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we learned from an authoritative source that Manila had been bombarded by the American fleet and had surrendered. As yet the full par. ticulars are not forthcoming, nor will they be until the American despatches arrive, but sufficient is known to make it apparent that the Spani- ards made a gallant stand and that the Ameri- cans did not find it so easy to take the city as they anticipated. It would appear that on Friday last it was made known to those in Manila that the culminating struggle would take place on the following day. Consequently many of the foreign residents took refuge in the vessels at hand in the Bay in preparation for such a contingency. At half past eight on Saturday morning the surrender of the city was formally demanded by General Merritt, who gave the Spaniards an hour in which to think the matter over. As at the end of this time the Spanish flag had not been hauled down, the order to advance to the attack was given. It was at this junc- ture that Governor-General Augustin, who had resigned the military command ten days before, got on to a German launch with his wife and family and was conveyed to the Kaiserin Augusta | and taken aboard. Admiral Dewey and his ships deployed along the front of the city, but with the object of saving the buildings as much as possible they directed their fire on to the Spanish defences on the outskirts. Consequently except on the outskirts and immediate vicinity compar atively little damage was done. In the mean- time the Californian Regiment moved forward, and making a grand rush carried the first line of defence at the point of the bayonet. When they came to the second line the Spaniards made a stubborn resistance, and the assault was not made until reinforcements had come up.
Then the Spaniards were driven into the walled city, where they were so hotly pressed that their commander, seeing that fur- ther resistance was useless, displayed the white flag and formally surrendered to his conquerors, The scene which ensued on the American ships and in the American ranks may be to some extent imagined, but we shall have to wait until some eye-witness tells his story before we can get an adequate description.
As soon as the climax had been reached the Kaiserin Augusta weighed anchor and turned her head toward« Hongkong, where she arrived in 40 hours-a record passage.
same
The German and French vessels had, we understand, taken up a position in the Bay considerable distance away from the American fleet. THE INSURGENTS CONGRATULATE PRESIDENT MCKINLEY.
On Monday Agoncillo, High Commissioner and Ambassador Extraordinary representing the Provisional Government of the Philippine Islands, forwarded through Consul-General Wildman a telegram to President McKinley in the name of the Filippino Junta in Heng- kong and in that of its President, Emelio Aguinaldo, congratulating him on the success- ful termination of the war, commending the oc- cupancy of Manila by the Americans, and adding, "I assure the United States of the allegiance and unquestioning support of our people, and petition that we be granted one or more representatives on the Commission that is to decide the future of the Philippines."
A congratulatory telegram has also been sent to President McKinley on behalf of the wealthy Filippinos in Hongkong, headed by the Cortes and Basa families, the following words occurring in the message, "The Ameri- can blood shed on Philippine soil seals the islands to America for ever."
ARRIVAL OF THE "ZAFIRO."
MORE NEWS OF LAST SATURDAY'S OPERATIONS.
ONLY A FORMAL RESISTANCE BY THE SPANIARDS.
|
Hongkong, 18th August. Information was received in the city yester- day morning that the Zafiro had passed Cape D'Aguilar, and at about noon several officers from the ship-arrived in the city and were surprised to learn of the signing of the peace protocol, stating that the vessel had anchored in Junk Bay because it was thought that the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[August 20, 1898,
United States and Spain were still belligerents, | gathered here, one wanting to feed the army, intending to come into British waters to-day. another the navy, others the cowboys, still In the meantime the weather got so bad that others to build barracks, raise the sunken it was impossible to get the mails off, as no steamers, buy mining concessions, and in fact launches could be hired, the owners being afraid anything that may come up. Three separate to risk them, and in consequence the despatches sets are organizing steamer lines for the Islands. will not be delivered until to-day.
Captain Maclean, of the Zafiro, informs us, however, that the Americans practically walked into Manila on Saturday last, and that the story of the Spaniards having made a desperate resistance was untrue, the resistance being more formal than otherwise. The operations all took place on the Malate side of the city Here the Spaniards had two lines of defences. The first line consisted of a trench running parallel with Malate River, and behind this was Malate fort, on one side of which was a trench running down to the beach, and on the other a sand bag arrangement extending into the bushes. The American trench was on the other side of the river parallel with these.
Said Captain Maclean :-“ It Was about half-past nine on Saturday morning when we got under weigh, and about a quarter of au hour afterwards we reached our position, a position from which we could sweep both the Spanish lines. We immediately opened fire, special attention being directed to the fort, and for half-an-hour our guns were Laudled vigorously. At the end of this time the fort and the flimsy defences adjoining were almost knocked to pieces.
1
Then the troops, under General Andersen, signalled that they were going to advance, and we ceased firing for a time. The troops waded across the river and walked up the beach towards the nearer Spanish trench as calmly as if they were going to luncheon. Practically no effort was made to stay their progress, and when they reached the trench they found it unoccupied, the Spaniards having previously retired. The feet again began to fire, and the Spaniards made a feeble attempt at reply ing, but they did but little damage, and soon retired into the walled city, leaving the fort in the hands of our troops. Immediately after- wards the white flag was hoisted, and the firing ceased.
