Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-22
Continues to Capture Arms.

General Bell continues to capture arms
and men with the Sd Brigade as well as re-
ceiving surrenders almost daily Since De-
cember he has secured nearly 300 guns of
various kinds, and I presume that at least
1000 men have been captured or surren-
dered in the same time.
ITO show how difficult it is to accomplish
our task down there, we are daily finding
arms and picking up men and receiving
surrenders on the very ground that has
been most carefully covered or gone over
with a large force spread out during the
first two weeks Of January. What We are
getting now were secreted then, and We
have no knowledge that even We shall sue
coed entirely in obtaining all the arms Sc
GREETED there or throughout the country.
1t is very important that We get hold of all
the arms possible, for it is with these arms
that the ladrones will create trouble when
military operation ceases. In Cavite prov
ince, which adjolns Manila, We are satisfied
that there are many arms secreted but
these will probably remain hidden for
long time.
Il think 1 mentioned in one of my pre-
vious letters that General Bell had met on
the road Major Luna of Malvars staff and
that he turned him loose to visit Maivar in
order to have talk with him. Since lnen
We have heard nothing of Malvar or Major
Luna.
Il send you a copy of telegram re-
ceived from Gen. Bell day before yesterday
Senior Dancel called me and requested
that a letter he had written to Malvar be
sent to him, or, as he preferred be taken to
him by himself. 1t appears that Dancel has
lately been in Hong Kong, where he had a
talk with the junta. The junta authorized
him to say to Malvar that he might sur
render: that they believed he ought to do
so, as it was now to the advantage of the
junta and the Philippine people that hos
tilitieS should cease, otherwise the Congress
of the United States was not likely to do
anything in a political way for the islands.
1t seems somewhat remarkable that this
junta would not write a letter to Malvar
and append their signatures to it, in order
which could not be disputed, but this they
would not do; SO 1t seems to me that they
are not honest men.
Last fall they instructed to prolong the
war in order to force the United States to
legislate for their independence; at least,
they believed they would gain that in a po-
litical way by prolonging the war.
Under the instructions of the junta NAL
var has remained out and has carried on
the war. Now they have changed tactics
and want the war to cease, but they are
unwilling to append their signatures to a
paper which will convince Malyar of their
sincerity. Malvar himself is suspicious Of
everybody, his neighbors and friends, and
you will see from Gen. Bells dispatch it is
next to impossible to communicate with
him.
Lukban Advises Surrender.
"Lukban since his arrest has written many
vising them to surrender; these have been
sent out by Gen. Smith to the parties to
whom addressed, and we hear that they
will have a conference somewhere near the
head of the Gandara river to talk matters
over
1--WE hear also that Gaverra, who was next
In command in Samar to Lukban instead OF
Abuke, as mentioned in my last letter, has
issued orders forbidding officers to pay any
attention to communications they may re-
ceive from Lukban. as he Is no longer In a
situation to advise them or give them direc-
lions. If this be true, of course we have
another party to contend with down there,
and I think 1t probable it is true 1t Is on
this scheme that the insurrecto government
Is built up; like regiment, 1t always has a
commanding officer.
Since Lukban has been captured a cap
tain, lieutenant, 40 bolomen, about 70
rtflemen, one iron cannon and q rifles Have
been surrendered to Capt. Bell at Laguan,
which is on the north end of Samar."