*January 21, 1899.3
?
|
“CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Mr. Dyer: Ball said he supposed there was dependence, and that the Americans will not be Philippino people and the people of the United no doubt that the granting of one single allowed to have more than 6,000 troops for the States, that peace and harmonious relations application would make very little difference, protection of Manila and: Cavite, which places | between these respective peoples may be con- but every additional, water closet granted to the is apparently prepared to hand over to them.tinued. European, houses increased the precedent in There was quite a scare in the city on "Pursuant to these orders a meeting was favour of others being granted in the future. Wednesday afternoon. Asked as to what was held on Monday evening at which a delegation of They could scarcely find a worse position for the general state of things in Manila, a gentle the most prominent merchants in the city, was water closets than near Causeway Bay, where man who came over with the Esmeralda made present. The situation was discussed in all its if they granted, the application, perhaps other use of the forcible expression, "D- bad.". He features. After explaining their ideas to the establishments would want them as well. He added -" I went on to the Escolta on American officers, the Filipinos agreed that must say that he thought these, water-closetsWednesday afternoon, and found everything just their side would take no further steps until were very bad in a colony like this, with a as usual. The American soldiers were, rolling their requests could be cabled to Washington tropical climate and a beautiful land-locked about in their aimless way, having the appearance and an answer received. The American officers harbour. He supported the resolution of the of men on whose hands time hangs heavily; | agreed not to move against the insurgent army Vice-President,
the streets were orowded ; and business, was in or take any steps to disperse them until after full swing, I could not help noticing, however, further instructions had been received from that everybody seemed on edge as if they antici-Washington. pated some disaster, and two shopkeepers had already put up their shutters. I happened to step into the doorway of a shop when all at once a great crowd came rushing down the street. The soldiers, had been called to quarters, and in less than five minutes there was not a single Boy in blue on the Escolta. All the shops were closed as if by magic, and the streets were cleared of passengers and carriages in no time. So great was the hurry of the people in carriages to reach a place of safety that some half dozen of them got stuck on the bridge and were com- pletely smashed up.
On the matter being put to the vote the resolution, was carried, Messrs. Ormsby and Osborne voting against and the other three for.. An application for permission to erect water: olosets and trough-closets at the new cotton mills at East Point was then submitted.
The VICE-PRESIDENT ssid this was one of those applications which he was happy to say did not come within the category of hotels; hospitals, and blocks of public offices in habited by a large number of Europeans. The number of Europeans in that place was only sight and the number of Chinese was very large, ..., '1 here were over 500 prisoners in the gaol, and they managed to get on there without water-closets, and, he did not see why these people should not get on without them. He proposed that the application be refused.
Mr. DYER BALL seconded.
1
Hon. R. D. OEMSBY proposed as an amend ment that the architect be asked from where it was proposed to get the supply of water, and that the consideration of the application be postponed until they got the information.
The PRESIDENT seconded.
'
"On Tuesday a long cablegram in cipher was sent to Washington fully setting forth the situation here. The same evening another conference was held and the matter, further discussed.
"Rumour has it that a cablegram of over 500 cipher words was received from Washing. ton, but whether this is a fact cannot be stated. At all events matters remain quiet for the present and a more peaceful, settled feeling pervades the city.
"There is no doubt but that the inhabitants. of the city, both foreign and native, are "I afterwards found out the cause of the under an intense strain and on the qui vive commotion. The Insurgent pickets at the Race with excitement. This was demonstrated yes- Course end of the city had attacked the. Ameri- terday afternoon when suddenly, almost like Loans, and a general advance being anticipated a lightning flash, the word spread all over all the soldiers were called in and a number of the city that the insurgents had forced, an them turned out to repel the assault. On see-entrance. The Chinese dashed through the ing the Americans massed in force, however, side streets like rats sourrying away when a cat the Insurgents quietly withdrew.
is after them, and merchants quickly closed up their shops. The bugles sounded the call to quarters' and the call to arms ' and within very few minutes the entire army of occupation was either under arms or the men in their quarters ready for any emergency.
#
"The fact of the matter is, Aquinaldo oannot keep his forces in hand. It seems that they have not received any money for two months, and they want to get into Manila to loot the place. I believe it is, the rabble which is causing all the disturbance and not the really educated Filipinos. /
44
"
1. .
On the matter being put to the vote the President and Messrs. Ormsby and Osborne voted for the amendment, and the Vice-Presi dent, Dr. Clark, and Mr. Dyer Ball against
"Street cars that were head down town The President gave his casting vote against,
were stopped by the soldiers who were and on the motion being put it was carried by Admiral Dewey has sent word to the cap hurrying back to quarters and were im- three to two, the President not voting.
tain of the Baltimore, which is still anchored pressed into service. Rigs of any and every ayoff Iloilo with the three transports, not to bom-description were made use of by the men bard Iloilo, the Admiral, no doubt acting in who were burrying in answer to the bugle call. accordance with instructions from home. At Nor did they wait upon ceremony, but if the one time three additional regiments enbarked driver objected to hauling the men he was re- for Iloilo, but they were recalled before they legated to the inside and a soldier took the
lines. could leave the Bay."