Then the fleet moved off to the old city and our troops moved forward, a squad being left here and there en route where it was thought advisable. When we reached the old city we caught sight of a launch displaying a white Lieutenant flag, and General Merritt sent Whitter and Admiral Dewey Lieutenant Bromley to see what was wanted. Subsequently General Merritt went ashore and received the formal capitulation.
"I am not aware that the insurgents took part in the operations. They are being kept outside the city.
"I do not think the escape of the Governor- General was known to any of our leaders. He was not in charge of the city at the time, har- ing resigned several days before.
"With regard to the killed and wounded. I am not aware that the Americans lost more than half-a-dozen. The Spanish loss would, of course, be greater."
GETTING READY FOR THE INVA. SION OF MANILA.
self
44
*
A Hongkong correspondent who signs him
One of them," has sent the following amusing letter to the Shanghai Daily Press :--- The American transport Zafiro has come and gone and still no definite news about the fall of Manila. There is a large gathering of Harpies here, all waiting for the fall of Manila. One set has a thousand cases of whisky and 1,609 barrels of beer; enough to make the army and navy drunk for a month. Another sent over in a chartered steamer 6,000 bags of flour, but the vessel brought back 5,000. The Pasig, which was caught with arms on board for the insurgents, had loaded 100 tons of ice also and cleared for Tientsin but was stopped and is lying at Whampoa, near Canton, with the 50 barrels of beer sent by Schlitz to the U.S. navy for the 4th of July. By the way,
Pasig the Captain of the Captain Ellis. well known in Shanghai.
is
Still another set wants to buy Corregidor Island and make a summer resort of it and another wishes to buy the Alhambra (?) for a Contractors of all kinds are concert hall.
15
* One party is here with 60 head of cows and as soon as the American flag goes up over the city he will start a large dairy. There are 15 for shipment to Manila. The fare there ranges steamer loads of provisions lying here ready
from 150 to 750 dollars, but at present it is al- being turned back. The Hotels are all full of most impossible to clear for that place without pioneers ready to get off though. By the time this reaches you I also shall be off for Manila, and if the U.S. Army and Navy does not take the city we will see what we can do.”
$
THE IRENE "INCIDENT IN SUBIC BAY.
An official despatch from the Board of Com- mand of the Second Division of the German Asiatic Squadron has been sent from Tsintau (where the Irene is now stationed) to the German Consulate at Shanghai. The purpose of the des- patch is to correct the erroneous statements published in the China Gazette of the 13th July and the N. C. Daily News of the 14th July concerning the sending of the Irene to Isla Grande in Subic Bay. It has been officially established that the Irene went to Isla Grande
to bring away distressed Spanish women and children, and that she there accidentally encoun tered the insurgent steamer Filipinas. This steamer, without any demand on the part of the Germans, offered to allow herself to be searched, au offer of which the Irene did not, however, avail herself. The Filipinas then left of her own accord, and the Irene subsequently left the island, having taken on board the women and children. On her way back to Manila she passed outside the bay two American cruisers,
neither of which communicated with her. Ac- cording to this account we see that the Irene was engaged only in the cause of humanity, and did not in the slightest degree infringe the rules of neutrality. Any other interpretation of the facts can only be the result of an en- deavour to sow the seeds of misunderstanding- between the Germans and the Americans.
In the Shanghai Daily Press of July 1st a telegram from Hongkong was published, stating that at a picnic given by the officers of the Irene at which some of the higher Spanish officers were present as guests, the captain of the German warship had delivered a political speech against the annexation of the Philippines by the United States. We are authorised to state that all the data of this telegram are purely fictitious. It is untrue that any picnic took place on board the Irene at which Spanish officers were present, and it is also untrue that the captain of the Irene made any speech in the presence of Spanish officers.-Der “Ostasiatische Lloyd.
The death occurred a few days ago of a well- knowu Nagasaki celebrity, who through intem. perance has joined the ranks of the great majority. We allude to Jack, the sailors' dog, reference to whom has often been made in these columns. During the course of a brief but somewhat checkered career, Jack has been
the means of saving the lives of two persons in Eastern waters, one at Hongkong and the other round the islands at the entrance to Na- gasaki harbour. Jack first arrived in Nagasaki nearly two years ago on H. M. S. Archer, but finding life on shore more congenial to his nature, be promptly jumped ship, and eventually followed the calling of a beachcomber. It appears that a few days ago Jack in the course of his wanderings fell in with a party of men- of-war's men, with whom he had a good time. The sailors succeeded in making the dog hope- lessly intoxicated, and this resulted in the loss of the use of his hind limbs. Massage was resorted to, but in vain; and after a short time poor Jack succumbed, a victim to intemperance. Two or three days prior to his death, Jack swam off to H.M.S. Bonaventure, which at that time was lying on the other side of the harbour.-Nagasaki Press.
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