The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-27
ATTACK ON MANILA.
Some Inter ting Fiji pino COrresF on
dCnre Made Public

washington, August 00s-Lu6 WAL 10
partment has made public letters found /
among the papers of Gen. Ricarte, re-
Gently arrested by the police near Ma I
Mia, Among them is an unsigned letter /
In regard to an attack on Manila in jan
uary, 1900 1t states tnaU the reason for /
not carrying out the proposed attacks
was because of the small number of reso- /
lutte persons stationed at the gates, and /
because Gen. Otis had gone aboard q /
ship in Manila bay. Another attack |
was planned, but not carried out be- /
cause the enemy made careful search /
OF the city as a result of disturbance
the previous day. The letter advises an
other attack and outlines the following
plan:
TO recruit in your command of South
Luzon 1900 men of sure daring and
steadIness. These win enter the walled
city armed with knives. The entrance
of this number of men Will be effected
during period of three weeks, 1t VIII
be very easy to do it and 1 shall under
take to place them in secret places while
the rest are arriving and as soon as they
all get in I shall give the necessary in
struotions to oirsct and arrange for Co
operation in the blow on the said point
the walled city,
After making suggestions as to the
raising of funds the letter continues:
TAT the same time. with all due honor
and respect inform you, General, that
1t is my strong belief that to receive 3
favorable termination of this present
campaign, in which we suffer defeats
continually, not that any one is of much
Importance, but they diminish the desire
of we Filipinos to pursue with the neces-
sary ardor, the longed for liberty and In
dependence of our country; thers is no
other way of attaining this than by car
ry1ng out the blow in the city of Manila
since that piece of land surrounded with
it's high and massive walls once taken.
we shall be able to dominate its suburbs
and as the foreigners live in them we
shall be forced to have direct relations
with them Yes, General, agree with
persons Of greater ability than I that tbs
burning OF a few foreign commercial.
establishments will be sufficient to. gtzs
a new color to the present critical con
ditions in the Philippines; but perm1
me, General. to state my case briefly
How would the foreigners and the Anne
rlcans come to an arrangement In regaEC
to the damage and prejudice such a con
migration would cause the first. How
would we find out their agrsement2 I
the property of the foreigners is burned
and nothing more is done, we shall NJ
obtain their valuable aid, we viii neve
get it, but if in addition we succeed u
obtaining possession of the said waIIei
city then with our heads nobly erect, "
can demand what we want of them ans
of the enemy because they first will hav
to submit to our authority as soon as "
can dominate the place where they are
II state all this, General, for you
opinion, so that if you approve it, I Cal
proceed to make the necessary prepaza
tions and arrange fairly definitely III
movements to take place in the varioU
places and proper signals. 1 nope, Ger
eral. that you win approve this p1a
which is one of the proofs of the ardex
patriotism of your humble servant
The following apparently addressed 4
Gen. Artemie Ricarte, as chief OF TT
operations about Manila, and signed b
Mariana Trias, lieutenant. general, 70
lows the above:
I'm answer to your communicable
in which you inform me of your desire 1
place your self at the head OF the f0rcs
that are to attack If we operate again.
Manila, 1 must make known to you q
greatest satisfaction that such desI
produces in me, for just that was tn
only detail wanting to complete 81
work of our revolution and place Ia a
awkward position the so-much boasts
of good policy of the enemy, who, as &
ultimate result, will be the one to ps
the fiddler; if your intention is carrie
out in satisfactory way and then tnel
would be no appropriate words to ext
such determination, which though
VIII not end the war, nevertheless
enough VIII have been done for the II
umph Of our cause and on the part
this government you may be assured tn
no means viii be .begrudged to gI-
you as much help and support as yt
may need to carry out to a happy tern
nation the enterprise. 4"
Another letter, dated June II. 1900.
Riocarte and signed Mariana Barror
fixes the 2Sth Of June as the date fer t
attack. Julian MontalIan on June. 4 i
forms the General of division that ii
several juntas will be ready when call
out.
Another document dated March 4. IgC
directs regiment to shed the last ar,
of blood if necessary to carry out I'll
programme and threatens death und
the military cod to those who Go n
assemble at the appointe1 place.
FILIPINO BARBARITI ES.