The times., 1898-07-23
In the Dewey Archipelago.


A quantity humorous evid nee of
Dewey's greatness is furnished in the
arrival OF his latest dispatches at Hong
Kong in a German war vessel. That, in
deed. has a most reassur.ng appearances,
and the fact should have the effect of
quisting a good deal of uneasiness as
to possible conditions at Manila From
all accounts, it appears clear that our
admiral is absolute master Of the situa-
ton, and that. with the land and SEA
re-enforcements, which viii be at his
call within very short time, he viii
be able TO encounter any conditions ar
all likely 10 obtain. We are glad 10
believe the story that 1t is in cCntem-
platicn- to- send him a battleship. prob
ably the Oregon, and protected cruis-
er. With two such vessels, ,and the
Monterey and Monadnock added TO his
force, the last idea of foreign interfer-
ence ia the Philippines viii be dispe.led.
He has now six thousand Ameri-
can troops TO cooperate with
him. BY the first Of August
their numbers will be augmented
to twelve thousand. and thorough
~ able and distinguished soldier. in the
person OF Gen. Wesley Merritt, viii
be present to command them. Then, IL
not before. the city Of Manila viii fall
like an overripe Spanish pear, and the
Americanization of the islands will pro-
ceed as rapidly as occasion may de-
mand.
The antics Of the native leader, Agul-
naldo, have. ceased ~ excite apprehen-
sion. He has disappointed eXpecta-
tions and exposed his true character to
be that Of an ignorant, vain and am
bitious mi-barbarian, who may be-
come a nuisance TO be abated, but not
a serious menace TO any Of our move
ments or purposes.
1t should not take long now to wind
UP the military part of the Philippine
business. What to do with the Span
ish garrison at Manila may be a diff
fcGlt question TO dispose Of. To under
lake its transportation to Spain would
be a tougher task than we have as
sumed in handling the Santiago Span-
iaTGs. Probably it would be imprac-
ucable. Fortunately the Dewey archi-
pelago has islands almost wi hout num-
Der and on one Of these, which could be
guarded by a gunboat or two, the pris-
oners might be camped and made 10
earn their keep" by cultivadng the
ground After the war they would b
allowed TO go home, assuming the abil-
ity Of their government to pay the
freight
From every attainable standpoint It
appears that the situation in our colonial
possessions in the Far East is salts
factory and promising Matters have
seemed TO progress rather slowly up
to the present time. but when we stop
to think Of the obstacles and dangers
Admiral Dewey has met and overcu me,
a great deal is seen to have been ac-
complished.
We are a people energetically inpa-
tient Of results, and bent upon brin ins
them about without waiting for any
thing or anybody. In the Philippines
the consummation Of our designs viii
not be much longer delayed. Probably
the day after Dewey and Merritt Cccu-
py the city the sign Of the First Ma
tional Bank of Manila" viii be swung
or some building in the main street, a
Sunday school viii have b=en organized
with the cashier as superintendent, a
Methodist Church Will spring up like
Jonah's gourd. American prospectCrs
viii be getting grub stakes and tramp
ing of To the gold fields and in about
a week Manila Will be rent to its core
by a heated contest for membership in
the board of aldermen. Ali the Yam
kee activities will be in evidence IN next
to no time, and then let some Tory or
Hunker member Of Congress propose
the hauling down of our flag, and the
retrocession or sale of the Philippine
Islands!