Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1898 — MANILA IS TAKEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MANILA IS TAKEN

Dewey Bombards the City and Spaniards Surrender. AUGUSTI HAS ILED. American Troops Under Merritt Now Hold Philippine Capital. Consai General Wildman at Hong Kong; Cable* the Neva* of Manila’s Fall— Spaniard* Capitulate Unconditionally—Spaish Captain General Escapes to Hong Kong oh a German Cruiser— Officer* of the Kaiser’s Vessel Refuse to Explain Their Remarkable Action Hong Kong special: Manila has fallen. The city surrendered unconditionally to Admiral Dewey and Gon. Merritt Saturday. The American fleet and land batteries opened fire on Manila Saturday morning. The Spanish resistance was feeble and the Americans were soon in possession of the city. The surrender of Manila was demanded Fri. day. Notice was given that the bombardment would begin the next day. Captain General August! immediately fled, escaping on thfe German cruiser Kaiserin Augusta, which sailed before the bombardment was concluded. Admiral Dewey demanded the surrender of Manila in an hour. The Spaniards declined to surren-

der and Dewey began the ‘bombardment and the Spaniards hoisted a white flag. The Spanish consul at Hong Kong had not notified the Spanish authorities at Manila of the signing of the peace protocol. It is believed that the reason why the Spanish consul did not send the news of peace to Manila was to give the Spanish authorities there a chance to play for time by denying the authenticity of the news sent from here by the American consul by the steamer Australian. Whatever may have been the reason, all questions of that kind have been settled by the surrender of the city to Admiral Dewey and Gen. Merritt. Washington special: The information contained in Consul Wildman’s brief message aroused intense interest, but created no surprise among those officials who received it. For two or three days news of the fall of Manila has been expected. The last dispatches received from Admiral Dewey and Gen. Merritt indicated that it was their purpose to foree a surrender of the city as soon as possible. As soon as the protocol was signed dispatches were sent to both Admiral Dewey and Gen. Merritt, via Hong Kong, but it appears they did not reach Manila before decisive measures against the city had been taken by the American commanders, but every possible effort was made to insure their speedy delivery. The flight of Gen. August! from Manila has created some comment. As one official expressed it: “Had he maintained his position, hard as it was, until the arrival of the news of peace, ho would have been a hero; but he fled and he will now be branded as a coward.” Told in a Few Line*. Lieut. Hobson is constantly haunted by female admirers. All submarine mines have been removed from New York harbor. Admiral Dewey expects to be able to save two of the best Spanish cruisers which he sunk in Manila harbor. Francis Murphy, the well-known temperance advocate, has been appointed chaplain of the Fifth Pennsylvania regiment. Under the personal direction of Admiral Dewey the navy yard, arsenal, forts and barracks at Cavite have been re-estab-lished. The people of the Isle of Pines are starving, and the report that they have been furnishing Cuba with food is thus proven false. Spanish officers surrendered at Santiago will be allowed to take their wives and children back to Spain at the expense of the United Stntes. A telegram from Newport News says it is rumored that the cruiser Minneapolis, which is at the Norfolk navy yard, will go to the Philippines. The cruiser Montgomery, the monitors Amphltrite and Puritun. from Key West, and the tug Leyden, from Guuntannmo, have gone to Porto Itico. Gen. Merriam, commanding the Department of the Pacific, has been authorized to enlist a battalion of infantry in Hawaii to aid in garrison duty. Privates Humphries and frill of Company E. First Texas regiment, were killed l>y a bolt of lightning at Miami, Fla. Yellow fever and smallpox are raging at Nneva Gcrona. the cnpital of the Isle of Pines, off the south coast of Cuba, and people are dying in the streets. There are nine small gunboats scattered about the Philippine and Caroline Islands still remaining for Admiral Dewey to rapture and add to his naval force The monitor Nshant, now in N;w York harbor, has been ordered out of commission and will probably return to LengUt Island navy yard, Philadelphia.

CAPTAIN GENERAL AUGUST. Spanish Governor of the Philippines.