Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-09-23
AJGUST|pS BOMBAST
Explains How He Lost Manila
to Admiral Dewey.
Spanish Press Protests Against Ameri-
ca Holding the Philippines.
Csessfa M Officers Very Frisid 10 minister
oi Marine Aunon.

10rmer captain general OF the Philip.
pine Islands. w1lO has just arrived at
VitOria, Spain, from Manila, In an in.
terview Just published. ds quoted as
dfscussing the Philippine question in
nd Interesting manner. He is alleged
10 have said:
Before l left Spain. l knew the sit
uation in the Philippine Islands was
grave. Senior Moret. the minister Of
the colonies in the last cabinet OF Senior
Sagasta. remarked to me that II wal
with the United States broke out ther.
would be terrible state Of things
Gen. Augusti described Admiral
Montijo's fleet as some old wooden
ships and said they "came to Manila
practically pursued by Dewey" He
then said: Our batteries fired at the
Americans. but our guns were mounted
on false plates, and after the first shots
they became useless. At daybreak We
were in the power of the Americans
and an hour afterwards the Spanish.
fleet had ceased to exist.
dewey summoned, me to surrender.
I refused and he threatened to raze the
town. replied: 'Raze it, but so long
as I live the Spanish flag will float OH
the ruins OF Manila
Then began terrible time of the
siege and the anguish of the blockade.
Famine stared us in the face In the
. meantime. 1lostilities were conducted
throughout the provinces, but, save Il.
isolated cases. humanely.
Dewey repeated his summons to sur
render, and / again refused. Dewey
then bombarded the town and Manila
surrendered. Considering my presence
NO longer necessary. I asked the gov
eminent for permission to go home, as
my position had become by no means
easy. / think have done my duty as
a soldier and Spaniard."
The ministerial newspapers protest
against the idea that the United States
will keep the Philippine Islands. They
maintain that Spain's rights to these
is resolved to defend her rights with
the greatest energy"
The government papers also contend
that the terms of the peace protocol
confirm Spain's right to the Island Of
Luzon and the rest of the Philippine
islands and they declare that If the
United States bases it's claim on hu
manity and civilization, Spain will
UEOVe luAl ulcTc is IlO UNSncE CIV NllZd-
ticn in any Of the Asiatic colonies than
In the Spanish colonies in Asia.
The rumos- that the Rothschilds are
to lend SPAIN a large sum of money
when the treaty of peace shall have
been signed, is denied here. Officials
of the spanishsgovernanent claim that
the Bank of SPAIN is able to supply the
immediate demands OF the government.
The marked coolness of Admiral Ger.
vera and his officers towards the minis.
ter Of marine, Senor Aunon is much
commented upon here. Senior Aunon
and his staff, in, uniform, met Admiral
Cervera and mis- party at the railroad
depot. The admiral halted before the
minister. saluted and said briefly:
Il am at the orders of Your Excellen.
cy. l shall present myself at the min
istry. today. as is my duty"
The admiral then started to leave, af-
ter embracing Capt. Eulate, the former
commander of the Vizcaya. and his
other comrades.
The minister of marine offered the
use of his carriage to Admiral Cervera
but the latter declined to accept it and
entered another carriage.