The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-05-19
DEWEY WHATSOEVER
A Provisional Government for
the Philippines.
DEMAND SURRENDER OF MANILA.
cOmnodOrs Dewey says He viii give
the People Time TO Leave
the City.

New York.-Dispatches signed by
Commodore Dewey have just been sent
20 Washington recommending that the
surrender OF Manila be demanded and
that a provisional government for the
PHILIPPINES be established pending
settlement of the war with Spain.
His proposal is for commission 10
take control Of the government. He
suggests that he be named as one of
the commissioners. The Government
would be continued upon much the
same lines as exist now.
He asks that sufficient troops be sent
him, in the event his plan is adopted,
10 maintain order. If his suggestion
is favorably received by the President
and the Cabinet, il is probable our two
Consuls, Williams of Manila and Wild
man of Hongkong, will be asked to
serve ON the commission.
Some such solution, it appears. must
be found Immediately Food supplies
in Manila have run short already. 1t
is estimated that the town has only
enough TO last two weeks. No more
can be brought in.
Commodore Dewey's feet has com
pletely invested the city by water and
the insurgents control all the land APP
proaches. 1t is impossible for the in
habitants to add to the present supply
OF food without the consent OF the
American Commodore He is in abso-
lutte control. The forts at Manila are
not strong enough to cope with his
guns. The feet would have no trouble
in razing the city's defenses and in
utterly destroying the residence and
business quarters. Not only the Gov
ernorGeneral, but the people as well
realize that il Dewey demands surrend-
er he can back up his demands with
shot and shell sufficient to wipe out the
city.
II the demand is made and the Gov
ernor refuses, the people will rise and
demand that he surrender. There will
also be revolt on the part of many Of
the soldiers before they would bring
down on the practically defenseless city
the fire of the powerful American feet.
Under international law city can
not be bombarded until days notice
has been given, but the action OF the
Manila forts in firing on the American
fleet would be sufficient grounds to
break this rule.
Commodore Dewey has said that he
will give the people time to leave the
city ii he is compelled by refusal to
surrender to lombard Manila. The
Spanish inhabitants would gain little
by flight, for the insurgents hold the
hills and could easily defeat them in
combat.
Commodore Dewey has held no com.
munication with the insurgents. Re-
liable reports say that 25, 900 are on
the hills that surround Manila. These
men will be armed with American re-
peating rifles recently landed in the
Philippines by filibustering expedi.
tions. The insurgents have but SEM
blance OF military training. If they
make an attack on the city it will de-
generate into lawless looting. The in.
surgents will be nothing better than a
mob out for plumber.
There is grave necessity for strong
government at Manila. Commodore
Dewey could have taken the city, but
he feared violence. He can land 1000
armed men, but these would not be
sufficient to prevent murder, rapine and
pillage. II we take Manila the French
and British war ships there will land
forces to protect their own people in
Manila and their own interests.