Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-30
Latest Intelligence from the Seat Of Trou-
BILE. Sharp and Decisive Issue BE
tween Insurgents and the Unit
cd States Imminent.
(By Telegraph.l

Ganao, in accordance with an agree
ment arrived at with the insurgents
The latter entered Iloilo and occupied
the treHsheso on Monday at noon. They
Immediately established municipal
government and placed guards over
foreign property. The insurgents were
fairly quiet and orderly although there
was some shooting at night, but the
shooting of five of the natives had an
exemplary effect upon the rest.
The only foreign warship in the har-
Dor was the German second class
| cruiser Irene.
THE FILIPINO CABINET.
The new Filipino cabinet is composed
as follows:
President Of the Cabinet aud Ministers
Of Foreign Affairs-Senor Mabani.
| Minister of$War-Senor Luna
| Minister ofsthe Interior-Senor Ara
nota
Minister of Agriculture and Com
merce-Senor Buonoamino.
Minister OF Public Works-Senor
STATE State Deed6senor Rosario.
STRONGLY INSURGENT.
| 8LONDON,$Dec. 29.-From Filipino
source, a representative of the Asso-
! ciated Press is informed that the new
1 Filipino cabinet is much stronger from
| the insurgents point Of view. than the
Hast, inasmuchNas all the new. m erabers
are tpledgedsto insist upon the indepen-
Idence ofsthe islands to refuse to liber-
sands 81 a. Md Infn
spa5ish eoiyi24f lsmsnts sc. s. Fer.
line Islands, ts5f
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-The War
Department is expecting definite word
| from General Otis within the next
| tWenty-four hours as to what has oc-
Cured at Ilolo, for by that time Gen
eral Otis will have heard from Gen
eral Miller, in command of the Ameri-
can forces sent on this expedition. The
officials about the War Department DO
not appear to be apprehensiVe over the
results and there is no evidence OF ten
sion or alarm, although it is recognized
that the situation at Iloilo is one which
mayabrlng about sharp and possibly a
decisive issue between the insurgents
and the United States.
Up to the close of Office hours today
II was said at the War Department that
nothing had been received from Cen
eral Otis bearing on the military situa-
ton. All that had come was re-
Spouse to an earlier dispatch convey
ing orders, the reply giving assurance
that definite news could be conveyed
within tWenty-four hours.
MILLER'S PLANS.
What General Miller will do as to
taking possession of the city. either
with force or without, is not officially
disclosed, and indeed it is likely thsst
considerable discretion is lodged witH
the commanding officer as to what steps
should be taken. But in the event Of a
clash between the United States forces
and the insurgents, War Department
officials say there could be no doubt as
to the outcome as the Seventeenth In
| fantry, who are among the regulars,
have a reputation for their fighting
ability. The American force numbers
about $500 as against an estimated
force of some 10000 insurgents, but no
doubt is expressed as to the adequacy
of our force.
A SURPRISE TO MERRITT.
Wesley Merritt, who is spending the
holidays in this city, was very much
surprised to hear of Che surrender of
Iloilo by General Rios to the insurgents.
General Merritt believes the surrender
may have been an international move
on the part of the Spaniards to make
IL difficult for the United States to gain
control of the Philippine Islands.
Tt is. of course. impossible" con-
tinued General Merritt, ito predict
what bearing this move will have on
the ultimate disposition of the islands
General RIGS had no right to surrender
to the insurgents, unless indeed, his
command was on the verge of starva-
ton or in some equally tight place.
When feel all the islands in the Archi-
pelaso went with it, though the sur
render then made on paper might not
have amounted to much, and might
have been terminated should the Span
ish have felt themselves sufficiently
strong, yet the signing of the protocol
some six days later prevented any fur
Their movements, either on the part OF
the Americans to gain further control
of the islands or on the part Of the.
Spanish to attempt to wrest the sur
render territory from their victors
Consequently Rios only move should
have been to turn over Iloilo to the
United States troops.
The idea the insurgents have is that
the more territory they can assert they
hold. the better their claim to the right
of independence when the time comes
for them to treat with the United
\States regarding the mode of govern
N1ent."
Yosemite at Portsmouth.
PRIILADELPHIA, Dec. 29.-Thessax-
ilarA cruisE3, Yosemite formerly the
Morgan I& FL Sob left the League