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The Americans bave committed many atrocites in Manila; they set fire to a hamlet of Paco, shooting women and children fleeing from their houses (confirmed by European residents in Paco who were eye witnesses), burnt Santa Ana, and are looting and robbing houses in Manila and the suburbs and the other places they have succeeded in taking,
For a few days they allowed families to leave Manila, but they robbed and despoiled all who left, making even women denude themselves. One of the latter who resisted being denuded boxed a soldier's ears who had dared to lay his hand on her and was shot dead on the spot. On the comical side, however, a cheeky woman, noticing what was happening to her companions, suddenly placed herself in the habit of Lady Godiva before the astonished soldier, who was so coufounded that she got away free.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Americans, thanks to this surprise, have succeeded in advancing their lines to Malibay, Pateros, Pasig, Mariquiua, and Caloocan, after looting all they could find in their way, and burning every Filipino house. Neverthe- less our soldiers are recovering and regaining their strength, and the latest news from the front is that the Americans are dejected, seeing that every inch of ground is costing them severe losses.
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"The Americans opened fire and we replied, when it promptly became general in all the zones.
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The absence of the leaders in the 2 and 3 zones obliged our forces to retire from their lines after a titanic resistance. Our troops fought heroically, and such was the impulse of our men on the 2nd zone (two batallions) that not- withstanding the rush of six American regi- ments up to Paco we succedeed in forcing their lines and occupying this suburb from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, when shortage of ammunition obliged us to retire, not without having placed hora de combat over 200 Americans.
"The same occurred more or less in San Juan del Monte although resistance was not so great there on account of having no General,
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As far as the 1st and 4th zones were con- cerned the fight was so bloody, and our troops fought with such courage, that if we abandoned Pasay and Caloocan, it was more for conveni- | ence than anything else, as these points were exposed to the full fire of the American fleet.
As far as our losses are concerned, counting those assassinated in Paco and Santa Ana, mostly womeu, children, and old men, they amount to about 600 killed and wounded, amongst which we have to lament Lieut.-Col. Torres Bugayon, killed at Loba on 5th, and Major Vicente Bautista and several Captains and Lieutenants. Those of the enemy are enormous, judging from the number of hospitals which have been fixed up in Manila. The According to rumours the German cruiser Churches and Convents of Tondo and Binondo, Irene is being strictly watched by the San Sebastian, Sampaloc, and others, the Insu. Americans, who entertain the most unfounded|lar Cigar Factory. Hotel Oriente, without suspicions that she has brought au expedition of arms.
We cannot yet say what is going to happen; yesterday the Americans were obliged to aban- don Pasig, retiring to Santa Rosa near Malapad- Na-Dato.
NOTE OF TRANSLATOR,
Later advices from Manila state that Filipinos have retaken Pateros, whilst the events in Manila of the last two days. judgi g from the American censored telegrams, would lead one to suppose that Caloocan has also been retaken, otherwise it is difficult to see how the Filipino troops could have got into Tondo. The Ameri- cans may deny the shooting of women and children in Paco as they like, but unfortunately
for them there is abundant evidence from
resident European eye witnesses who viewed
windows to
the massacre from their own prove the assertion without resorting to Filipino evidence, which however, is quite as reliable, if not more so, than American
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When
the war does come let it be waged relentlessly, to administer to the Filipinos a sharp and de- oisive blow which will cause them at once to sub- mit," were the instructions given some time back by the War Department according to American papers, The Paco business is a se- quel, but it has had just the opposite effect, and the Americans have yes to learn that some- thing more than brute force is required "to make these barbarians' part of the American people against their will." Benevolent assimilation is the climax of humbug and hypocrisy as ac- plied to that forcible anneration which Mr. Mc- Kinley ouce declared would be "criminal aggression."
14
PRIVATE ACCOUNT OF HOW HOSTILITIES
COMMENCED),
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(Taken from the letter of a prominent Fili- pino Barrister to a friendin Hongkong.)
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couuting the regular hospitals; all are fal. Cart loads of dead have been buried in the old mosts round the city, in Bagumbayan and other places.
"These are the people who brag of marobing at the head of civilization and progress! There is no nation so savage which can compete with them. Their infamous acts (Carolina to wit), violation of women. robbery, arson. all the
basest acts which a beast cau commit are done
by them. They violate the sanctity of our homes, robbery and violence are the order of the day. Not content with money and jewellery they rob clothes and even furniture, which they hare the audacity then to sell to the Chinese storekeepers.
"The indiscriminate shooting of pacific in- habitants walking in the streets or those who put their heads out of their windows is the only
reward of those who from fear do not dare to resort to arms. There is a horrible panic in Manila, and excitement in the towus, that the
people are resolved to reduce the whole of Luzon to rain and ashes rather than be made slaves of fight; none are shirking. of these filthy reptiles. All men are ready to
War has once more proved that we are a united nation and the suffer this American yoke. whole of the Philippines will perish rather thau
Grand Cavite as ever indomitable. The Yankees tried to pass by Noveleta, but a whois column of them remained there never to rise again!"
HONGKONG SA`ITARY BOARD.
