SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 9

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

All volunteer regiments have left Manila, and all, save men from Tennessee, have .arrived at San Francisoo-. Most of the regiments have been disbanded, and the soldiers have now beconter citizens again, and have returned to the 16 States where they_ severally enlisted. Regiments of regulars, are' still being embarked for the Philippines, and there is no indication of the relaxation of the vigour with which it is the policy, of the Administration to push the campaign against Aguinaldo and his followers.

Major-general Otis has informed the War r department "that" he has adopted the "plan of j local government for, the cities and towns J of Luzon as -th^y become occupied by tHe ! American forces," but the optimistic schemes • of General Otis are laughed at by a large j contingent ■of his coantrymen, who do not ! anticipate a speedy conquest of the Philip- ; pines to such an extent as to demand plans of .government. -, • i- • j It' is .cabled from Manila that the Spanish (• Commission '-which , entered the insurgent lines j a month' ago with money to relieve the wants of several thousand Spanish prisoners, has returned to Angefes. They spent most of the j time in the vicinity of Tarlie. where there are 2700 pick Spaniards in the hospital. These are ill-fed and ill-treated by the Filipinos, who refuse to surrender them, hoping to force Spain to recognise me independence of the islands. They report also that the Filipinos arc well supplied with arms and ammunition, and able to get plenty of rice from the northern province?. The commissioners were escorted to the outposts by a handsomelymounted Filipino' -cavalry, where they were met by memberp of General M'Arthur's staff, and brought by train to Manila. With them came the families of prominent Filipino officers, who had asked permission to send their women and children to Manila. - Negotiations are about to open for a treaty of commerce, friendship, and amity between the United States and Spain. Both parties expect the new treaty to be a great improvement on that destroyed by the war. an antiquated document dating back to 1795. The work of making the treaty will be carried on at Madrid^

The Commercial Congress at Philadelphia proved a gathering of much interest. The United States consul (G. W. Ball), en route to Sydney, said at- San Francisco that the congress, would- accomplish much good for American commerce, i" Trade and travel between the United States and the ports of Australia and New Zealand,, said he. " will be encouraged, a-s three" magnificent vessels of six., thousand _ tons each are , building at' Cramp's, and all will be finished before mother autumn. These will cut down the time between Sa-h Francisco and Australia at least two days. The congress at Philadelphia was made up of representatives from forty- three i nations of Europe, South America, the Orient, etc. The burden of all the discussion was reciprocity. Information as to the requirements of each country will become a permanent record, and will be largely and widely published."

Trade continues active in the United Stales. The price of steel rails has advanced to 35d0l per ton, though deliveries have been made at 18dol within the year. Contracts cover a million and a-half tons, or two-thirds the capacity of the works for the coming year. Cotton nlone is low in price, owing to the deadlock between foreign consumers and American producers. The Transvaal trouble caused large -sales of ammunition and meat, and the money market, at first thrown into a .panic by the outlook, has strengthened because of the belief that mining shares would be worth more without Boer control in the mining regions. Admiral Dewey has declared that he will no longer be paraded about the country as a popular hero. He is already in possession of a house in Washington, purchased for 50,000d01, raised by his admirers, and announces his engagement to Mrs Hazen, a brilliant woman to whom he has long been attached.

Americans are unable to resist gloating a little over the -victory of the yacht Columbia over the Shamrock, a victory which keeps the Cup on the right i-ide of the Atlantic.

Yellow fever has made sad havoc among the crews of merchant bhips at Panama. Tho German ship Coriolanus, of the Victoria quarantine station, reports having lost 15 men, and the British barque Eden Ballymore lost as many, and the .wife of Captain May ako succumbed. The Coriolanus was lying at Panama, when the men of the crew brought the germs of the dread disease on board. Cnplain Gatlincr put to sea, but found the ship waa ap. badly infected as at Panama, and was obliged to return to port for assistance. With a picked-up crew he finally managed to get away, and to reach Victoria. After disinfection the ship will take a cargo of salmon to Liverpool. _; The Chicago Times-Herald says President M'Kinley demanded from tho Governments of Rufsia, Germany, and France an assurance that in the division of China into " spheres of influence" the trade rights of citizens of America shall be respected. It is expected tho demands will be" acceded to as soon a3 the necessary correspondence can pass. It is said a tacit understanding already exists.