March 4, 1899.1
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
NATIVES START FIRES AND AT- went. They encountered opposition right from
TEMPT AN UPRISING.
WHOLE BLOCKS OF OUTLYING BUILDINGS GO UP IN SMOKE.
FOREIGN MARINES LANDED.
CITY STREETS CLEARED AFTER SEVEN AT NIGHT.
DAILY FIGHTS AROUND OUTPOSTS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT].
Manila, 24th February, Wednesday being Washington's birthday the ships in the harbour were decorated and at noon the national salute was fired.
Along the outposts and at the camps there was practically no demonstration beyond a few cheers, but toward evening the artillery stationed in the cemetery at San Pedro Macate began the salate, although in this case there were more than blank charges and Filipinos formed the targets. With the exception of the usual skir. mishing, in which two Americans were killed. the day passed quietly enough. About half-past seven o'clock in the evening a fire started in the Santa Cruz district near the city gaol. The police, and several additional companies of sol- diers were quickly on the scene, but fresh blazes started in balf-a-dozen different places and it was seen that it was the work of incendiaries, Though the soldiers and native fire department, besides the volunteer brigade, which is com- posed of foreigners, whose work cannot be too highly praised, worked unceasingly for over an hour it was impossible to check the progress of the fire and it simply burned itself out, devastating two solid blacks of nipa and stone houses. The inhabitants were principally Chinamen and natives, who are now homeless and penniless. While the fire was in progress the police discovered a number of native soldiers who had managed to slip throught the advanced American lines near Caloocan, and soon had fifteen in custody.
ANOTHER BLAZE. Before nine o'clock fire was discovered about half-a-mile from the first in the Tondo dis- trict, just across the broad street Calle Iris that separates the nearest native suburb from the city. As soon as the soldiers arrived shoot- ing began and Mausers fell into the city streets, some bullets even reaching the Hotel Oriente and La Insular cigar factories. The police were several times shot at from native houses and the roof of buildings within three hundred
Escolta. yards of the
As a result the police potted pretty nearly everthing wearing white or native clothes, and made a number of arrests. It was seen that a
NATIVE UPRISING. had begun and troops all over the city were ordered out. Heavy guards patrolled all the principal streets and sentries were placed near tongh localities. No one was allowed to leave the houses and a few natives who disregarded commands were shot.
On reaching the Calle Iris the soldiers en- gaged a number of Filipinos and bullets kept flying across the street in lively style until the fire forced the natives back, but the shooting still continued through blazing houses and along the creeks. A captain of the police was shot through the cheek and two privates wounded before the fire was reached.
It was useless to attempt to save property and as this district has been a notorious hotbed of crime, several soldiers crossed over and
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enterprising countryman gathered together a the start and within 800 yards of Calle Iris one
few obsolete soldiers and lowered the American American was killed and four wounded. Nine flag to boist the Spanish banner again. He natives took refuge in a corral surrounded by immediately examined the state funds and find- stone walls and fought for over half-an-houring some sarplus, report has it that he paid before they were killed. One old fellow, on himself and officials an advar ce salary for whom no weapons were found, had apparently a year and a half. However, he seems to have been picking chickens throughout the fighting; been honest, as he recorded vouchers for the he died with the rest. A short distance fur expenditure of all moueys. The Government ther along the line of the steam-tramway a body was resumed under the Spanish law. When of about fourty soldiers were stron ly entrenched the Bennington arrived she put a stop to all and a private of the 23rd U.S. Infantry was killed this and raised the stars and stripes on the frac | before the men swept over the trench and found tious little island. The patriotic Governor was
twenty-seven Filipino bodies. The rest escaped | deposed and much of the money recovered. into the brush and kept up lively suiping until dark, when most of them managed to escape THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE
AMERIC NS AND THE around the swamps on the left of the Kansas troops. About sixty men supposed to have
FILIPINUS. thrown away their arms and uniforms gare themselves up to the advanced American lines at Caloocan. As the troops from Manila marched they burned everything before them and left a thoroughly cleaned out and the native attempt ttail of smoking nipa houses. The district is
was a failure with the exception of the loss in property.
This is the first organized attempt at a native uprising that has taken place. The police were on the watch for it, and it is hoped that the severe measures employed will discourage others
in the future.
STREETS DESERTED AFTER DARK. Strict orders have been issued against the appearance on the streets of any one, patire or foreigners, after seven o'clock, and from this time until daylight the city is eutirely given over to the soldiers.
Americans and foreigners who desire to carry concealed weapons must obtain written permits from the Provost Marshal.
Fires still continue breaking out in various parts of the city, that is, outside of the walled town, and the soldiers have been buruing out the native houses along the city front, but in every case they have been kept under control.
Many of the foreign ladies and wives of officers have gone to live on transports or merchants ships until the trouble blows over. Hundreds of natives proclaiming friendship and fearing for their lives have gone to live on lighters in the bay. All the river boats and cargo lighters have been ordered out of the river and are now anchored out near the break
water.
