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June 25, 1898.]
four o'clock on Mouday afternoon Mr. H. M. Hillier, collector of Chinese Customs, of course acting on instructions from his superiors, requested the Captain to leave Chinese waters immediately, adding that he could not be allowed to take anything on board, not even a mail, while there. Although this is contrary to international law, the Zufiro having the right to stay in neutral waters for 24 hours and to ship any necessary stores and to coal, the Captain thoughtit advisable to comply, and beaccordingly moved into British waters, where he was en- titled to remain until six o'clock on Tuesday night.
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In view of the scramble for ports in the east, it is not at all unlikely that this will result in China
* leasing another of her stations on the coast. The United States squadron, having to remain out here, will re- quire a naval base, and we may expect to hear of her following the example of Germany and Russia and seizing one at the expense of the Celestial Empire.
With regard to the reported Spanish re-in- forcements for the Philippines, Consul-General Wildman has received a telegram from the U. S. Consul at Gibraltar stating that the Spanish fleet arrived at Cartagena on the coast of Spain on Saturday. The telegram adds "Destination unknown, but said to be Philip- pines." We can hardly think, however, that the Spaniards will commit such a huge blunder as to render their coast practically defenceless, while at the same time sending to the east a force which would be utterly inadequate to cope with that the Americans would have at their disposal at the Philippines by the time the Spanish ships arrived. This is pro- bably a move on the part of Spain to tempt the Americans to weaken their Atlantic squa- dron by sending a few of their vessels to harrass the Spanish coast, to be overwhelmed by the fleet which it has been given out is for the Philippines.
23rd June.
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The number of foreign men-of-war in Manila Bay continues to increase, and it is more than likely that it will be added to rather than diminished within the next week or 80 H.M.S. Plover left for there yesterday morn. ing, and she will be followed this morning by H.M.S. Pigmy. The British squadron in the Bay will when these vessels arrive comprise: the Immortalite, armoured cruiser; Bonaventure, cruiser; Rattler, gunboat; Plover, gunboat; and Pigmy, gunboat. The German squadron in the Bay consists of the Kaiser, flag ship; Irene, cruiser; Gefion, oruiser; Cormoran, cruiser; and Kaiserine Augusta, cruiser.
With regard to the operations of the Am- ericans in the West Indies, yesterday Consul- General Wildman received the following tele- gram:-"Shafter's troops landed near Santiago de Cuba, but we do not expect to do anything for a week."
The start was made for Manila late this afternoon, says a San Francisco despatch of the 25th ult., and the first American army to sail for a fore ign shore is now on the Pacific. The three transports carried about 2,500 men. The expedition, which is under the command of Brigadier-General Anderson, consists of four companies of regulars, under the command of Major Rob; the First Regiment California Volunteers, Colonel Smith; the First Oregon Volunteers, Colonel Summers; a battalion of 50 heavy artillery, Major Eary; and about 100 sailors and eleven naval officers. The fleet is loaded with supplies to last a year, and carries a big cargo of ammunition and naval stores for Admiral Dewey's Fleet. It was not considered probable that any more troops would be dis- patched before another week had passed.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN MANILA BAY.]
Manila Bay, 13th June, 1898. Manila is surrounded by the insurgents. There are three forces deployed about the city: One to the south between Malate and Pasay or practically in the outskits of the town; one to the east cutting off communication with Laguna de Bay; and one on the north which has stopped railway connection between Manila and the rich supply points to which it runs.
The success of the rebel forces has been and iş wonderful. They have gone on from one
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
victory to another until now we are not surprised when we hear that they have captured another Spanish stronghold with a considerable number of prisoners, including Governors, Brigadier Generals, Colonels of the line, Captains, et al, So common are these achievements that we no louger express astonishment that these half clad, poorly armed natives should cover them- selves with glory in struggles with their hated former masters..
General Aguinaldo has more than surpassed the expectations of those who favoured his re. entry into the Philippines. He has gone to work with an earnestness and thoroughness that has enabled him to organize a sort of cosmos out of a most deplorable chaos. It is only a few weeks since he arrived here and yet he took the rabble of insurgents and in a few days seemed to have them in shape for campaigning, at the same time forming a provisional government of which he is the head as dictator. It must be gratifying to Consul-General Wildman to read this news, because he conducted at Hongkong the negoti- ations by which it was arranged that Aguinaldo should return to the Islands as an ally of the United States Naval forces to carry on a land campaign against the Spaniards.
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were men of whom Spain can be proud. All honour to them. Were her army composed of the be a Spanish prisoner in Cavite to-day. I have same quality of fighters, I doubt if there would no feeling against Spaniards myself. In many friends are Spaniards and I am quite sure that respects I admire them. Some of my best
would agree that my compliments paid to the were they to see what I have seen here they Spanish army were not unmerited.
The insurgents under General Tomas Mas- captured the large Cathedral or old Church at card and Major J. Martinez Labor have just | Old Cavite with 270 Spanish prisoners, of whom 144 were Spanish Marine Infantry, 24 Spanish Cazadores, 75 native troops, 20 native Civil Guards, 2 Spanish Civil Guards (officers), 5 Spanish officers of various ranks.
