Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1899-09-05
AFRAID OF UNCLE SAM
ENGLAND ORDERED DOWN HER
 FLAG.
She Said tbe suIu IsIands, Too, Were
 OuTs-Csptafn of a British Merchant Steamer Gave The Flag 10 Natives to Raise for Protection. V

On the departure Of the Spaniards the inhabitants of some of the Sulu Islands, notably Palawan, Balbabac and Kulion, applied for British protec- ton, and Capt Pfort Of the British steamer Labuan. visiting Palawan in response 10 the urgent request of the natives. handed to the latter British flag. to be used in case of emergency On the matter being reported to Sir Charles Mitchell, governor of the Straits, and subsequently 10 the for eign office, the latter telegraphed to Singapore orders that the British flag should al once be hauled down and ac- coFdlng to adviees just received in Lon don, H. Nj s. Archer was dispatched to Port Royshst PaIawan, to haul down the flag. From the report of Capt Ptort t appears that it was only on seeing tbe really critical state of affairs that be gave the flag to the na- lives The Labuan called at Port Roy alist. Palawan, on February l. and found the people in great consterna- tion. The Spaniards had left three months previously, saying that the Americans would take over the gov ernment in three days. On leaving, the spaniaTds turned adrift, without food. clothes or money, all the native sol. diers The convicts. too. were set at liberty, and all arms and ammunition having been removed the people were entirely at the mercy of the disbanded soldiers and freed convicts who loot ed and plllaged the whole country. On his arrival Capt Pfort was asked by the head man there if the governor of Sandakan would afford them protec- tion, and he, in reply, suggested that letter in that sense should be dis patched to the governor of Sandakan. Capt Pfort also handed to them Brit lsh merchant ensign with instructions to inform anyone seeking to molest them that the people were under Brit ish protection. He also gave 10 them this letter: Be it known unto all men that ], Captain Pfort, master of the British steamer Labuan, having arrived at this port and found the people de- sirous of British protection, have this day given to the president of this port British flag. which l have instructed him 10 use and call upon all men to re- spect the same until such time as Her Britannic Majestr, Queen Victoria, notifies her pleasure regarding the pro- lection of this port and the Island of Palawan in general After leaving Port Roya1ist the Labuan called at Curaray and Jilandak ports, on the northwest coast of Palawan, and found a similar condition of things, the people being in terror in the mountains Pro- ceeding to Kulion, an island seventy miles north of Palawan, Capt Pfort found local republic set up under Aguinaldo. From this place he took on board his steamer a number of refu- gees. The dispatch from Lord Sails bury to Sir Charles Mitchell in refer ence to Capt. Pfort's action simply or dered the flag to be hauled down, and added that the British government dis approved of Capt. Pforts action. Her majesty government stated that Pala- wan and the adjacent islands, being portions of the Philippines, became by virtue Of conquest, American territory.
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