The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-30
NO NEWS OF SURRENDER,
But Washington Officials Are Ex-
pecting Such Announcement.

Washington, July 29-The war depart
ment would not be surprised to learn
that by this time Manila has surrendered
to the combined American naval and land
forces gathered on the shores of Manila
bay However, there is no official con-
tirmation of the report that was printed
this morning to that effect. The United
States government is in position, IL Is
believed, to receive news of such an i'm
portant event. as are the authorities IN
Spain.
Being hemmed in on all sides. Captain
General August will not be able TO COM
municate with Hongkong, the nearest
cable station. without passing his mes
Sages through the United States lines, and
securing Derrnission for its transmission
by boat to Hongkong- And even If a
boat bearing such message should arrive
at Hongkong. it is only a fair suppositlon
that the fall of Manila will be commune
Gated at that point to the United States
by means of cable.
Consequently it is believed that this an
nouncement of the fall OF Manila is an
assumption; perhaps the strongest base
for IL may be that the Spanish govern
ment. having sent permission to August
to surrender, concludes that he has done
so. 1t was known to be the disposition
of the Spanish authorities at Manila to
surrender to the American forces, instead
fall. 1t is tolerably certain that Admiral
Dewey might have received the surrender
at any time within the past six weeks had
he been disposed to exert the slightest
pressure in that direction. Indeed. in one
of his dispatches he made the blunt state
ment that he could take Manila in "A
hours il he desired.
The reason he did not desire to do so
was undoubtedly because of a reluctance
on his part to entrust the destinies of the
great city to the insurgents under Aguin-
to show signs of Impotence under re-
straint.
DEWEY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
Dewey realized that he was being held
morally responsible by the civilized world
for the protection of the people of Ma
Mia against excuses at the hands of the
insurgents.
There were also the strongest reasons
why he should not, by failure to care for
the interests of foreign residents in the
town. open the door to Intervention of any
of the naval commando who uao been ~
ing in the harbor watching for their op-
portunity. Therefore it became necessa-
ry for the admiral to maintain the status
QUO until sufficient military force ar
rived TO enable him to receive the sur
render of the town and to occupy and to
protect IL. This has been done with some
difficulty. which will be revealed in the
end when all of the correspondence is
published. for II has been almost impossi-
BILE to keep the insurgents out of the
town, and their efforts to effect an en-
trance have redoubled as they learned of
the approach of American forces and saw
dawning upon them the possibility of an
American occupation of the town that
excluded Garcia'S Cubans from Santiago.
Now, however. he undoubtedly has with
him a sufficient military force to warrant
him in accepting the surrender of Ma
Mia. 1t is said at the war department
that at least three of the six military ex-
petitions that have been dispatched to
now at Manila. affording an army of be-
tween ten and fifteen thousand men, back
ed up by Dewey's ships and sailors.
SIGNIFICANT MOVES.
Suspicious interest attached to pub
lished statement in one of the Spanish
semi-official organs, to the effect that Au-
gust has been shorn of jurisdiction over
the Philippines beyond Manila and its
Immediate environment, the captain gen.
eralcy being transferred to the command
Ell OF Al2ca-a island. Ii is just posi-
BILE that there is an important connection
the surrender of Manila and the other,
Augustus replacement, both coming from
Spanish sources.
AS 10 the latter it was frankly stated
in the Spanish dispatch that the purpose
was to prevent August J'om surrender
ing the entire Philippine group. so that it
is conceivable, that having arranged the
matter so as to protect their interests in
the remaining islands, as far possible,
and having placed themselves in 4 position
to deny that the United State, govern
ment had made the conquest of the Phil
ippines, the Spanish ministry may have
directed August to surrender the small
jurisdiction remaining to him to the Unit
ed States to prevent il fran falling into
the hands of the insurgents.
AS this matter would have a decided
bearing on any programme the United
States may outline respecting the acqui-
sition of a coaling station in the Philip
pines or the acquisition of the entire group
of islands. official reports as to the exact
state of affairs are anxiously awaited.
1t is believed at the war department
that Major General Merritt has arrived at
Manila. He sailed on June 90 just one
month ago today. His vessels were faster
than some of the others and ought to
have reached their destination by this
time II General Merritt has arrived. he
is in command of the Department of the
Pacific the designation now given the
Philippines and the military territory in
that part of the Pacific Next in COM
mand to General Merritt is General An
derson. who was in command of the first
expedition.