The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-05-23
CONTINUED from 1st page.)
April %.

been declared and the Spaniards are
preparing to receive the American
fleet. There is good deal OF
"tinkering" about the said prepare
tions and it means all sorts of fear
full things il you are caught trans
hitting news to the outside world,
la fact l understand that letters
going through the post are being
opened. The American Consul is
leaving on the E-meralda and we
expect the place will he bombarded
soon. Business, as you can well be-
lieve, is paralysed Nobody talks Of
anything but the war and we are all
anxiously awaiting the next move in
the game. We hear that the Amer
lean feet has left Hougkong to-
gether with two British and two
German warships. This has in
tensified the excitement here very
considerably.
As chance offers l shall communi-
cate "subseouent proceedings" but
it is extremely difficult to send news
out OF here Just now.
April %.
The U. S. Squadron left Mrs Bay
yesterday, with one Of the Philip
pine insurgent chiefs on board the
flagship. Should he prove to be all
that he claims TO be, he will be
landed somewhere in Luzon to
gather his supporters together and
act in combination with the Amer
lean fleet, with the object Of hasten
ing the surrender Of the Spaniard,.
Commodore Dewey will take his
vessels as near as possible to Manila
aud send in a demand for instant
capitulation. II the Spaniards do
not sure nder in thirty minutes, the
bombardment will begin. As far as
is known the Spanish warships are
all in Manila Bay. 1t is probable
that Manila would have to surrender
in an hour at the most.
There are other proclamation ad.
dressed to the Volunteers and to
the Inhabitants OF Manila.
In regard to the relative efficiency
Of the two navies, there can be no
harm 10 saying that, in the opinion
OF British naval officers who are ac-
quainted with the Spanish crews,
the latter will stand no chance in an
engagement with anything like an
equal force, for the simple reason
that they cannot shoot straight.
The cause OF their inability is not
far to seek. Target practice is
utterly neglected, because ammuni-
tion cost money. AS gunnery is the
absolutely vital part OF all naval
training, the case Of Spain is hope
less so far as fighting is concerned,
and this in spite OF the stubborn
pride and courage OF her men. The
general forecast to be made of the
result of the war is that the United
States will succeed in enabling the
Liberationists to conquer Cuba, but
that Spain will succeed in driving
the commerce of the Great Republic
from European waters, unless Bri-
tain support its kinsmen. If we
open our coslipg station to the
cruisers OF the States, then they will
be able TO protect their mercantile
marine, but otherwise the lack OF
the necessary naval bases on the
European side of the Atlantic will
render such protection impossible.
1t is obvious that at this point an
unriyalled opportunity presents it.
self for drawing closer together the
severed branches OF the Anglo
Saxon race. II the statesmen who
direct the affairs of the British EN-
pire can rise to the level of great
occasion, and can disregard great
risk-for there is more than a posi-
b'lity that Spain may fud support in
Europe-then the breach opened
four generations ago may at last be
practically healed, and the allied
English speaking peoples may stand
before the world as a single whole,
in effect il not 10 form or name.