In spite of all these alarming circums fances good order is maintained and if one complies with all orders life is safe.
On the afternoon of the 23rd ist. Marines landed from the English and Japanese warships and went on guard at the banks, and some of the latter in the Japanese quarters.
As I am writing the boom of artillery and the crack of infantry can distinctly be heard. It is less than a mile away, but no one appears disturbed beyond the natives employed, who are in fear of their lives, lest the soldiers come
in after them. In fact the last three weeks have been so exciting that little less than the sinking of a battleship will cause surprise.
During the first few days the people were wrought up to a high pitch and the popping of a soda water bottle on the Escotla would cause them to rush to the window or dodge into deor. ways, but for most citizens the period has blown over. There is no use speculating: we just wait and accept what the morrow brings forth
GUNBOAT “YORKTOWN" AND
TRANSPORT SCANDIA"
ARRIVE.
The gunboat Yorktonen and troopship Scandia arrived from the United States yesterday morn
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FILIPINO OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS.
Hongkong. 27th February. We have been asked to publish the following official accounts furnished by the Filipinos at
Malolos as to how hostilities commenced on the
evening of February 4th. We, of course, do not hold ourselves responsible in any way for the statements contained therein. Indeed enquiries
which we have made lead us to believe that most of them are exaggerated or nutrue. As to the alleged shooting of women and children by the Americans at Paco, oue of our representatives called upon a gentleman who arrived in Hong- kong on Friday last, and who had resided what in the district in question and saw took place there. He said that when the Americans were attacking Paco Church, which was filled with Filipinos, any of the latter who rushed out and tried to get away were shot if they did not stop when called upou to do so, but that if they did as requested they were taken prisoners. He does not credit the stories about the shooting of women and childreu. He says they may have got out in this way: He knows that some of the Filipinos, to suit their own ends, dressed themselves in women's cloth. ing, and some of these may have been shot. However, we give the accounts for what they
are worth :-
What we bave tried to avoid at all costs has at last happened. On the night of the 4th inst. when we were quite unprepared, General Utis having formally assured our Commissioners in a duly drawn up Act, made during the Confer- ence, that the aggression would not come from Americans, suddenly attacked the whole of our lines around Manila.
Otis has been propagating the news that the aggression came from our side, but nobody, pot even the foreigners, believes it. All the details now conclusively indicate that the attack was prepared by the Americans. The day before several foreigners wished to visit Otis, but he would not receive them because he was holding
a council of war.
At 6 p.m. on the 4th the river steamer Laguna de Bay got up steam (this steamer has been armoured and mounted as gun- boat by the Americans) and went to Santa Ana and at 3.30 p.m. commenced to bombard the town simultaneously with the American attack on our lines. (The American semi-official and other papers of Manila of 14th inst, have since ad- mitted that aggression came from the American side)
On the same)ư (4th) the American reinforcement arrived. No extraordinary or sudden movement of American troops occurred at the time of the outbreak, which clearly in dicates' that all of them occupied positions pre- viously assigned them. On the strength of the Americans' word General Ricarte, Commander- in-Chief around Manila, and Colonel S. Miguel commanding the Marquina and San Juan
started new fires ou the left in the native ing and anchored near the flagship Olympia. | Regiment, were at Malolos attending a confer.
quarters. The old Tondo Cathedral narrowly escaped ruination with the rest, but was saved intact. Dozens of people carrying small bundles attempted to cross into the American lines. Two hundred men and women, na- tives and Chinamen were taken prisoners and some thirty-five killed. Suddenly another fire started right behind the American outposts in the thickly settled Tondo market place, and this added its blaze and smoke to the other two, all of which kept on burning until next day. BURNED THEIR WAY TO CALOOCAN
In the morning Major Goodah with eight companies started on the march to Caloocan, clearing out the intervening country as they
The Scandia brings the 20th U.S. Infantry, who saw service in Cuba. The trip was made in the fast time of twenty eight days. Briga- dier-General Wheaton is in command of the expedition.
The transport Morgan City, which left the same day as the Scandia, is expected to-morrow, and will bring several passengers and wives of officers, in addition to a large cargo of supplies.
GUAM.
The Yorktown visited Honolulu, the Ladrone islands, and Gnam. At the last port she met the Bennington and coaled. When the Ameri. cans sailed away from Guam leaving a conveu- iently discovered citizen in charge, the old Span. ish commander was taken to Manila, but an
ence called by the President, which is well known to Mr.- -(an Englishman.)
1
Our troops were taken by surprise without any leaders (also admitted by General Reeve), but they fought heroically, and only abandoned their positious after their ammunition gave out and they were tired out by hunger and fatigue.
At the offset of the battle the Americans succeeded in cutting the telegraph line to Mariquina and stopped communication, Never- theless the Americans lost heavily, amongst their killed and wounded being one General, two Colonels, and many officers. It is reported all the churches and hospitals in Manila are full of
wounded.