The Portland daily press., 1898-11-19
HOLD PANAY.
Second Island of Philippine Group
In Their Hands.
ONLY CITY OF IL0ILO POORLY
GARRESONED, HOLDS OUT.

Foreigners Ask For American Protection
United states Not In Position no In.
terferc Account of Terms of Proto.
col-Situation May Be Cause of Hasten
ing Matters at Paris.
Washington, November lS.-- News of
mixed character came to the navy depart.
ment today from Admiral Dewey, touch.
ing the situation in the Philippines. This
Admiral sent two of his warships, the
Charleston and Concord, some time ago
to the southwest from Manila TO ascertain
whether there was any truth in the re-
ports that the insurgents had expended
their activity in that direction. Today
he cabled as follows:
Manila. November Is.
TC Secretary of Navy, Washington:
Charleston and Concord arrived today
from Iloilo. Glass reports chat the entire
island of Panay is IN posse sion OF insur
gents except Iloilo, which is defended by
oi ght hundred Spanish troops All for
eign citizens there beg for American pro-
lection. The island OF Negros has declared
independence and desires American proI
tectorate.
(Signed) DEWEY.
Glass is the commander of the Charles
ton So far nothing has been done by tbs
administration towards curbing the in
surgents in their operations, save verbal
representations from the American oon-
manders to Aguinaldo, in which it has
been pointed out to him that it would be
/, good policy, in view of the probability of
the annexation of the islands, to the
United States, to pursue q course that
would not be obnoxious to the United
States. But the situation is now realized
to be critical. So far as the SpaniarGs
are concerned, perhaps they can be left tc
take care of themselves, but the foreign
| residents at Iloilo are differently re-
garded. The difficulty in the situation is
that with the best Intentions to intervene
to protect the Europeans aud other
foreigners and to save the city of Iloilo.
the second in Importance in the Philip
pine group, from looting, the United
States forces appsar to be estopEed under
the rules of war from mcging from their
positions. Such is the construction placed
upon the clause regarding suspension of
hostilities
1he Immediate effect of this state of
affairs may be to hasten action in the
Paris conference for it Is only by the
term ination of that tribunal that fhe
United States can come to the relie of
the bsleagaered Spanlards in Iloilo and
at other poin1s. 1t is said to bea fact,
however, that total disagreement at
Paris may result IN speedier action tnss-
If the eomm4ss ssioners agreed upon thee
main principles of the Philippines cession
for in such case several additional sessions
probably would be required in order to
arrange the details Of the treaty 1t Is
now thought to be certain that the COM
m ission at a meeting next Monday or
Tuesday will either agree to the cession
of the Philippines Or note disagreem sn5
and dissolve the meeting, for the admin
istration is not disposed to tolerate
further delay and has so instl ucted ths
United States commissioners. The latter
sent long cablegraln today in cipher.
The deciphering occupied the entire
official day and meantime there were
wild rumors touching the nature of its
contents. As a matter OF fact it was
nothing more than an extremely verbose
statement of the Spanish side of the case
relating to the Philippines. There was
renewal of the attempt to take issue with
the American contention as to the mean.
ing of the protocol clause relative to the
disposition of the Philippines, and much
auibbling, accompanied by quotations
from French Spanish and other European
languages in the effort to demonstrate to
the Americans just what an English
word might mean. The latter Will take
no notice of this kind Of hair-splitting
plea, but at torAorrcw's meeting will call
ON the Spanish commissioners to make
answer to the American proposition to
cede the Philippines, probably allowing
until Monday or Tuesday only for a final
answer on that point.