Evening star., 1898-08-17
DEWEYS REPORT HERE
Official Information Of the Surrender
of Manila.
NO CASUALTIES In THE SQUADRON
Seven thousand Spanish Prisoners
Of War.
MAY SIMPLIFY PROBLEM

The government received the first direct
official information today of the surrender
of Manila. after q combined land and sea
attack last Saturday. 1t came in dispatches
from Admiral Dewey. brought from Manila
to Hor Kong the ditpatch boat Zafiro.
to Hong Kong on the dispatch boat Zafro.
one briefly reciting the essential facts as
follows.
MANILA, August 13, 1898.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
Manila. Philippine Islands, surrendered
tc6ay to our land and naval forces after a
combined attack A division of the squad
ron shelled the forts and intrenchments at
Malate on the south side of the city, driv-
ing back enemy. our army advancing on
that side at the same time. City surrender
ed about . pm, the American flag being
hoisted by Lieutenant Brumby. About 1000
prisoners of war were taken. The squad
ron has no casualties; no vessel injured.
On August General Merritt and L for
malIy demanded surrender of city, which
the Spanish governor general refused.
DEWEY.
Lieutenant Brumby is Admiral Dewey's
flag leutera mt.
The dispatches were received early IN the
day. and after the first one had been trans
lated il was given out entire and without
the usual censoring which has been adopt
ed for prudential reasons. Acting Secre-
tary Allen carried the dispatch over to the
White House and laid it before the Presi-
dent While it bore out the news already
brought by press dispatches. yet it estab
Hshed the additional point that some 1000
prisoners of war were now held by the
American commanders, and that no casual
ties in the navy or damage TO ships had
occurred
Held by Virtue of Conquest.
Now that the surrender is officially re-
ported. it can be stated that Manila is be-
ing held by virtue of the military occupa-
ton and surrender, ard not by virtue of
the protocol The difference is said to
amount to little in practical results yet
such it IS all officials agree that the oc-
cUpation is the result of the combined mill
tary and naval operations. According TO
Admiral Deweys dispatch. the surrender
occurred about ) pm. last Saturday. The
peace protocol was signed at 4:23 pm. on
the 18th, Friday. 1t is said that the differ
ence in time between Manila and Wash
ington IS such that the surrender. reckoned
on Washington time, would be about twelve
hours ahead Of the time at Manila or
of actual time, therefore, the signing of
the peace protocol preceded the actual
surrender Of Manila by only a few hours
But ii is a well-estabIished rule of mill
tary law. accepted the world over, that a
peace armistice, or cessation of hostilities
does not become binding upon commanding
officers until they receive actual notice of
II. This rule is expressed in article 139 of
the United States Regulations Governing
Armies in the Field. as follows:
Article 1S9-An armistice is binding upon
fhe oelligerents from the day of the agreed
commencement; but the officers of the
army are responsible from the day only
when they receive official notice of its ex-
isteDce."
Under this rule, Admiral Dewey and Gen
Merritt would be bound by the armistice
only from the time the notice of it reached
them at Manila. This could not have oc-
CURED on Saturday, prior to the lombard
ment, as the cable was not working and no
dispatch boat could have gotten through
with the notice before Monday or Tues
day.
In short, 1t is agreed in all official quar-
tiers that the forceabIe seizure of Manila
was entirely regular and that the city and
Lay is now to be held on the basis of this
military and enforced taking, rather than
on the basis Of the voluntary ARRANGEMENT
between the two countries This point may
become material when the question arises
as to the future of the Philippines for it
will appear from the American standpoint
that Manila was taken by force Of arms,
and IS so occupied.
Disposal of the Prisoners
For the present, however. there is little
difference between the peaceful and en-
forced occupation of Manila save that the
forceable occupation gives the United
states 1000 prisoners of war. There has
been 10 time to consider what will be done
with these Spanish prisoners. but the fact
that an amicable understanding had been
reached with Spain as to the occupation of
Manila will probably operate 10 Tighten
their condition.
The Cable Still Closed.
1t was learned at the War Department
today THAI the reopening OF the cable to
Manila is surrounded by some complications