The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-31
BY THE THROAT.
Dewey Has a Grip on Manila
Like a Wise.
Insurgents Receive 5000
Mauser Rifles
W nth AMMUNITION.
Will Have a Good Sized Army
in the Field
With Breech Loading Field
Pieces by July 1.

patch from Manila May 27 via Hong
Kong, says: The Philippine insurgents
received last Thursday $4,000 Mauser
breech leaders and 100000 rounds of
ammunition and have been busy ever
since in getting their men together
here.
Gen. Anguinaldo said today he had 200
Mausers captured from the Spaniards
which with the rifles just received will
enable him to arm a force equal to the
detachment of Spaniards now in the
province of Cavite.
About two miles back of the town
of Cavite, Gen. Aguinaldo also has five
modern breech-loading field pieces
with moderate supply of common field
shells and shrapnel
The men of Gen. Aguinaldo's force
are of small stature and look as though
they had not had enough to eat for
long time, but they are very wiry and
tough. Two of them whom 1 noticed
were carrying a heavy forge and bel
lows slung on a pole and two others
were similarly laden with a large anvil,
and four of them carried a bench with
two vises. They had taken field gun
from one of the sunken Spanish cruisers
and were trying to make it fit for ser
vice, showing marvellous patience and
perseverance.
There must be something out of the
common in the leader, Gen. AguinaldO
as three weeks ago there were not 300
persons in Cavite after the Spaniards
left, whereas now there are $500 men
capable of bearing arms, most of whom
have assembled since Gen. AguinaIdo's s
arrival eight days ago. If they capture
the Spanish detachment and arms Gen.
Aguinaldo will be able to take the field
with more than $500 men. He tells me
his force is limited only by the number
of rifles he can get, but many of the
native soldiers in Manila will desert to
him as soon as he attacks that place.
The success of the recent expedition
that brought the insurgents a supply
of rifles will result in a larger ship
ment within the two weeks and Gen.
Aguinaldo is confident of having 15O0
men in the field before July l.
Admiral Dewey still holds Manila by
the throat and the Spaniards are un-
able to escape from starvation.
1t is impossible to get definite news
from the city but the anxiety of Euro
peans there are conveyed through the
foreign consuls shows how critical
must be the situation.
The health of officers and men con-
tinues good in spite of the severe heat
and humidity The natives now bring
off a plentiful supply of chickens eggs,
mangoes, bananas, a few pine apples,
but nothing else.
NEW OTk, MAY OLA d1SpaCCn TO the
Herald from Hong Kong via Paris,
says: The goods seized, which were
not naval stores but personal mess sup
plies for officers of the cruisers have
been released. Consul Williams launch
was boarded while a party on it were
out in the harbor picnicking and
searched, but~nothing contraband was
found. It is possible that should the
Hong Kong authorities continue the
| annoyances, a change will be made in
the base of supplies. About a million
and a half silver dollars have already
been spent in Hong Kong.
The British cruiser Pique reports
that Iloilo is quiet and that the dons
are in hiding up the river. There are
sixty foreigners here, thirty of the
British among them, a few ladies and
children. The Spaniards are fighting
the rebels in the interior.
In Manila no serious change is re-
ported except that p1acardS denounc-
| ing the British have been posted.
Following are the correct statistics
of the recent battle: Killed on the ships.
rs; wounded on the ships, 2S5; killed at
the arsenal, %; wounded at the arsenal.
As.
Admiral Montijo from the minister OF
marine In Madrid:
Honor and glory to those who have
fought heroically for their country"
New York, May 31.--A dispatch to the
World from Lisbon says:
The SpaniardS are sending troops
from all the provinces to Cadiz and
Algeciras.
The intention is said to be TO dis
patch these soldiers to the Philippines
as soon as the squadron is ready to
convoy them.
But 1t appears that no squadron can
be dispatched for z. week or more, as
| all the warships are short of ammuni-
| ton and some of them have not even
mounted guns.
In the northern provinces Of Spain.
| the Carlist organs are telling the peo-
| Die that inasmuch as Admiral Dewey
| attacked Manila with petroleum bonn bs
| and as the Americans lombard Spanish
| towns without warning the inhabitants.
| it is time for Spain to make use of her
right to grant letters Of marQue.
| Portuguese people are very much in
| favor of Spain in the present war. They
have gone out of their way to assist
| her. At the instance of the Spanish
| consul here they sent back Spanish
| deserters who had entered Portuguese
| territory and now are sending troops
| to the frontier to prevent the entrance
of any more.
| They exercise great caution in trans
| uitting kilograms and letters for Eng
| land and for the continent generally
| assuming that there must be some
| thing important in every telegram sent
| to London.