The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-19

Causes Surprise Among the Followers Of
the Insurgent Leader AguinaIdu.

spanish most Complete, Ih0Se
Who Participated in the Exodus
Carrying Away With Them
Everything Of Portable Ma
ture They Wanted.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
ILOILO, Dec. 31.-Just as the first
gray streak of dawn appeared on the
horizon Wednesday morning the Miller
expedition to Iloilo, consisting of the
United States cruiser Baltimore, the
Compania Martina steamer Union, the
United States transports Newport.
Pennsylvania and Arizona, in the or
der named, reached the east coast of
the island of Panay and steamed TO-
| ward the entrance of the harbor Of
lloilo. A message was wigwagged from
the Newport, ordering the Pennsylva
MIA and Arizona to fall back behind
Guimaras Island some fifteen miles
from their destination, the other yes
| sells proceeding without them. About
/ O'Clock the town of Iloilo, a long row
of fiat-roofed white buildings, from al
most every one of which a flag was
flying, came in sight, and soon after
ward the squadron came to anchor
some 1,200 yards from the beach.
| The Baltimore took up a position al
most directly ahead of the German
gunboat Irene and within 400 yards
of number of coasting schooners and
three steam tugs, which lay at anchor
in the roadstead. The only other ves-
sci there was the English ship Kistna,
loading hemp.
Almost simultaneously with the
| splash of the Baltimore's anchor q
launch put off from shore and three
Filipino officials, the Mayor and two
aides, came out In her and boarded
the cruiser, but were referred to the
Newport Upon being presented to
General Miller they inquired, with some
degree of haughtiness, the meaning of
this unexpected visit of the Americans,
and were CURLY informed that every
thing would be explained to their sat
! iSfaction in a letter which would be
| conveyed to their commanding Gen
eral, Martin Delgado. Shortly after
this interview the delegates returned
ashore, accompanied by Lieutenant
BarrolI. Six TrsJiery; Lieutenant
Biddle, aide to General Miller; DR.. Pie.
Ian. Sixth Artillery, and his imperial
highness, Prince Lowenstein (German),
a guest On landing, the entire party
proceeded to the Government building
where they were met by General Del
gado and a committee of citizens, re-
ally the Council of the Federated
States of the Visayas.
! The Chairman of this committee
Ramon Avencena-opened the proceed
ings with demand as to whether or
not the Americans had asked Aguin-
aldo's permission to come, and also
whether they had any instructions
from him. Upon being informed that
Aguinaldo had not been consulted, the
committee expressed considerable sur
prise, but before the members had time
to recover from the shock another was
! administered This was General Mil
| ler's letter, which was read aloud in
Spanish. 1t was to the effect that the
Americans had come there for the pur-
pose of taking possession of the pueblo
of Iloilo, in accordance with the treaty
entered into between Spain and the
United States. That they had come
under the belief that the Spaniards
were still in power, and that now that
the Spaniards had evacuated the place
this communication was sent for the
purpose of informing those in possess
sion of their intentions This document
was received without comment, the
only response to it being a request for
time in which to consider the matter,
it being finally agreed that an answer
should be forthcoming at noon on the
following day In response to these
interrogations of Lieutenant Barroll,
Senior Avencena stated that the posi-
lat h; re no
was a part of the federation of three
! States, which were simply waiting to
\ learn something definite as to the flu
ture Of the archipelago The local conf
mittee constituted the will of the peo-
pie and the army, and it's decisions
were final as regarded minor matters;
all grave questions, however, were SUBJ
mitted to the authorities in Luzon, to
whom it was tributary.
General Delgado was informed that
/ there were two more American trans
ports off Guantsmas but that the troors
on board would probably be utilized to
garrison the other ports which Spain
had either evacuated or lost, but that
it might be necessary to leave them in
Iloilo for some time To this the natives
gave no response and after an ex-
turned aboard, accompanied by the for
eign residents.
Another conference was held be-
tween the rebels and General Miller. the
former being represented by four COM
missioners-R. Mellira, V. Franco, G.
Lopez and Ramon Avenceno. This del
egation stated that as the local govern
ment could not act upon so important
a matter as that under discussion with
out first consulting the head of the Fill
pino Government, they must respect
fully ask General Miller to grant them
the necessary time in which to COM
municate with Aguinaldo before giving
definite answer. They explained that
as Spain had surrendered the city to
the natives. they felt that they were
entitled to demand certain conditions
and insist upon their being compiled
with.
General Miller explained that Spain
could not have turned Iloilo over to