The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-16


ton paid to it. On the vessel that started
from Hong-Ko on Saturday. for Manila.
went orders to restore submarine telegraph
ic communication at once, and, as the-Amer-
lean forces. by the terms of the protocol,
are, constructively, in occupation of the
Philippine capital, from an international
standpoint, whether they actually held the
municipality or not, and as hostilities have
formally been terminated and the require
ments of neutrality abolished. all obstacles
to the free use of the cable have been re-
moved
Until Manila is in closer touch with the
rest Of the world than it has been for the
last three and one-half months, officials in
Washington will be harassed by the gravest
anxiety regarding the occurrences in that
vicinity. Under these circumstances every
precaution was taken last Friday to inform
Admiral Dewey and General Merritt, with
the least possible delay, of the formal sign
ing of the protocol and the suspension of
hostilities. A speedy vessel was held at
Hong-Kong, ready under steam TO carry
dispatches as soon as they could be cabled
to Consul Wildman 1t had been deemed in
advisable to send any preliminary warning
to the naval and military commanders on
Thursday Friday morning, for fear the
VIGOROUSLY diatory and procrastinating
method of Spanish diplomacy might result
in further postponement of peace 1t was
reported. however, that Sagasta, who knew
his own intentions better than any one else
knew them, had chartered a vessel and
sent instructions to General August on
Thursday to offer no further resistance and
to capitulate if compelled to do so. This,
however, has not been verified and as it is
a proceeding utterly foreign to the meager
exhibitions of forethought heretofore mani
tested by the Spanish government, it re-
ceives no credence fl b the anxious au-
shorities in Washington.
When the protocol was signed, followed
Immediately by the sending of cable dis
patches to Admiral Dewey and General Mer-
rift, it was broad daylight Saturday morn
ing at Manila. 1t takes fully minute at
the most generous calcula ton to send a
single word to Hong Kong by cable Act
ing Secretary Allen and Adjutant General
Corbin each sent several hundred words Of
instructions to the respective commanders
under them, including copies of the Presi-
dents proclamation, and it is therefore un-
likely that the vessel was able to start be-
fore Saturday afternoon. Manila is 62S
miles from Hong-Kong, and at eighteen
knots the distance might be made in thir-
ty-six hours, which would enable the dis
patches to reach the American forces Mon
day morning, or, according to Washington
time, Sunday night. Unless General Mer-
rift had taken Manila by that time, the in
structions sent him prevent any further
military operations, and the truce will have
to be agreed on similar in all respects to
that imposed upon General Miles in Porto
Rico.
The official messages relate solely to hos
tiities and have no bearing upon the third
article of the protocol. which provides that
the United States will hold the city, bay and
harbor of Manila pending the negotiation
of the commissioners. This is an exceed
ingly peculiar feature of the situation but
it gives to the authorities less concern than
the fear of further fighting. That article of
the protocol is worded in accordance with
the Presidents original proposition two
weeks ago, which, in turn, had been made
when there was momentary expectation
that the starved-out city would surrender
at once, and it was evident that the United
States forces would remain in control of
all they had secured in the Philippines until
final treaty of peace was concluded 1t
was, therefore, considered unnecessary to
stipulate in the protocol that a military
commission should be appointed within ten
days to arrange and execute the details of
evacuation, as was the case for Cuba and
Porto Rico.