669
Government of Manila under
the circumstances therein pet
forch Thy clasin on the Spanish Government of Manila in respect of the urongful seizure of my property
w...
board the Marie Lane
ev
is now being prosecuted by J m
JW. Restelt, Equil, Oer Majorly's Comal- at Manila at whore suggestio I make this application to
I have H
Sigurd JJ. W. Field
(True Loopy)
you.
Acting Calaual Secitany
HONGKONG}
TO WIT.
3, JAMES BENJAMIN FIELD, at present residing at Victoria in the Colony of Hongkong, Trader, do solemnly and sincerely declare and say as follows: 1.--I am a British subject, having been born of British Parents in the town of Louisburg
in the County of Mayo in Ireland and I have at no time since changed my nationality.
2. In the month of July, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Three, I chartered the German Brig Maria Louise" for the purpose of proceeding with her on a trading voyage to the Sulu Seas, Borneo, the Straits Settlements and Singapore.
3-1 loaded the said Brig with a cargo of General Merchandise suitable for sale or barter
at the said places, and the said vessel sailed therewith frou Hongkong on or about the 14th day of July 1873 for the Sulu Islands, I being then on board of her as supercargo, having first lawfully cleared froin Hongkong aforesaid.
4.-On or about the Sixteenth day of August One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Three the said Brig " Maria Louise," whilst in the course of her said voyage was unlawfully seized in the Sulu Seas by a Spanish man-of-war, the officer in charge of which arrested and made me a prisoner and detained me on board the said man-of-war, and after a month of such detention on was towed by a Spanish board the said Vossel in the said Sulu Seas, the said Brig "Maria Louise* man-of-war to Cavite, in the Island of Luzon, one of Philippines, where I was transferred to the said "Maria Louise" and detained on board of her in close confinement, guarded by Spanish Soldiers armed with Rifles and fixed bayonets.
5.--Whilst under such confinement I was supplied with very coarse and inferior food, wholly unsuited to my constitution, and I was not permitted to communicate by letter or otherwise with my friends or the British Consul of Manila or to take exercise, in consequence of which my health was seriously injured and I was otherwise put to great trouble, loss, and inconvenience.
6. Whilst I was under arrest at Cavite aforesaid, I was refused permission to communicate with Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Manila or the German Consul of that place (Manila being the nearest Consular port from Cavite), which I repeatedly asked for, and during the time I was SO illegally confined I have been informed that a, so called, Court of Enquiry into my case, consisting of Spanish Naval Officers was held by the Spanish Authorities at Cavite, but I was not present at such enquiry, nor was the British or German Consul present thereat, and my health having suffered and my life endangered by such confinement and being apprehensive also for my life from the hostile and menacing attitude assumed towards me by the Spanish Authorities, I made my escape on or about the 10th day of October 1873, having been over six weeks illegally kept a prisoner. On effecting my escape I proceeded to Manila, a distance of teu miles, were I sought for and obtained the protection of OswALD COATES, ESQ., Her Britannic Majesty's acting Consul, under whose protection and hospitality 1 remained until I loft Manila for Hongkong as hereinafter mentioned.
7.-On being taken prisoner by the Spanish Authorities as hereinbefore mentioned, all iny property as well the cargo on beard the said vessel " Maria Louise," as my personal effects, were seized and detained by the said Authorities and the same has never since been restored to me.
8.-Shortly after my arrival at the British Consulate at Manila the Captain General of the Philippine Islands threatened to take me out of the Consulate and bave me summarily executed, and being in dread of the fulfilment of such threat and otherwise in fear of molestation by the Spanish Authorities, I was obliged to remain within the Consular premises, where I remained virtually a prisoner for five weeks, a detachment of soldiers as bercinafter mentioned, having been kept all that time by the Spanish Authorities near the Consulate to prevent me from escaping.
9.-After the expiration of the period of five weeks, through the exertions of Her Majesty'a Consul, I obtained permission to go at large when I went to reside in the Hotel at Manila.
10--Shortly after I had so removed to the Hotel, being desirous of leaving Manila, I applied to the Spanish Authorities through the British Consul for a passport to leave the country, but was refused such passport.
11. Not having any means of support whilst in Manila, every thing that I possessed having been so taken from me by the Spanish Authorities as hereinbefore mentioned, I applied to the said Authorities for pecuniary assistance to enable me to proceed to Hongkong, which they refused.