and most of the British firms have closed their premises and sent their books and valuables on | board the ships in the Bay. The consuls have endeavoured to induce the Spaniards to grant a neutral zone but have not been successful.
Vice-Admiral Von Diederichs has asked General Aguinaldo to turn over to him the wife and five children of the Governor General, but the Insurgent leader has refused the request point-blank. He said that he wanted them for his own protection. Governor-General Augustin had put a price-$25,000-on his head and until he withdrew it he should hold his wife and childreu.
One of the principal encounters between the Spaniards and Insurgents last week was one which resulted in the death of General Monet, the Governor of the Province of Pampangas, and the taking of 1,000 Spanish prisoners. The Insurgents had surrounded the Governor and some 1,200 troops in San Fernando, and he lost his life in endeavouring to cut his way through, his troops throwing down their arms in despair when they saw that their leader had fallen.
General Aguinaldo has removed his capital to Imus, so that the Americans can have Cavite for the use of their troops.
At the request of Admiral Dewey General Aguinaldo has allowed 153 sick and wounded soldiers to go to Manila on parole.
A couple of Spanish torpedo boats at Manila have up to the present managed to keep out of the way of the Americans, who have their searchlights at work every evening chance they might endeavour to creep up to any of their vessels and do them damage.
Last night Consul-General Wildman re- ceived the following wire from Mr. Broadbent, U. 8. Consul at Port Said :-
"Warships and troopers 12 now in port- Pelayo, Emperador, Emperador Carlos v., Rapide, Ambagasado, Prosperina, Caradonga, Patriao, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Colon, Taleabeancy."
We
Probably some slight errors have crept in with regarded to some of the above names in wirring, but it will be observed that the aquadron is a very strong one. shall not be surprised to hear of it being recalled, however, before the Indian Ocean is reached. The squadron comprises the battle. ship Pelayo, cruisers auxiliary cruisers, and torpedo vessels.
The following official letter from the Consul for Spain at Hongkong to the Commander-in- Chief of the Spanish feet in the Philippines is published in the Comercio :---
"I have the greatest pleasure in bringing to the notice of your Illustrious Excellency that Ensign (Caldwell, Secretary of Rear-Admiral Dewey, has stated in the English Clab here that from his chief downwards every officer of the North American fleet admired the bravery and heroism by your Illustrious Excellency and the captains, officers, and crews of the Spanish vessels; and not content with this, he called upon me to tell me the same and thus to render homage of admiration to the noble Spanish sailors. With my heart full of patriotic pride I offer to your Illustrious Ex- cellency and the valiant men who fought under your orders my most enthusiastic congratula- tions, in which the Vice-Consul and Secretary of this Consulate unite."
The following from the Washington Post relative to, Mr. Rouusevelle Wildman will be of
interest here:
"The front name of Rounsevelle Wildman, our Consul at Hongkong, who cabled the first news of the McCulloch's arrival, is a hideous modern corruption of the knightly Roncevalles, and writers and printers made so many bad staggers at it that Mr. Wildman never uses anything but the initial R," said Eben Brewer of Pittsburg at the Normandie.
Mr. Brewer, who has just been appointed United States postal agent in Cuba, was chief clerk and assistant to Colonel George T. 1 avis, director of the Chicago exposition, and the following story regarding Wildman, is vouched for by him as authentic:
“Wildman, then consul at Singapore, was employed by the exposition managers to secure exhibits from the island of Borneo, and on reaching Chicago with a splendid collection he felt himself entitled to one of the gorgeous commissions which the exposition people issued
THE HONGKONG. WEEKLY PRESS AND
to their representatives. Instructions for filling out the document were given to Richard Lee Fearn, the well-known Washington cor- respondent, at that time secretary of the foreign affairs department of the exposition.
Fearn designated to the penman who was to do the lettering a very heavy Gothic black letter text, in which the 'R' could hardly be dis. tinguished from an ‘A. The result was that to a casual glance the only features that appealed to the reader were the big gold seal and the legend :
"A WILDMAN.
"BORNEO.
"And so it hung in the editorial sanctum of the Overland Monthly, where Mr. Wildman did of his appointment by President McKinley to some very graceful literary work up to the date the Hongkong consulate."
27th June.
The Sunkiang, which arrived in the harbour yesterday, reports that all is quiet at Iloilo, which she left on the 22nd. All was going on as usual. There were no warships there and no signs of the insurgents. She heard nothing of the American troopers.
The Doric arrived yesterday, having left Honolulu on the 4th instant. The troop ships were then at Honolulu but left a few hours before the Doric, and it was estimated that by averging eight knots an hour-one of the vessels being a poor sailer
they would reach Manila yesterday morning. Therefore, in all probability the Stars and Stripes by this time wave over the city. Conse- quently if the Spaniards do send another fleet plenty of time in which to prepare to give to the Philippines the Americans will have
them a warm reception.
The troopships (which are being convoyed by the Charleston) and those aboard are as follows:-
Australia-General Thomas M. Anderson; Major S. R. Jones, Quarter-master; Captain Lieutenant E. W. Clark; Oscar King Davis, H. P. McCain; Lieutenant S. E. Cloman:
N. C. S., band and Companies A. B. C. D. E. correspondent New York Sun; headquarters
G. H. K. and L. Second Oregon Infantry, United States Volunteers; Lieutenant combe, United States Navy.
City of Peking-Headquarters N. C. S., baud and Companies A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. and M. First California United States Volunteers, Commander Gibson, eight officers and seventy-six enlisted men, United States Navy.
