466
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS "AND
[June 11, 1898.
thanks to Mr. Rawson Walker, H. B. M's. Con- sul, and Mr. H. A. Ramsden, the Vice-Consul, fortheir courtesy and willingness to provide for the safety and welfare of the subjects under | their charge.
It may be mentioned that last week a cricket match, the first since 1885, was played on a ground adjoining the Luneta between an eleven from the Immortalite and an eleven residents, and ended in a draw. It excited the greatest interest and the result was very creditable to the home team.
THE OPERATIONS DESCRIBED BY A FILIPINO.
8
A Filipino resident supplies us with the following information received by him in letter from the insurgent camp :-
a
Aguinaldo has won a great victory in Cavite province, and two thousand Spanish soldiers are now hemmed in. Three hundred men were killed on the Spanish, side and one General. ten pieces of artillery being captured and síx hundred rifles. In the church of Old Cavite three hundred Spaniards are beleaguered, but Agninaldo does not want to bombard them expecting that they will surrender. The pro- rince of Batangas is in rebellion, the Spanish forces there have been defeated, and the Go- vernor of the province is a prisoner. Nearly, the whole province of Cavite is now in the hands of the Insurgents. These operations be-- gan on the 28th May and ended on the 1st
had placed upon their self-termed native allies. Į to drive the rebels from Bacoor and their ac- It will be remembered that since the occupation knowledgement of this position being held by of Cavite by the American sailors the Spanish the rebels is somewhat out of harmony with a authorities have flattered themselves with the Spanish victory. The other and probably most assumption that the belligerent Indians hitherto reliable version is that the rebels bave ad- rebellious against Spanish rule had decided to vanced and attacked Las Piñas, which the fight for Spain against her new adversaries. As Spanish are fighting as hard and no doubt as a matter of course proclamatious were issued in bravely as possible to hold. It simply means, which the Indians who were previously too however, that the Spanish will be overborne by atterly vile to find mention in grave official weight of numbers, for with the mutiny of the documents except under the general cognomen Indian troops and volunteers they cannot of rebels, were now treated to affectionate terms weaken their other and more important posts to of endearment and called "brothers!" Hence- contest with the rebels at Las Piñas.- Fighting forth the rebels would be rebellious no longer, has also taken place in other parts on the but had, according to the authorities-whose north and east of Manila, and yesterday word or understanding one dare not impuguit was found that the rebels had pulled up the found canse with the Spanish and would fight railway seven kilometres from Manila. Should against the Yankees, the would-be spoilers of the rebels get possession of San Juan del their holy Catholic religion. This was perhaps Monte then the capture of the city is simple a the string harped upon, although the spiritual ad- matter of days. No attack will be needed as visers had overlooked the fact that probably one the communications of the Spaniards will be third of the Yankees were members of the same completely cut off and with them their supplies. .Church. But the satisfaction of the Spanish As it is, provisions, which have kept up in this miraculous conversion of the rebels re- remarkably well hitherto, are getting daily more ceived its first rude shock last Sunday when it scanty, as every available husbandman appears was made known that the day before three to have given up bis nsnal duties to follow the -priests whilst waiting at a railway station at victorious banners of the rebels. The defences or near Geronda had been suddenly attacked encircling the city itself are being improved, and killed by the rebels, whilst another priest the moat deepened, the walls cleaned, and all and doctor escaped, though injured, with their shrubbery and trees affording cover destroyed. Hyes.
It appears that the Spanish as a last resource really intend shutting themselves up behind the old walls, grim old relics bristling with brass culverins of the last century mounted evidently for use. The engineers evidently for get that a few ten-inch shells will lay the whale city, walls included, in ruins, and the firing of
The Great North American nation, the re- the brass guns may draw upon thousands of help- less women and children within the walls a ter pository of true liberty and therefore the friend
of freedom for our nation, oppressed and subju-. rible death. Should the rebels continue their gated by the tyranny and despotism of its rulers, victorious advance then by the time those long-has come to afford to the inhabitants a protec talked-of American troops arrive Manila will be
tion as decisive as it is undoubtedly disinte- rested, regarding our unfortunate country as possessing sufficient civilisation and aptitude for self-government; and in order to justify this high conception formed of us by the great American nation we ought to reprobate all such acts as may derogate from that conception, such as pillage, robbery,, and every class of outrage against person on property. In order to avoid international conflicts during the period of our campaign I order as follows:-
On the following morning the Spanish were compelled to relinquish the idea of Indian sup- port in toto, for about 3.30 a.m. they were awakened from their slumbers at Bacoor by a terrific onslaught of rebels. This town, which lies between Cavite and Manila, is in the centre of what is termed Aguinaldo's district and some time ago the Spanish troops had considerable difficulty in taking it from the possession of the rebels. A task which had taken the Spanish months was completed by the rebels in a morn- ing, for after ten hours' hard fighting the Span- Ish were driven out of the place along the Cavite road to Las Piñas, a position which they now occupy, through having destroyed the bridge behind them covering their retreat. To say that they occupy that position now is perhaps too definite, because all day yesterday were heard incessant volleys of musketry inter mingled with the heavier boom of the field guns. Of the fight at Bacoor but little is known as the Spanish decline to give any information and refuse to allow any correspondent to pro- oeed to the front. Even the Spanish news- papers here were only permitted to publish the news of the fight last night and they of course represented it as a tremendous Spanish victory. The Comercio states that six were killed, thirty wounded, and three received contusions. I personally counted over 200 wounded Spanish, and know that one colonel and two majors were killed. Of a marine company of 300 men, ac- cording to several Spanish officers, only 12 es- caped, and the dead, amounting to several hundred, were buried in deep trenches at Las Piñas. Over 40 officers were killed and wounded, and the men of one of the Indian regiments, hitherto considered to have been the most loyal and one of the bravest, massacred its officers and joined the rebels. Of the rebels killed there were no doubt many, and they paid dearly for their victory. Those natives who can be relied upon state the rebel loss to be close upon: 2,000 killed and wounded, though their actual loss from personal observation I know not.
