Evening journal., 1898-06-18
MANILA In DIRE STRAITS
Hemmed In on Every Side by In
suTgentS and Americans.
SPANISH SOLDIERS DESERVING.
Troops without Food or Ammunition.
Augustus Family Reported Captured.
Archbishop Of Manila Says He Has
Communication From God.

Communication From God.
MANILA, via Hongkong, June 1S.-
Spanish power is crumbing In the Phil
ippine islands
Captain General August after
stormy council of war, has resigned,
leaving his second In command at the
head OF the troops.
The captain general had held a coun-
ell Of war, at which It was proposed to
surrender because resistance is clearly
useless and a deplorable expenditure of
blood, and heroic efforts would be rem
dered futile by lack of training, INSULT
cient supplies and the smallness of the
force.
The council was furious at this "hu-
initiation by mere natives" and the
captain general resigned and was su-
perseded by his second in command,
who countermanded the withdrawal of
the troops from the field.
The horse cars are running and ladies
are visiting within rifle 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, suburban railroad sta
tion, there are still a few Spanish troops
In ridiculous little intrenchments
The village is full of insurgents and
the railroad line Is broken outside the
station.
The ties have been carefully removed
by the insurgents who promised to re-
place them after the war. Many OF the
native troops make little secret OF theiI
intention 10 desert tonight. There Is a
frantic scramble for refuge inside the
old walled citadel
The ammunition of the Spanlards is
utterly untrustworthy, because II is old,
rotten and has never been tested.
The Spaniards are impotent with rage,
bewilderment and resistless despair.
The cafes are crowded with officers
with their hands In their pockets gap
ing vacantly, while an intermittent fu-
sillade is audible in all directions
Carloads Of food have been stored in,
side the walled citadel, with the inten-
tlon OF standing a Siege and defying the
American warships. But the idea is
ridiculously preposterous, for the cita-
del, so called, Is totally untenable
against the FIRE of a modern fleet OF
warships
It Is now officially admitted here that
the 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 today. Sunday. and re-
ported the total failure OF their mission
IL has now been officially admitted
that the troops have been 36 hours with
out food.
The insurgents are gaining everywhere
and are now firing into Manila itself
The commanders OF the gunboats also
hostile and that their garrisons have
probably been massacred. The Spanish
notilla was unable TO effect a landing
in spite OF prolonged firing upon the
part of all the gunboats. Nobody. how
ever. was killed.
This removes the last hope Of pro-
visioning Manila.
There was a concerted attack Thurs.
day evening In every direction. The
Spaniards were informed OF the insur-
gents intention to capture two maga-
zines outside the Notifications al Ma.
late and Santa Mena, southwark and
westward Of the city. Therefore they
concentrated their forces for supreme
effort in their defense and bombarded
the jungle all night long. In the mean.
time the insurgents captured MalabaI
and Caloocan, in the northern suburbs
The Spaniards were thus outwitted
outgeneraled and harassed TO death
During the previous night owing I,
a misunderstanding, a squad Of Spanisl
artinerymen stampeded from Malate in
to Manila. causing immense consterna.
tion, it being believed that the insur
gents were storming the city.
a Spanish officer commanding an out
post at San Juan left his men I'm charg,
Of = sergeant, came to town and wal
found< heiplessly drunk. IL is reporte,
that he was sentenced to death
A inch gun at Malate. while bein,
fired into the woods over the Spaniards
heads, fired a shot which struck a ire
and killed several Spaniards.
There Is a story current here to tn
effect that the captain and officers O
the German warship Irene went 70
picnic on horseback to the farthest out
post of San Juan. accompanied by tn
highest Spanish officers They had
champagne lunch. and the captain O
the Irene is said to have made a speech
during which he declared the American
f"will never annex the Philippine is
lands while William remains emperor
The Germans. It is further said witt
their Spanish hosts, might have beel
killed ty the insurgents, who had tn
road to San Juan strongly ambushed
But, It is further asserted the insur
gents had orders TO avoid giving a pre-
text for German Intervention.
Finally, IL is said the Germans pro
posed to remove the wounded Spanis
soldiers TO a hospital ship under tn
German flag, but Admiral Dewey is re
ported to have replied that hitherto me
dlation had always been British. and
must 80 continue