City of Sydney-Band and Companies A. C. D. E. and F. Fourteenth United States Infan- try, detachment Batteries A. and D. First Battalion First California Heavy Artillery, mander Phelps, United States Navy; Chief United States Volunteers; Lieutenant-Com-
Engineer Chalker and twenty seamen, revenue cutter service; Major P. G. Eastwick, Jr., and Companies F. I. and M. Second Oregon Infan- try, United States Volunteers.
29th June.
On receiving the telegram announcing the arrival of the Spanish fleet at Port Said Consul- General Wildman, with his usual energy, at once set about securing a special steamer to convey the news to Admiral Dewey without loss of time. The steamer left yesterday.
Port Said, and whose alleged destination is the The Spanish squadron which has arrived at Philippines, appears to consist of six fighting vessels and six transports. The following is a description of the fighting vessels as far as we have been able to gather it from Brassey :—
[July 2, 1898.
67 ft., draught 25 ft., propellers 2, i.h.p. 18,500, built at Cadiz, launched 1895; armour: 2 in. belt, 10 in. gun position, 6 in. deck plating; guns: two 11 in. (Hontoria), eight 5.5 in. quickfirers, four 3.9 in., two 2.7 in., four 2.2 in., 6 machine torpedo tubes 6, speed 20 knots, normal coal supply 1,200 tons, complement 535. Colon, by which is no doubt intended the Cristobal Colon, armoured cruiser, steel, 6,840 tons, length 328 ft., beam 58 ft. 9 in., draught 24 ft., propellers 2, i.h.p. 14,000, built at Sestri Ponenti, launched 1896; armour: belt 6 in. Harveyed steel, gun position 6 in. Harveyed steel, deck plating It in.; guns: two 10 in., ten 6 in., quickfirers, six 4.7in., ten 2.2in. tea 1.4in., 2 machine; torpedo tubes 4, speed 20 knots, normal coal supply 1,000 tons, complement 450, Rapido, torpedo gunboat, steel, 570 tons, length 100 ft., beam 23 ft., draught 10 ft. 4 in., propellers 2, i.h.p. 2,600, built at Carraca, launched 1891;"guns: two 4.7 in. (Hon- toria), four 2.2 in, quickfirers, 1 machine; torpedo tubes 2, speed 18 knots, normal coal supply 106 tons, complement 80. Prosperina, torpedo boat destroyer, built at Clydebank, launched 1897, length 225 ft., beam 25 ft. 6 in., draught 5 ft. 8 in., screws 2, 400 tons, i.h.p. 7,500, maximum trial speed, 30 knots; armament: two 14 pr., two 6 pr., two 1 pr., torpedo tubes 2, com- plement 70, coal capacity 90 tons. Buenos Aires, not given in Brassey, but des-
cribed elsewhere as an auxiliary oruiser. The Emperador, Ambagusado," Caradonga, Patria, San Francisco, and Isleabeancy are no doubt the transports.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN MANILA BAY.].
Manila Bay, 23rd June.
The chief subject of discussion in Manila, in Cavite, and in the American fleet is the mean- ing of the presence of five German men-of-war and one transport or supply vessel in port..
I have just interviewed one of the leading tatingly informed me that all the foreigners Englishmen here on the subject, and he unhesi- in Manila as well as the Spaniards_regarded it as a remarkable demonstration. "I am sure, he continued, "that the Spaniards here received great encouragemont from such a naval display. A Spaniard to-day told me that the coming of the large German squadron was construed by him and the leading Spanish officials as a direct act of friendly interest and to warn the Yankees that they could not go too far. Now when a Spaniard of influence, as this man was, will talk like that I think it is high time to ask what the Germans mean by appearing here in such force."
"
"I am familiar," my informant continued, with all German interests in Manila, and my relations with Germans are very agreeable, and be fully able to protect them to every extent I am positive that one German cruiser would they required. One of my German friends remarked to me even so far back as when the Irene and Cormoran came that he did not see why his Government should send more than one such vessel. Even were it granted, now that Germany has undertaken to protect Portuguese subjects, that more vessels were needed, the Irene and Cormoran would amply suffice, as if they wish to leave the city, but on merchant- these people are not taken on the men-of-war
men in the harbour flying the German flag."
When I asked him what ought to be done in the matter, he replied, "As an Englishman I would say that we should have two or three many lifts her finger to indicate that she in- more men-of-war sent here at once, and, if Ger- tends to have a say as to the situation or final disposition of the islands in order that she may get part of them or even a port in them, say to
Pelayo, armoured cruiser, barbette ship, steel, her, hands off-aside from all question of Am- 9,900 tons, length 330 ft., beam 66 ft.,erican interests. Were I an American I should draught 24 ft. 11 in., propellers 2, i.h.p. be tempted to tell the Germans that they must 9,000, built at La Seyne, launched 1887, explain at once what they mean by assembling received new armament 1897; armour: here in such numbers, and I shall be surprised 173 in. belt, 194 in. gun position, 4 in. deck if the Government at Washington does not in- plating; guns: two 12-5 in. 48 ton, two 11 structțits Minister at Berlin to demand an ex- in. 38 ton, nine 5-5 in. quick firers, sixplanation. Were I Admiral Dewey I might smaller, 12 machine; torpedo tubes 7, speed 16 knots, normal coal supply 800 fons, complement 600.
Emperador Carlos V., armoured orniser, turret ́ship, steel, 9,235 tons, length 380 ft., beam
think differently than I do now, because he probably knows more about it than I do, but otherwise, if I were he, I should gently suggest to the German Admiral that I regarded the massing of five German men-of-war here when
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