The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-05-10
TO BE SHORT, SHARP AND DECISIVE CAMPAIGN

Dewey have just been sent 10 Washing
ton recommending that the surrender OF
Manila be demanded and that n provis-
lonal government for the Philippines be
established pending the settlement Of the
war with Spain His proposal Is for a
commission 20 take control Of the govern
mcni. lie suggests that he be named az
one " the commissioners. The govern
ment would be continued on much the
same lines NJ exist now. He asks that
sufficient troops be sent him In the event
that hls plan Is adopted 10 maintain
order n hls suggestion Is favorably re-
ceived by the president and cabinet II Il
probable that our two consuls. williams
n Monlla and Wildman Of Hong Kong
viii be- asked 20 serve on the commission.
Some such solution. Il appears, must be
found Immediately. Food supplies In Ma
Mia have run short already. II Is esti-
mated that the town has only enough 20
iaHt two weeks No more can be brought
IN. Commodore Dewey's feet has COM
pletely Invested the city by water and the
insurgents control an land approaches
u ls impossible for the inhabitants 70 ada
10 the present food supply without con-
sent Of the American commodore He is
IN absolute control The forts Al Manila
are not strong enough 10 cope with his
force. The feet would have no trouble
IN razIng the city's defenses and In Ut
terly destroying the residence and busi-
ness quarter. Not only the governor gen.
eral but the people realize that II Dewey
demands surrender ne can back up
hls demands with shot and shell sufficient
n wipe out the city
II the demand is made and the governor
refuses the people will rise and demand
that he surrender There would also be
q revolt on the part of many Of the SOL
dlers before they would bring down on
the practically defenseless city the IRE OF
the powerful American feet Under in
teruaiIonal law a bombardmenl cannot
occur un:ll twenty-fOur hours notice hns
been given but the action Of the Manila
forts To- firing on the American ieet would
break this rule. Commodore Dewey has
said he will give the people time TO leave
the city II he is compelled by a refusal
70 surrender 10 lombard Manila. The
Spanish inhabitants would gain little by
flight. for the insurgents hold the hills
and could easily defeat them In combat.
Commodore Dewey has held no com
munlcaton with the insurgents. Reli-
able reports are that . 900 are on the hills
around Manila. These men will be armed
with American repeating rifles recently
banded In the Philippines by hllbusterlng
expeditions The insurgents have but q
semblance OF military training. To make
an attack on the city they woald degen-
crate into a lawless mob. The insurgents
win be nothing better than a mob out for
plunder. There is grave necessity for q
strong government at Manila. Commo-
dore Dewey could have taken the city
last Sunday. but he feared violence. He
can land 1000 armed men. but these
would not be sufficient to prevent mur-
der and raplne and pillage II We take
Manila the French and British warships
here will land forces to protect their own
people In Manila and their own interests.
Not less than 1000 troops are really need
cd to occupy the principal cities in the
Philippines. Dewey has asked for them
and received assurances that they will
be sent as quickly as ships can be had
ready to transport them. The McCul-
loch has been made the dispatch boat OF
the fleet until communication can be re-
stored The people OF Hong Kong made
no eoncealment OF their Joy at our vie
tory. Sentiment here Is unanimous that
the Philippines will pass into British
control when the war ends. and become
part Of the colony OF Hong Kong The
Englishmen here agree that this would
greatly Increase the Importance OF Brit
lsh interests in China.