The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-18
Copyright 1895 by Associated press.

1opyrient 1875 oy ASSOCIATED Press.
Manila. via Hong Kong. June 17.--It is
now officially admitted here that a lack
Of food supplies has become a serious
matter. Gunboats conveying volunteers
sent into the lagoon to search for food
for the city on Friday. June 3. returned
here to-day Sunday. and reported the
total failure Of their mission.
1t has now been officially admitted
that the troops have been 3s hours with
out food. The insurgents are gaining
everywhere. and are now firing into
Manila itself.
The commanders Of the gunboats also
report that every lagoon and town is
hostile to their garrisons. which have
probably been massacred. The Spanish
fleet was unable to effect a landing in
spite Of prolonged firing upon the part
OF all the gunboats. This removes the
last hope of provisioning Manila. Dur
ing the week all garrisons were stimuli
taneously overpowered or surrendered
as prisoners. The latter are well treated.
The majority Of those who resisted were
slaughtered.
Whole companies of Spaniards have
had nothing to eat for two days and
some OF them are literally crying. Ii
Is a pitable sight. The native peasant
ry charitably assists the starving SOL
diers without compulsion. and some
Englishmen yesterday bought a wan
dering hawker's store OF eatables for
few shillings and gave the food to the
soldiers, who said IL was the first food
they had tasted for So hours. There Is
no doubt. as one person remarked. that
somebody deserves lynching for the
state OF affairs existing. Scores of
bloated officers OF the Spanish forces are
to be seen daily loafing about beer shops
and cafes and along the boulevards re-
Wiling the English. while the men under
their charge are starving.
In the northern sections the insur-
gents have united near Pasig. near the
Pasig river. separating the Spaniards.
There were q few casualties. The zone
OF hostilities Is a magnificent defensive
country. thickly wooded. having an un-
limited number OF natural ambuscades
and innumerable blockhouses and
trenches. Any average army could
easily defy 10 times their number
On all sides can be seen the Span
iards retiring. moving the soldiers ef-
fects and dismantling the barracks
prematurely. evidently anticipating de-
fear as matter of course. The SOL
uttfr dft DfdNt anu utSptTdtt anu nate
to retreat, but they are hopelessly in
competent and shamefully underfed.
Many Of them have assured the corre-
spondent that they have never been at
a target practice in their lives. Still.
they are eager for an opportunity to
display their valor and are confident
that the enemy is equally unvalorous.
The insurgents yesterday rushed the
passage OF the Zapota river, and also
descended from the. lagoon. took the
Spaniards on the flank and captured
several guns. The Spanish soldiers
made a good stand until they were or
dered to retreat. Probably their am
munition Is inadequate. 1t il almost
impossible to understand how such
magnificent positions can be abandoned
without a struggle. The insurgents to-
day captured Las Pinas. Parague Tun-
gallo Malay. all on the coast line. The
Spanish lost 30 killed and wounded and
several thousand returned here unhurt. |
The insurgents are now firing into
Nolate. the southernmost part of Ma
Mia. and a mile and a half irom the
ceEter place containing the forts. mag
azines. telegraph ONCE and clubhouse. |
are visiting within rife shot of the en- |
emy, apparently unconcerned.
The insurgents are also In every out |
lying quarter Of Manila. awaiting the |
signal TO advance. At Caloocan, a sub |
urb. a railway station. there are a few |
Spanish troops in ridiculous little en-
trenchments. The village Is full Of in |
SUI gents and the railroad line Is broken |
outside the station. The ties have been |
carefully removed by the insurgents. |
who promise to replace them after the |
war.
Many OF the native troops make little |
secret OF their intention to desert to- |
nisht. There is frantic scramble for |
refuge inside the old walled citadel.
by the governors orders. of all the |
The captain general held |
a council of war. at which il was pro-
posed to surrender because resistance
is clearly useless. and a deplorable ex- \
penditure of blood and heroic efforts
would be rendered futile by lack OF
training. insufficient supplies and the
smallness OF the force. The council
was furious at this Humiliation by
mere natives" and he resigned. being
succeeded by his second in command.
who countermanded the withdrawal of
the troops from the field.