The rebels are on a somewhat different foot- to when the Spanish last met them. They are now armed with magazine rifles, 5,00 of which with 200,000 rounds of ammunition they received from Admiral Dewey, and 4,500 rifles were brought to them last week in a steamer from Amoy whose name no one appears to have remembered. They have also with them field pieces, and, it is said, machine guns, and even at the present moment there comes the occa- sional boom of a field piece and volleys of muskotry, showing what rapid use the rebels are making of their new arms. If anything testified to a Spanish defeat it was the state of the city on Monday night. The Laneta, which the previons evening was one mass of carriages, was deserted, and the streets were paraded all night by armed volunteers and strong pickets posted on all the bridges. The Spanish state that the severe fighting again yesterday was the result of their endeavouring
in the hands of the American Admiral. It is said that Aguinaldo renders himself conspicuous by his bravery, and there is no doubt that the movements of the rebel foces are being actively directed by the Americans. Last night's paper has it that Admiral Dewey has confined Aguin- aldo to prison because he asserted that the whole of the province was in the bands of the rebels and the brave defence of Baccor testified it was not.
June.
PROCLAMATION BY AGUINALDO. [TRANSLATED FOR THE DAILY PRESS."] FILIPINOS,-
"เ
Art, IL-Equally shall be respected. those of the enemy who shall lay down their arms.
Art. III.-Medical establishments and ambu- lances shall also be respected and the persons and effects attached thereto unless they display hostility.
Art. IV. Persous disobeying the provisions of the three preceding articles shall be sum- marily tried and executed if their disobedience leads to assassination, incendiarism, rubbery,
or rape.
Given at Cavite, the 24th May, 1898.
EMILIO AGUINALDO, This proclamation bears a seal with the legend Gobierno Dictatorial Filipinas.”
Ample provision has at last been made for the
Art. I.-The lives and property of all for- removal of the foreign residents in case of bom-eiguers shall be respected, including in this bardment. Eight steamers with the consent of the Spanish Captain-General and the sanction denomination the Chinese and all Spaniards who have not directly or indirectly contributed of Admiral Dewey have been removed from the
to the bearing of arms against us. river, and when the notice of bombardment is given two will be allotted to English, two to German, one to French, one to Belgian, and four to Chinese subjects, the latter being under the care of the British Consul. Mr. Jones, the energetic and courteous agent of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, has arranged to send all his money on board H.M.S. Immortalité. It is thus to be hoped the anxiety of the British community somewhat at rest, and its feelings somewhat assuaged. As your contemporaries have pointed out, the relations of the British community and its Consular staff have not been as pleasant as one would expect in such a crisis. Several members, with perhaps more voci ferousness than judgment, blame the Consul for sins of commission and omission, but when these grievances come to be analysed, and the office of the Consul taken into consideration, they amount to little. The residents have certainly themselves to blame, for one thing, inasmuch they were never decided on what course to adopt and what action the Consul in dealing with the Spanish and Am- When erican anthorities might take for them. one is unused to official ways, especially in a time calculated to unstring the nerves of a man
The Americans, not from mercenary motives having the responsibility of a family on his shoulders, one is apt to grow vexed with what but for the sake of humanity, and the lamenta appears useless though essentially necessary tions of so many persecuted people, have con- formula The Britisher hates circumlocation,sidered it opportune to extend their protecting but there are periods when a little is judicions if not necessary, especially when, as in the case at Manila, it has to be approved by two au- thorities who are adversaries. But that stage is now passed and should any unfortunate individual Britisher get injured or shaken he will have himself to thank. It is the Britisher's prerogative to grumble, but when the facts have been looked squarely in the face there should be no want of unanimity in joining in a vote of
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ANOTHER PROCLAMATION. The following translation of the pro- clamation of the rebel leaders, then resident in Hongkong, sent over to the Philippines in advance of the American squadron is published by the Singapore Free Press :-
COMPATRIOTS !
The Divine Providence is about to place independence within our reach, and in a way the most free and independent nation could hardly wish for.
mantle to our beloved country, now that they have been obliged to sever relations with Spain, owing to the tyranny this nation is exercising in Cuba, causing enormous injury to the Am- ericans, who have such large commercial and other interests there.
At the present moment an American squadron is preparing to sail for the Philippines.
We, your brothers, are very much afraid that you may be induced to fire on the Americans.
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