The herald., 1898-05-02
INSURGENTS AT MANILA
READY TO COOPERATE WITH
THE FLEET
SPAIN IS SHORT OF SUPPLIES
And Two Weeks Blockade Is Long
Enough to Starve the City Into
Submission
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
HONG KONG, May 1.-(Copyright' lSsS''
Letters to the insurgent junta here winch
we're struggled on board the British steam
or Memnon at Manila, which arrived here
Yesterday from the capital of the Philip
mines assert that the Philippine insurgents
are occupying all the hills surrounding
Manila IN a radius of ten to twenty miles,
awaiting the arrival of the United States
fleet under Commodore Dewey, which was
expected off Manila at any moment when
the Memnon sailed. The insurgents say
that IL the United States fleet blockades
Manila they can starve the place into SUBJ
mission in about two weeks.
Confederation has been received OF the
report that the British residents of Manila
expected that the British steamer Esmer-
aida, which went there to take on board
the specie belonging to the Hong Kong
banks, would have full cargo Of food
stuffs, as usual, but this was not the case
and much distress is anticipated in conse-
cuence, II the insurgent land blockade and
the United States sea blockade are en-.
forced.
According to the insurgent leaders. the
forces of the Philippine insurgents propose.
when the right moment arrives. to make
feint attack upon the city Of Manila and
to make strong and determined attack
upon the seward forts. This plan. how
ever, may be upset blythe Spanish authori
ties, who are we'll aware of the intentions
Of the insurgents to cooperate with the
United States fleet.
Little definite information has been OBJ
tanned regarding the whereabouts Of the
the insurgents that the warships Of Spain
are in hiding, watching outside the en-
American ships
The real danger appears to be from in
ternal causes at Manila, where massacre
Of the foreign population is apprehended
The British consul, e. H. Rawson Walker,
has cabled here for the dispatch to Manila
Immediately of the first-class British cruis-
er Edgar to protect British interests there.
An idea of the tactics adopted by the Span
ish authorities to keep up the courage of
the fighting forces of Spain can be gath
cred by the fact that they have issued a
rIacard stating that a Spanish cruiser, on
Monday last, engaged and sunk two Ameri-
can warships. 1t is asserted that the Span
Dictated horse power, recently grounded
near the entrance of Manila bay, and was
afterwards scuttled in shallow water. It
is added that 1t is the intention of the Span
iards to use her as a stationary battery,
although some of her guns have been land
ed and mounted on the Notifications at the
entrance of the harbor, where other guns
have also been mounted recently.
1t is generally believed here that Commo-
dore Dewey has arranged with the Philip
pine insurgents to seize a harbor near Ma
vrtlQ ~ ho cd hoe nfo
the prolonged siege of Manila which is an
ticipated. unless the American commander
can induce the Spanish fleet to come out
and accept general engagement.
Short Of Supplies
SHANGHAI, May 1.-Dispatches received
from Manila by the Shanghai Gazette say
the capital of the Philippine islands is short
of food and ammunition, and that the con
ditions prevailing have been made worse nv
the focking into Manila of the spaniards
from the provinces. 1t is added that the
natives are already looting and killing in
the provinces, Spanish women and child
rem being included among the victims. II
is further said that the priests are the es-
pecial objects of native vengeance. Abou.
q dozen priests have been killed during the
past week.
Famine prices for food are said to prevail
at Manila. 1t is claimed the Spanish All.
thorities are maintaining order with diff.
Guilty. People are burying their valuable.
to prevent their seizure by insurgents q,
Americans. The military authorities arr
cndeavoring to put bold front on the sit
nation. but the Manila correspondent of tn,
Shanghai Gazette says it is certain the IN
surgents will sack the city when the United
States fleet arrives. not discriminating be
tween spaniards and other foreigners.
The Spanish Scheme
LONDON, May 1.-The Evening New;
publishes a dispatch from Hong Kong
saying that the Spanish squadron is cruis
ing along the Luzon coast, using subig ba,
fas q base. The dispatch adds that It !,
said that Admiral Montijo. the Spanish