On the 2nd March a meeting of the Hong- kong Sanitary Board was held, the President (Dr. J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer), occupying the chair. There were also present the Vice-President (the Hoo. F. H. May. Captain Superiutendent of Police), the Hon. R. D. Ormsby (Director of Public Works), Mr. E. Osborne, and Dr. F. W. Clark (Medical Officer of Health and Acting Secre-
Hostilities were opened on the night of the 4th instant because our forces refused to cede the Americans our blockhouse in San Juan del Monte. It happened in this way: a party of Americans presented themselves during the afternoon before our advanced lines in this zone, claiming to occupy this blockhouse, a pretention which our people courteously re|tary). fused, endeavouring to explain to them that it was an absurdity, and that no orders had been received to this effect, but the Americans, who had the watchword to take possession of that building, kept on insisting, but as our party unwaveringly refused to ced, the Americans opened fire on our forces.
THE CONTROL OF THE SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
stating that His Excellency the Governor was A letter was read from the Colouial Secretary not prepared for the present to adopt the re- commendation of the Board to transfer the management and control of the slaughter-houses of the colony to the Sanitary Board on the expiration of the preseut lease to the farmer.
THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE OUTLYING
VILLAGES.
To convince you that the aggression did not come from our side suffice to say that not only General Ricarte, Chief of the third zone, but also Colonel S. Miguel of the second zone, Correspondence was submitted concerning were in Malolos called by the President for a the water supply of the outlying villages of the conference, whilst General Garcia of Malabon | colony. On the 31st January the Director of was in the Theatre, and General Rizal, destined | Public Works wrote as follows to the Colonial for the second zone, was in the Laguna,
Secretary:
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March 4, 1899.
"Referring to the vote No. 14 of 82,000 under the head of Public Works Extraor
dinary page 47 of the estimates for 1899, for wells in villages not yet supplied with water, I have the honour to request authority to expend this money at my discretion in sink- ing wells in the villages where they seem to be most urgently needed. I have had particulars collected regarding 15 villages on the Island of Hongkong and 12 in British Kowloon where wells are needed or an improved water supply. Of these the old and new villages of Little Hongkong, Pokfulam V llage, and Aplichow seem the most pressing cases, and I propose to take them up first. Where no wells exist I. propose sinking in the locality most suitable, and if water is found at a reasonable depth lining the well with masonry or brick-work, providing a parapet wall round it and a wooden cover. In other cases existing wells will be deepened, lined with concret», and protected as in the other cases. All the wells I have seen in the colony are liable to pollution from the surface surrounding them; most of them are in a dilapidated condition, and in this season afford but a scanty and extremely suspicious- looking supply of water,"
THE PLAGUE.
Farther reports concerning the outbreaks of bubonic plague at -Caloutta and in Formosa were submitted. In reply to a telegram asking whether bubonic plague existed at Taiwaufoo, Her Majesty's Consul there wird in the affirmative. A telegram from Calcutta dated- Feb. 17th said that two more cases of plague had coonrred there. A statement was submitted. showing that in the city of Bombay from Jan. 17th to Jau. 30 there were 1,163 plague cases and 955 deaths.
MORTALITY RETURNS.
The mortality returns for the colony of Hongkong for the week ending Feb. 19th showed a death-rate of 212, against 16:6 for the previous week and 23-4 for the correspond. ing week last year.
The returns from Macao`showed 47 deaths
for the week ended Jan. 5th and 52 for the succeeding week.
This was all the business.
G
THE YELLOW DWARF"
CLOSING PERFORMANUF,
It was an appreciative and enthusiastic audience that assembled at the Theatre Royal ou Saturday evening to witness the last perfor mance of the pantomime, and the entertainment formed an appropriate and agreeable wind-up of number of ingenious allusions to the ponies, the highly successful race carnivul. A large their owners and riders, the lerk of the Course, and others connected with the Race Meeting were introduced, principally in Mr. Sexton's part, and a feature of the evening was a pretty
Jockey Dance" by six young ladies wearing racing colours. The performers one and all were at their best and exc' was greated with hearty applause, numerous bouquets being pre- sented to the ladies, and little Queenie Lambert receiving also haudsome boxes of bonbons. The allusion to Mr. Mitchell in Messrs. Sexton and Caldwell's duet brought out undeniable calls for the popular stage manager, who had to appear before the performance could be resumed. Mr. Mitchell and the principals of the cast were also called before the curtain at the end. The pantomime has had a most successful run and hearty congratulations are due to all who have taken part in it. in Mr. Sexton we have an unusually talented comedian and every one who has seen him in the part of the king will join in the hope of seeing him in some similar part next season and that the exigencies of "the Bank's service may not require bis transfer to any other port" for a very very long long time.”
By kind permission of H.E. Sir Edward Seymour, K.Ü.B., Capt. Jellicoe, and the Officers of H.M.S. Centurion, the Band of the fingsbip played on Saturday evening..
The Singapore Free Press says:-We Lear that the Arralon Apcar has been sold for $36.000 to Captain Erhardt acting on behalf of syndicate at Shanghai, She is expected here on the 26th February from Caloutts with cargo of Indian coal, after discharging which Captain Erhardt will take over the ship.