SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11658, 15 February 1900, Page 5

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

AMERICAN SUMMARY.

The Grand Opera House, the largest' Audi tqrium in Washington, was packed to' the door on. January 21 with an enthusiastic audience thai expressed its sympathy with' Hie Boers in their fight with Great Britain."Tha speakers-included members ■of both Houses of Congress, and on the stage were other public men who came merely* to" add their support. The keynote of the speeches was.that the Boers were fighting for their Independence, as our forefathers had done in 1776. Tho gathering assembled under the auspices of the United Irish Societies and a number of leading Germans in the city joined ln-lho movement. Mr M. P. T. Moran national treasurer of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, called the meeting to order and after a few words of welcome introduced Congressman Sulzer as presiding officer. Senator Mason was first introduced by the chairman Mr Sulzer said:—l congratulate Washington' Wig capitol of the nation, on this sympathetic demonstration on behalf of a sister republic ■Tho Boers are right, but unless we can aid them in some way their cause may not triumph. The bird of liberty has hitherto & ways found a resting place in this country Lately American people, it appears, have taken to eating carrion. We do not want for the Boers the kind of liberty that England would give them. We want the Boers to have the kind of liberty they want. If y o u have auy influence lend your voice to the cause of tne Boers. It you. have no Snflu-' ence, but have convictions, speak your sentiments up." ,

It is thought that the first of the new largesteamers of the Oceanic line plying front San Francisco to Honolulu Auckland, and!1 Sydney will bo launched at Cramp's yards in a few days. According to the report made by the president, Mr John D. Spreckels, to the annual meeting of stockholders of thaOceanic Steamship Company, she should arrive at San Francisco and commence runhina on June 13, followed two months later by a second vessel, and four months later by the last ot the additions to the fleet. After they have been placed in the service, the- steamers'. Alameda and Mariposa will withdraw in turK for the installation of hew1 boilers and machinery. Referring to the mail subsidies, ths .president said it had been proposed thai thaNew Zealand Government should pay to tha Oceanic Steamship Company £30,000 a -year" in consideration of the company giving 17,. .trips-per annum with new steamers as against 13 with the three'vessels at present in. use.' .If they accept as expected an Oceanic steii*. ship will sail for Australia every three weeks instead of every four weeks, as at present, awj will necessarily make better time between this' city, Auckland, and Sydney. The finanoial statement presented by the president, supple" mented by the report of the secretary, was the best in the history of the Oceasic Steamship Company. The total net earnings 6& the last year were 384,747.75d01, being an)' increase of W,190.05d0l over those of 1898.! Deducting the earning of the Zealandia. as the Government transport, amounting to--95,569.35dcH from the net earning, those froni the .regular tir^r ~ere 279,178.40d01, an increase of im *vi otclol, or about 64- per cent* over the regular trade earnings of 1898. AFFAIRS AT MANILA.Lieutenant Gilmore, of Tork Town, and fl party of prisoners held by the insurgents tot many months, have at iast been resoued,<and are safe at Manila. Nineteen American*, who have suffered terrible hardships, have an interesting story of their wanderings to tell.All are weak and nervous, and had been abandoned by the Filipinos and threatened ■ with death at the hands of a savage tribe of natives. Gilmore said the treatment was failt while the men were in the hands of Aquinaldo, but brutal in the extreme later, when . the prisoners were under tha jurisdiction of General Tino. He declares that the Spanish prisoners were abused by the Tagalas, who had the old grudge to wipe out. The Spa-! niards were sthuck with whips and revolvers in the hands of the Tagalas. Lieutenant Gilmor© declined to speak regarding the political condition, except to say he believed the rebellion would last as long as there were any Tagalaa left. The prisoners were rescued in a drama; tic fashion by a scouting party of brave Americans after hope had left them. They reported to General Otis barefooted, ragged, and weary. Aquinaldo's wife's sisters and several Filipinos officers have surrendered to the Americans, but there seems no chance of capturing the intrepid chiefs. Fighting is going on in a small way in several localities, and the list of American dead and wounded grows, day by day. Americans occupy the principal towns of Gavite and Latangas provinces, where many insurgents have returned to their homes and secreted their guns. The southern port will be open soon. It is said Secretary Long is preparing to re* call many ships now on the Asiatic station, and add them to t/ie North and South Atlantic and Pacific stations. The European squadron, discontinued at the outbreak of the Span* ish war, will be resumed. It is thought all the larger vessels except the Brooklyn, Admiral Watson's flagship, will leave the Philippines. Supply ships, monitors, and vessels of lighi draught will remain near the islands. General Otis reports that the plague stati* tics show a total of fourteen.