These were commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Cardiel, a Spanish officer of some prominence who looked like a man that would have died before surrendering, but who finally gave in like Mary's little lamb! By permission of General Aguinaldo I went into the insurgent lines, saw the last of the fight and the surrender. Here was, then, a garrison of 270 Spanish troops of whom two- thirds were real Spaniards, commanded, it was supposed, by valiant officers, who surrendered abjectly without terms to only 300 surgents, undisciplined, poor marksmen, and most of them
never under They were besieged for eight days before fire before. giving in, but they never attempted a sortie night or day or risked an engagement with the insurgents, in which they would have stood at least a fair chance of victory or escape. During the day prior to the surrender they fired a few shots out of loopholes cut in the church walls, which either went over our heads or did not ·
in-
The situation at this writing is as follows: General Aguinaldo has captured during the last two weeks nearly 2,000 Spanish troops, of whom over 90 are regulars! During these opera- tions not a score of his men have lost their lives and certainly not over 50 been captured by the enemy. I know with my own eyes that he has over 600 Spanish regulars because I have counted that number myself. The actual figures of Spaniards in Aguinaldo's hands imprisoned at Cavite and captured in different battles of the past two weeks are 11 officers of and above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, including two reach us. There was no spirit in their firing. Brigadier-Geuorals, who belong to the flower of Spain's army; 79 officers lower than Lieuten. At about 3 p.m. of the day they raised the white The insurgents returned the firing at intervals. ant-Colonel, including Captains, Lieutenants, flag and soon after filed out and laid down their Sergeants; 632 Spanish regulars belonging to arms like meek and lowly children. To tell the the crack 73rd and 74th Regiments, who have truth, was deeply disappointed. I wanted to fought in Cuba as well as in the Philippines; 88 Philippinos who had served in the Spanish cans I would have been tempted to order them see a "scrap." Had those prisoners been Ameri- army and could not be trusted to go free, although to be shot for cowardice. During the siege of this over 1,000 Philippinos arrayed under Spain's church, which ended in its garrison surrender- banner but captured by Aguinaldo's forces im-ing, 3 insurgents were killed and 2 wounded, mediately turned around and joined the latter with a loss of 4 Spaniards killed and 5 wounded. as willingly as if they had never fought against Is that significant of hard fighting ? him!
Aside from these are five prominent priests, the heads of important parishes in the provinces recently captured by the insurgents. These are the men the rebels hate more than the Spaniards and they chuckle with joy when they point them out in the prisons.
In addition to these prisoners at Cavite, they have several hundred at other points, such as Imus. In fact nearly all the available space at Cavite is taken up, so that it is necessary to brilliant record of victories and captures, it will quarter them elsewhere. If they continue their
detain these valiant Spanish soldiers! be necessary to build stockades in which to
This leads one to comment on that glorious quality of which we have heard so much, the unconquerable valour of the Spaniards! Let me say in all earnestness that if the rest of the Spanish army does not show more courage than these forces that have fought against the rebels during the past two weeks, they will no more be able to stand up against American regulars or volunteers than chaff can keep its position in a gale of wind. I would hide my face in shame as an Anglo-Saxon if an American or British body of soldiers surren- dered to these natives as I have seen these brave Spaniards do. When I think of the way Am- ericans have fought Indians-with whom these natives cannot compare in skill and valour and the way Britishers have done their duty in the passes of northern India fighting foes that themselves could stand off these insurgents ten against a hundred, I am prone to think of these Spanish soldiers either as cowards or as traitors. Still, one Colonel of the line told me to-day in response to my special questions that he and his fellow officers as well as a goodly part of the rauk and file captured were trained soldiers of Spain's best army corps.
Lest I be too severe, however, I will stop here for a moment and pay respect to the gallant sailor men that were killed or wounded in the great naval battle of May 1st. They
Now that the insurgents are in possession of this old church they hold the entire Bay shore right around to Malate, for one place after an- other they have seized Old Cavite, Binacayan, Bacor, Zapote, Las Pinas, Paranaque, and Pasay, Back from the Bay they have also occupied Imus, San Francisco Malabon, Pasig, and other lesser towns.
provinces of Cavite, Balucan, and Bataan, But this is not all. They now control the And can when they wish secure Batangas and Pampanga, With these they will have surrounded the Bay with
the exception nearly all of that outside of the city. Not of Manila province itself-and they have
tricts, but they have even won greater prizes in only have they obtained these important dis- the persons of the Governors of Cavite and Governor of Balucan is surrounded and must Bataan, who are now imprisoned at Cavite. The
soon be a prisoner.
The Governor of Cavite is one of the most prominent and influential Spaniards ever occupying that post. He belongs to one of the proudest of Spanish families and is a Brigadier-General in the regular army with
a long record of services and innumerable decorations. He has served in
Cuba as well as in the Philippines. A hand- somer man is seldom met. In a conversation with him, I learned enough of his history to appreciate what a humiliation it is to be in Leopolda Garcia Pena. He was once spoken an insurgent prison. His name is of by the Madrid papers as a possible candidate | for the Captain-Generalship.
dier-General Antonio Cordoba, another of
Then there is the Governor of Bataan, Briga Spain's proudest sons and a man of ability and long service. He was unable to converse with me, either from indisposition or inability result- ing from wounds inflicted in an effort to commit suicide when he was captured by the insurgents. He is a member of a very wealthy family and it is reported that an offer has already been made to the insurgents to release him for a large