order calling upon all private persons in of firearms to surrender the same has to much discussion. In certain speci- permission for the possession of
the
were shot on the 11th Jan- was the well-known Fran- other a military officer. In latter the execution was preceded
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❘
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
on the
by the formality of his military degradation, his sword being broken and thr ground and his decorations torn off.
A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ON THE SITUATION.
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seem to have any comm The Spanish scouts and are constantly in prog and that the insurgents ar far as my observation, go of the
case with our
January 20, 1807)
the reve
Manila, 23rd December. There is very little to record in the way of not appear to fully apprec startling news since I last wrote, but there of hardening their men or of tryin have been a few little incidents which for want them into a fit bodily condition for the of something more interesting might be men- and privations of actual campaign. – Officer tioned. One is that in the neighbourhood of and men require a vast deal of drilling and the village of Paranaque and Las Pinas, a smartness. There is no doubt of the va distance of about 6 miles from the Lunetta, the Spanish soldier or of their elan there have been several scrimmages between but something more than these quali the Spanish outposts and the rebels. Twenty required; if the full result of their posse or thirty wounded troops have been brought to be attained in the field. The troops un- in here to the hospital since Friday last, as doubtedly want a great deal of drilling and the result of these indecisive and desultory setting up to come up to the British or German little fights, but we have no record of how idea of a perfect fighting machine Physically many rebels have been killed or wounded. the native troops are harder and got over The Spanish authorities likewise conceal as ground far better. On the march the Spanish far as possible the number of their losses, soldiers slouch along anyhow and their move and as the affairs are so trivial it is scarcely ments totally lack that prim precision that worth while to go to much trouble to en- associate with a modern army. On the othe quire. The rebels persistently keep up these hand the Spaniard must be allowed to exercise annoying tactics of stealthily attacking the out his preference for less stringent ideas posts without doing very much damage beyond this respect, which are naturally associated with killing or wounding a sentinel here or there, a nation that has always been seen at its best and then invariably retire into the swampy and in irregular or guerilla warfare. The officers are wooded hill country when the Spanish fire gets fine dashing fellows, very polished and courteous, too hot for them. The Spaniards seldom make with very little beyond the gold bands and stars on their sleeves and their head-gear to dis. any pursuit, and if they did it would be next to useless, as the natives know every inch of the tinguish them from the rank and file. The country, while the Spanish forces are not at all colour and texture of the uniforms are well strong in topographical knowledge. Moreover. adapted to the country, light blue and striped the Tagaloes are quite at home in the heavy man- cotton thinner than drill, but inferior to kaki grove swamps and dense sugar-cane plantations, in every respect. The shape is, however, abo- and can make their way about waist deep in minable, and the army tailors all deserve in- water quite comfortably, winding about through stant death at the hands of a court-martial! the puzzling maze of cane or brushwood without The Guard Civil and Veterans, consisting reaching within three feet of the tops. They mostly of native Tagalos, are dressed in have no impedimenta to carry and every place tight-fitting light blue cotton with red fao finds food on hand in the rich banana and ings. The artillery wear white stiff kepis cocoa-nut groves, the sugar-cane, and the thousand red facings on the collar and cuff, but and edible products of tree and earth with otherwise resemble the infantry. The cavalry which this magnificently endowed country might be taken for mounted infantry in every abounds. Their copper-coloured hides, im- respect except for their spurs and long swords. pervious to the thorns of the cactus and spikes Alf arms alike wear the most awkward and un- of a dozen prickly plants, the agile rebels, bare serviceable head-gear imaginable the Spanish footed and with the smallest apologies for sombrero, a wide brimmed, high-crowned straw olothing, can more from place to place hat, which affords but the most slender protec and be happy without hart, where the Spanish, tion against the sun, turns into mere pulp in little as they seem to require and still less rain, and becomes perfectly impossible in high receive, would perish in misery and starve winds. The accontrements in the field are very where the enemy finds in plenty his ordinary few and consequently the Spanish soldier is not daily fare. The natives are excellent pedes burdened with heavy impedimenta on the march. trians and when put to it can travel on foot for A light blanket, a tin porringer, a second shirt days in a climate and over a country that makes and uniform, a brush, a very light blanket, the marching or any movement for a couple of whole rolled up in a mackintosh with the number of the regiment painted in yellow on the outside, hours unendurably fatiguing. These are some of the advantages which the rebels enjoy, and cross straps to hold it on the shoulder, com- besides which they are famous for their aptitudepletes bis personal equipment. I have not been as marksmen with all weapons. Bow and arrow able to discover that any man has a second pair and modern repeating rifle are all one to them. of boots. Indeed their footgear seems the weak- The Spaniards admit that their enemies seldom est point of their equipment; some have brown: waste a shot and every firelock discharged from leather boots made locally by Chinese, others: ambuscade generally means a man knocked out black or canvas shoes, in fact anything to of the Spanish line by death or serious wounds. cover the feet, which are altogether neglected, The Spanish troops, who are in the vast majority whereas they should be of all things the most very young lads of from 18 to 22, are armed carefully looked after. It is not to be wondered with a weapon to which they are unaccustomed, at if the poor fellows soon grow footsors. Most
of them do not seem to possess any socks the old Remington having only just been re- placed by the new pattern Mauser with magazine all want infinitely better footgear than tha for five shots. But fortunately for them good now provided. As I have mentioned before, arms are very scarce amongst the enemy. At the arm of the service is the new Mauser, Spanish present the Spanish and insurgent forces alike pattern, with half the barrel sheathed with wood to remain inactive except for the intermittent af save the hand from the barrel, which heats very fairs of the outposts before referred to. But the rapidly. The cavalry carry carbines of the same next province of Bulacan has, since the advance pattern and calibre, in addition to revolvers and of General Rios on Macauyan, been almost free sabres. The native troops, who have rendered from disturbance, the insurrectos having ap- excellent service, are still armed with sin parently gone into Cavite. The Pampanga Remingtons, which, however, are now has also been comparatively quiescent of late, altered in the Arsenal here so as to gi while numerous small expeditions of Spanish an increased range. It is in artillery troops are scouring the nearest frontiers of the fighting branch of the army seems most Laguna, to free it of the rebels. The object of tive, though not more so than in
which practies Captain-General Polavieja is to localize the and military train rebellion as much as possible in the province existent as separate integers
The of Cavite, and his generals are directing their vice, operations with chief regard to that object. are abont 20 There must now be an immense number of in- 9 c.m. surgents in that province, which they deolare in loss, impregnable, and it is at least certain that they have been given ample time there to strengthen their position. I question "much; however, the truth of the reports that they are constantly getting-
that
for
They do not | josding tubes, calle
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