<1%
1
RISK ANALYST'S REPORT, Mr. F. Browne, Acting Government Analyst, submitted a return of food and drugs analysed during the quarter ended December 31st. Of eight samples of brandy examined four were found genuine and four adulterated; of five samples of whisky two were found genuine, and three adulterated; and one sample of rum tested was found all right.
The Acting Registrar-General minuted- Is the adulteration due to the addition of water or to the introduction of some deleterious sub- stance ?"
!
The Captain Superintendent of Police re plied" By the addition of water."..
A MORTALITY RETURNS, The mortality returns for the colony of Hongkong for the week ending December 31st show a death rate of 138 against 18-9 for the previous week and 187 for the corresponding week the previous year. The death rate for the following week was 142 against 183 for the corresponding week last year in a ma
The returns for Macao, for the week ended December 25th showed 58 deaths...
The Board then adjourned.se
THEA CRISIS IN THE PHILIP PINES"
* !
THE TENSION GREATER THAN EVER.
LAGUINALDOʻBİĽULTIMATUM.
-
*** Hongkong, 16th January, The news brought by the Esmeralda, which arrived from - iManila on Saturday morning, shows that the tension between the Americans and the Filipinos is greater than ever, and that we may expect to hear at any moment that they have come to blows. When the Esmeralda left Manila on Wednesday evening: Aguinaldo had issued an ultimatum in which he gave the Ame ericans three days in which to make up their minds what to do, and in consequence the Ear ́opeans who had been residing on the outskirts of the city were moving into the centre in the anticipation of trouble before many days elapsed. whilst the natives were leaving the city for the provinces, Aguinaldo is issuing proclamations galore, one of his latest declaring that he aud❘ his compatriots will accept nothing short of in
|
i
THE TENSION SUBSIDING. ·
it
Hongkong, 17th January. The tension in the Philippines is apparently subsiding, inasmuch as General Anderson has telegraphed for his wife and daughter, who left Hongkong in the Esmeralda yesterday together with the wife of Lieutenant Hale.
Information brought by the Kingsing, which
"The scare was caused by a guard using a re- volver to kill a our which snapped at him in the Divisoria market place on Calle Santo Cristo. Within ten minutes from the time the dog was shot the entire army was in quarters, the stores, closed and the people barricaded in their houses: The same excitement was manifested in the walled city as in new Manila.
|
were the coolest arrived from Manila yesterday, was to the effect | be it said, the American soldi 40 their credit, that General Otis, had proclaimed martial law of all. Amidst all their hurrying they found and that all the American troops were under time to laugh and joke with the passers by, but arms and, with their guns, facing the Insurgent not a trace of excitement was to be seen; not
ines. The Monterey had also been placed in hing but the air of one who had important such a position that her guns could be brought business to attend to. into play, in case of trouble. On Thursday General Otis issued a proclamation ordering all the women and children to take refuge in the warships at Cavite. This order does not seem to have been obeyed, however, as on Friday, when the Kingsing left, there were a good many women and children still in the city th
Last week a couple of thousand Spanish troops left Manila for Spain, and right glad did they seem at the prospect of seeing their mother country, once more, Whilst they have been prisoners of the Americans they have fared much better than before, but the jeers and taunts to which they have been subjected by the Filipinos have galled them much, và kho,
The American, of January 12th, sets out the gitnation on that date as follows, though we have every reason to believe that the crisis was much more acute than the: American makes out ----,
V
"On Monday last Major-General Otis appointed a commission composed of Brigadier General B. P. Hughes, Colonel James F. Smith, of the 1st. California infantry, and Lieutenant Colonal E. H. Crowder, judge advocate, U. 8. Volunteers, to meet a commission of a like num- besppointed by General: Aguinaldo anda to confer with regard to the situation of affairs and to arrive at a mutual understanding of the intent, purposes,. aim and desires of the
|
"The coolest of all, however, were the mem- bers of the 4th U. S. cavalry. At their quar ters, Adjutant Boyd was calmly issuing clothing to the men and Major Rucker was engaged in inspecting the improvements being made upon the grounds. All the officers and men were there and could have been on the march within
few seconds if necessary.
“Investigations at the outposts failed to dis close anything unusual or exciting, and after couple of hours waiting business was resumed all over the city the same as though nothing exciting had happened.”
Hongkong, 18th January.
A Captain in the American Army who has just arrived at Hongkong from Manila says that?: matters are quiet there, and that instend of rioting and warfare, peace and independence
be
proclaimed. He are more than likely to says, in fact, that it is his opinion all trouble will cease before another week elapses. Aguin- aldo's proclamation seems to meet with appro- bation; and the captain says it is the general opinion at Manila that if independence is pro- claimed, America to only exercise a protectorate, the problem will be solved, and there will be an end, to what might prove a kind, of endless i guerilla warfare if the requests of Aguinaldo are not considered to the extent be desires. The chief certainly deserves some consideration,