The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-10
TREACHERY AT CAvITE.
Hoisted White Flag and Then Re
fused to Surrender.

New York, May "a dispatch to the
Herald from Hongkong says:
| Early in the morning of Monday, the
| day after the battle in Manila bay,
| Commander Lamberton and the Herald
correspondent were ordered to go to the
Cavite arsenal and take possession.
The Petrol took US within 500 yards
of the landing, when we were surprised
| to see that the arsenal was still oc-
cupied by about 500 seamen, armed
with Mauser magazine rifles.
| AS a white flag had been hoisted on
| the arsenal the day before, Commander
Lamberton could not understand what
the Spaniards intended to do, and be-
fore leaving the Petrol, he ordered
Commodore Wood to keep his men at
the guns, with directions that if we
were not back in one hour, he should
open fire on the arsenal.
On landing we were met by Captain
Sostoa, of the Spanish navy, next in
rank at this station to Admiral Mon
teio.
Commodore Lamberton, Lieutenant
Wood, of the Petrol and four cores
pondents, went with Captain Sostoa TO
the arsenal headquarters, which was at
once surrounded by an armed guard.
Commodore Lamberton told Captain
Sostoa. that he was surprised TO see his
men under arms, after they had sur
rendered the day before.
Captain Sostoa replied that they had
not surren1e red b IL had mercy hoi tel
the white flag in oraer TO enable Them
to remove women and children 10
places of safety.
Commander Lamberton said that
when the Spanish flag came down, and
the white flag went up, no other inter
rretation could be put upon it than that
it was an unconditional surrender, and
the women and children ought not to
have been there anyhow.
Captain Sostoa remarked that we
came so early in the day that they had
not had time to remove them. If we
had not begun the fight so soon, the
women would have been out of the
way.
Commander Lamberton reminded him
that the Speniards had fired the first
shot. However, he added, he was not
there to discuss past events. He had
come, as Commodore Dewey's repre-
sentative, to take possession of the ar
senal. All Spaniards there, he said,
must surrender their arms and persons
as prisoners of war, otherwise our ships
would open fire on them.
Then Captain Sostoa said he could do
rothing, not being in command, and
would have to consult his suDeriors.
Commander Lamberton refused to
actually present, who, he said, must
comply with Commodore Dewey's con-
ditions.
Captain Sostoa asked to have the
terms of surrender put down in writ
ing, which was done, these being the
conditions:
Without further delay, all Spanish
officers and men must be withdrawn, !
and no buildings or stores must be in
jured. AS Commodore Dewey does not
wish further hostility with the Spanish
naval forces, the Spanish officers will
be Daroled, and The forces at the ar
senal will deliver all their small arms"
Captain Sostoa then pleaded for more |
time. Consequently, Commander Lam |
berton gave the Spaniards two hours
time.
If the white flag was not re-hoisted !
over the arsenal at noon,-he said, we I
would reopen fire.
We returned to the Petrol just in I
time, and started back across the bay |
to report to the commodore.
At a quarter to II o'clock the white
flag was hoisted but when we went to
take possession of the arsenal in the
afternoon, we found that every seaman
had marched off to Manila, carrying
his Mauser rifle with him.