The San Francisco call., 1899-07-28
Good Work Done by
American Officers.
NATIVES AT FIRST OBJECTED
INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH
LIEUTENANT EBERLY.
Aguinaldo's Supply of Ammunition
Being Rapidly Cut Off by the
Thirteen Small Gun
boats.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON. July 27.-Lieutenant
Eberly. flag lieutenant of the Oregon un-
der Captain Barker, has iEst arrived in
Washington from the Philippines and
brings some interesting details Of the sit
uation in Manila. Lieutenant Eberly says
that the social and sanitary conditions in
Manila are better than is generally be-
licyed in the United States, and better
than would be supposed after such a short
American administration. The city has
been cleaned on the American plan. the
military authorities engineering the work.
with d large force Of Cinnamon and
friendly Filpinos. The Cinnamon are re
lied ON for the heavy manual labor The
streets have been cleared of ancient ac-
cumulatiOns of filth and there has been
house to house inspection, which is still
continuing. There has been more or less
native opposition TO these Innovations
but the people are beginning to see the
value of the new measures and to accept
the change from the old order.
In this connection, he says, it is favor
able sign that the temper of the native
population has changed considerably to-
ward American occupation. When the
Oregon arrived in March, the native
population was dissatisfied and in an ugly
humor. even in the city itself. Cab driy-
ers, hotel keepers and other semi-public
servants rendered service under protest,
and even turned down American trade in
some instances. Now, however, they have
found out that they are paid, thing they
did not seem TO be used to. and hndlng
American official promises carried out
they accept the new sovereignty cheer
fully.
Compulsory vaccination created some
opposition among the natives at first, but
its beneficial effects being apparent il has
also been accepted. Lieutenant Eberly
says that the health Of Manila is eNcep-
tiOnallN good. and that even among the
troops on shore there was little sickness
from anything but heat prostration.
one OF the most important naval moves
has been the distribution of the thirteen
little ''tinclads among the big vessels OF
the fleet on various stations. Through
these small craft there is an effective
blockade of the whole of LuZOn, and some
boats have been sent to MindanaO, Neg
rCs. Cehu and Palawan. Most of the
since the arrival of the American squad
ron has been done in small sChooners
known as bankers, which can run
through the island channels where the
fleet could not follow them.
The tinclad patrol boats have been do
ing business with these skimmers of the
seas. one patrol boat recently rounding up
thirteen ''hankers' in single trip II
is thought that in a short time AguinaldO
Will be reduced to supply OF purely
homemade ammunition.
The soldiers in and around Manila are
now well housed in permanent quarters.
or Neipe houses. which are built on
bdIubOv AIdIlt"oI n anu dl ''oi anu VI ' e
Even on the works the soldiers had COM
Portable palm houses before the rains set
in. and except for the intense heat they
were comfortable.
The rains had not started in earnest
when Captain Barker and Lieutenant
Eberly sailed for home. It was we'll un-
derstood then that the rains would cut of
all transportation except by railroad, and
that is given as a reason for Lawton 5
abandoning San ISidro, there being big
swamp between il and the railway that is
impossible during the rainy season.
The only animal available for trans
portation during the wet season is the
water buffalo. but the army has utilized
this docile beast for other purposes. hav-
ing established a thriving vaccine farm
on the outskirts of Manila, and are reap
ing a fine quality of virus from the buff
falO calves.