Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
THE VANISHING FLEETS
from page
Continued from page 4

ally, Great Britain The bulletins issued by
the London papers bore the undoubted ring of
semloffiCIal utteranceS That of The Daily
Mail" cabled in full to the American press
read
Japan, reluctantly abandoning hope of
peace by ordinary methods, has been driven
to the extreme recourse and has officially de-
clared war against the United States of Amer
lea
Within half an hour after the issuance of this
bulletin a second announcement made,
which took no cognizance of the fact that the
official declaration must have been preceded
by decisive action
THE Japanese War Office has been advised
that on the 27th instant at noon the Philip
pine Islands were compelled to surrender to
the Japanese fleet, which appeared off Manila
Not only did the city itself capitulate, but
possession of the entire islands has been given
over. The Japanese Government announces
with due modesty that it has gained COM
plete and unqualified victory without the loss
of
"LATER.-It is announced by the Japanese
Government that the parole of all officers and
men of the United States army in the Philip
pines has been accepted. and the men of the
vanquished army have been allowed to sail
for San Francisco on board foreign ships, which
were lying in the harbor at the time of ST
render.
From every quarter of the land came in
Government, coupled with requests for de-
tailed accounts of the defeat. The admins
tration replied with the brief statement that
no verified report of the action in the Philip
pines could be given out at that time. 1t did
state, however, that the official declaration of
war had been duly received, that the Japanese
Ambassador had been withdrawn, the Legation
closed, and that the officials would leave New
York for their own country that evening, sail
ing by way of Liverpool.
Public clamor gave way to popular indig-
nation. The country ahame with war
spirit. Guardsmen gathered in their armorles,
awaiting official bulletins and the expected
call to arms, and yet no orders came. The
| War Department for advice; but their only
satisfaction in the following message sent
| broadcast by the Secretary of State
1.-THE Government, recognizing the patriot
| ism and readiness of the National Guard of the
| United States, does not at this immediate
moment desire its services. 1t is well to bear
| in mind, however that a sudden call may be
| issued at a later date and to be prepared for
emergencies. 1t wishes to announce further
that in it's Judgment there will be no necessity
| for fighting land, and that the situation is
completely under control So far there have
been no casualties reported from the Philip
pines
Whatever may have been the state of the
public mind before the issuance of this decara-
ton, the country now gasped with amazement.
Some of the more violent and outspoken jour
nails demanded of the men at Washington
statement of what they purposed to do in this
emergency, and the most radical lntimated in
| no uncertain terms that incompetent admins
trations were subject to impeachment. But to
all of this outburst the Government officials
| most directly interested presented only the
same calm, placid, and indifferent front. There
was nothing to be detected in their demeanor
to indicate that any action whatever had been
| taken.
The various members of the diplomatic
corps even to the highest of the foreign Am
bassadors, gathered no new information. They
| were invariably told first, that the United
States knew there had been a declaration of
| war second, that the United States knew that
the Philippines had been surrendered; third,
that no orders had been issued up to that hour
for the sailing of any fleet, but that it was ex-
pected orders would be given before the day
was over. The men of the foreign representa-
ton one and all felt gentle rebuff tantamount
to being told that the United States was at
tending strictly to its own business and desired
neither to be advised nor to be compelled to
| answer questions
None felt this more keenly than the men,
bers of the British Legation and Guy Hitler
in particular. His meeting of the night before
with Miss Roberts had not terminated salts
factorily, but had come to an abrupt close
when he babe her good night at the door of her
l Il / L