The herald., 1898-04-28
DEFENDERS OF MANILA
WILL DIE AT THEIR GUNS BUT
NEVER SURRENDER
THE PEOPLE WILDLY EXCITED
Fearing Attack by Insurgents No Less
Than the Guns Of the Ameri-
can Fleet
Associated rress Special Wire

NEW 1O1th, april Zf.-A uiSpdtcH u tHe
Herald from Hong Kong says: o. Il. Will
liams, the American Consul at Manila. who
arrived here on the steamer Esmeralda,
says that he was delighted to escape from
the islands, and Immediately joined Com
modore Dewey. He says the people Of
Manila are wildly excited, fearing that
they will be between two fires, the Amer
ican squadron and the insurgents.
Two days before he left, the Spanish
cruiser Castillo arrived. She is a wooden
vessel of the old type-three masts, bark
rigged, with one smokestack. She has
four 5.S inch Krupp guns, two AT inch. two
S.S inch, four 2.9 inch and eight rapid-fire
guns. She has two torpedo tubes and
speed of about ~ knots.
She had aboard a cargo of miscellaneous
war supplies, including torpedoes. These
will be used in place of mines. Until two
weeks ago, the authorities had no sub
marine cables, but they have obtained
about eighty miles from the telegraph
company and the harbor is now mined.
The commander of the Castillo was i'm
mediately requested by the Governor
General to assist in the defense of the har-
Dor. He declared with vehemence he
would sooner sink his vessel at her moor
at the entrance to the harbor and land
ing the guns from one side of his ship he
placed them in emplaceEients on Corre-
gidor Island at the other side of the har-
Dor. He and his officers and crew declare
they will die at their guns. About 25 900
native insurgents are encamped outside
Manila ready to rush upon the Spaniards
as soon as the American fleet appears. All
| Americans except one are now out Of Ma
nila. many taking refuge aboard English
| merchant ships. All American ships ex-
| cept the Great Admiral have also got
away.
| She is q wooden vessel Of 1916 gross tons
and is owned by E. r. Sterling of Newport,
r. I.
| All the Europeans who remain in Ma
nila are fearful of outrages by the insur-
gents.
Ready for the Fray
LONDON, April 27-Accordng to spe-
cial dispatch received here today from
Madrid, the Spanish Minister of Marine.
Admiral Bermejo, received a cipher mes
sage from the Spanish Admiral in COM
mand at Manila, Admiral Meontejo, an
nouncing that after taking the measures
necessary to organize the naval defenses
| OIL MdHlld anu AdVlte, he was ABOUT 10 sail
| with his squadron to take up a position
and await the coming of the United States
fleet.
The Spanish Minister of Marine, the spe-
cial dispatch continues, forthwith COM
municated with Premier Sagasta. who
summoned the Minister for War, General
Correo, and the three Ministers held a
conference. Shortly afterward another
| tab al NJ ko;,
of the Philippine Islands. declaring the
military measures he is taking to support
the action of the Spanish squadron and tc
defend Manila, Cavite and other places
against any American attempt to land in
combination with the insurgents. The
news soon reached the clubs and the news
papers and created an immense sensation.
| The Minister of Marine expressed the
belief that the United States squadron
| would reach Manila in about sixty hours
| about three days.
The naval men here who are acquainted
with the Philippine Islands believe the
| Spanish squadron will take up positions
near Cavite, so as to be supported by the
batteries there and at Manila.
The Fleets Compared
LONDON, April 27.-The United States
Asiatic squadron, mobilized al
Mrs Bay. China, consists of the
flagship Olympia, one of the best cruisers
afoat. Captain c. v. Gridley. Rear Admiral
George Dewey, Commander-in-Chief
Cruiser Baltimore, Captain N. w. Dyer
Cruiser Boston, Captain Frank Wiloiez
| Cruizer Concord, Commander Asa A
Walker; Cruiser Raleigh, Captain, F. B
Coughlin; Gunboat Petrol, Commander T.
P. Wood; Dispatch Boat Hugh McCul.
Tough; steamer Hanshan. storeshir
steamers Zafiro, collier.
The Spanish fleet at the Philippine Isl.
| ands may be able to resist the United
| States fleet for short time with the as.
sistance Of the guns from the Spanish
| forts, but otherwise the American vessels
would make very short work of the Span
ish squadron, which consists of the fol
lowing vessels: Cruisers Reina Crisnan
Castillo, Velasco and Don Juan de
Avalya, Gunboat Paraguay, Gunboat Ul-
| loa, Gunboat Ell Cano. Gunboat Gen. Lezo
Gunboat Marquee del Duero. Transport
General Alva, Transport Manila, Transpor,
Cuba.
Spain's Honor Saved
ODESSA, April 27.-The Russian news
papers largely sympathize with Spain and
express the belief that If the United States
| fails to gain a. signal naval victory soon