THE PHILIPPINE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11058, 9 May 1899, Page 5

THE PHILIPPINE WAR.

RECOGNITION OF AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. New York, May 7. Tim New York Herald states that Aguinaldo has recognised American sovereignty in the Philippines. Manila, May 7. The American gunboat Bennington, which was aground at Panay Island, is "being sent to Hongkong for repairs. THE CAPITULATION OP CEBU. ALLEGED PLOT TO MURDER THE FOREIGNERS. Writing from Manila on March 28, the spooial correspondent of tho China Mail says;—l havo already informed you of the departure of an expeditionary force to garrison tho town of Cebu. Tho following details copied from a loiter dated Cebu, February 22, will give your readers an idea of the situation at that place:— The U.S.S. Petrel, accompanied by a small tug, arrived at Cebu at ten a.m. on February 21. The captain of the British gunboat Pigmy and the British Vice-Consul went on board tho Petrel immediately, and tho situation was made known to Commander Cornwell. The British officers went ashore to confer with tho insurgent representatives, and in the course of tho afternoon eight representative islanders boarded tho Petrel to discuss with Commander Cornwell the basis of surrender. At first they were afraid to go aboard, as they feared they would receive the reception usually accorded by the Spaniards, i.e., that they would bo arrested and shot, and their property confiscated. For roasons of their own, they also desired to retain their arms. Commander Cornwell assured them they need Ire in no fear of bodily harm, and told them that the presont native Government would be continued in office, subjoot to his supervision. Thoy were given till eight a,m. on the following morning to deoido whether they would give up tho place or stand a bombardment, and went ashore to discuss tho American captain's conditions with thoir followers. Tho foreigners residing on Cebu woro afraid that tho hillmen would come into tho city during the night and sack tho place, so tho Petrel kept landing parties in readiness to afford protection. There was no trouble, however. Punctually at eight o'clock in tho morning the insurgent representatives wont on board the Petrol, carrying a formal wrilton document surrendering the town. In this communication, thoy stated that they yielded to force majeure, and that tho surrender mußt await tho action of the President General Aguinalda. The signatories added that they entered "a protest against the way tho Americans waged war in this end of tho enlightened nineteenth century." The Potrol landed a detachment of bluejackets at half-past nino a.m., and at four minutes to ten the American flag was hoisted ovor tho fort, and tho Petrol fired a national salute in recognition of United States sovereignty over the island of Cebu. Throughout the day the native officials were busy turning ovor all Government property to tho Amorican officers. Lieutenant Plunkett has been appointed captain of tho port, and Lieutenant Parker Collector of Customs, but apart from theso two appointments no change has been made in the local administration, whioh remains in the hands of the nativo officials. Some little anxiety still prevails in the city among the merchant classes, who fear a rising of the mob, and therefore Commander Cornwell holds landing parties in readiness. The tug has beon sent back to Ho Bo with tho good news, and a request has been forwarded to General Otis, tho commander-in-chiet, for a small detachmont of troops to polico the town and guard against any possiblo disturbances. Tho Kaisorin Augusta loft early in the morning for Manila, carrying the news.

Tho recent incendiarism at Pnco, Santa Cruz, Tondo, Binondo, and tho other suburbs of tho City of Manila was part of a deeplaid plot. General Hughes, tho Provost Marshal of Manila, for whoso untiring vigilance and splendid organisation and powors of endurance under trying circumstances all foreigners entertain tho profoundest admiration, has in his possession proofs of the duplicity of a largo section of the nativo community, and it is duo to General Otis and General Hughes, and their various subordinate officers, that tho city has been saved from total destruction and the foreign residents from a cold-blooded massacre. At the Provost Marshal's office there lies a dooumont purporting to be signed by Signor Sandico, Aguinaldo's Minister of the Interior and commander of tho Territorial Secret Militia of Manila, in which orders are issued to the members of this organisation to assemble with bolo knives and firearms in a certain district, at a certain hour, on a certain day, in order to carry out a slaughter of tho wholo of tho "white faces," Tho document enjoins that only Filipino families are to bo respected; all the other residents, whatever their nationality, were to be killed without moroy after tho American forces of occupation had been exterminated.- The document then goes on to tell exactly in what particular districts the men shall rise, the signal for the rising, and otiier details. On this particular night General Hughes succeeded in arresting 125 of the leaders of tho secret organisation, thereby nipping in tho bud a very serious massaoro. Had it occurred, it would have at once raised the whole of tho forces of civilisation against the Philippine section of the Malay race, as did the torriblo Indian Mutiny 40 yeara ago. To-day it becamo known that the Spanish authorities, through General Rios, had made an offer to Aguinaldo of 500,000 dollars for tho release of tho Spaniards still held in captivity throughout the provinces. This offer, it is reported, has been rejected, and a sum of 7,000,000 dollars demanded. How the American authorities allowed tho offer of money to be made to the insurgents I have been unable to learn. Unless it was accompanied by a stipulation for tho immediate cessation of hostilities, I fail to see how tho American authorities could permit money to bo paid over to the Filipinos.