The Inhabitants of the Philippines Part 64

The eruption lasted till the end of October.

1894. May. The Datto Julcainim, with seventy armed Moros from Sulu, landed in Basilan Island to recover tribute from the natives, but was sent back by a Spanish gunboat.

1896. August 30th. Tagal insurrection broke out near Manila and in Cavite Province. See Chapter X.

1897. June 25th. Violent and disastrous eruptions of the Mayon. Complete destruction of the villages San Antonio, San Isidro, Santo Nino, San Roque, Santa Misericordia, and great damage to other places by the incandescent lava. A dreadful tempest destroyed houses and plantations in places where the lava did not reach. About 300 people were either killed outright or died of their wounds. Fifty wounded persons recovered.

1898. March 24th. Revolt of the famous Visayas or 74th Regiment at Cavite.

March 25th. Ma.s.sacre of the Calle Camba.

April 24th. Meeting at Singapore between Aguinaldo and the United States' Consul, Mr. Spencer Pratt.

April 26th. Aguinaldo proceeds to Hong Kong.

May 1st. Naval battle of Cavite. Destruction of the Spanish squadron and capture of Cavite a.r.s.enal by the Americans.

May 19th. Aguinaldo and seventeen followers land at Cavite from the United States' vessel Hugh McCullough, and are furnished with arms by Admiral Dewey.

May 24th. Aguinaldo proclaims a Dictatorial Government.

June 23rd. He issues a manifesto claiming for the Philippines a place, if a modest one, amongst the nations.

August 6th. He sends a message to foreign powers claiming recognition.

August 13th. The American troops enter Manila, the Spaniards making only a show of resistance.

August 14th. The capitulation signed. General Merritt issues his proclamation establis.h.i.+ng a military government.

August 15th. General McArthur appointed military commandant of the Walled City and Provost-Marshal-General of the city and suburbs.

September 29th. General Aguinaldo makes a speech at Malolos to the Philippine Congress, the keynote of which was independence: "The Philippines for the Filipinos."

October 2nd. The Peace Commission holds its preliminary meeting in Paris.

November 13th. The insurgents invest Ilo-ilo. Fighting proceeding in other parts of Visayas between Spaniards and natives.

December 10th. The Peace Commission signs the Treaty. Don Felipe Agoncillo, representative of the Philippine Government, hands in a formal protest, of which no notice is taken.

December 24th. The Spaniards evacuate Ilo-ilo.

December 26th. The insurgents occupy the city. The Spaniards evacuate all the southern island stations except Zamboanga. The Philippine Congress at Malolos adjourns.

December 29th. New Philippine cabinet formed; all the members pledged to independence.

President of Congress and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senor Mabini; Secretary for War, Senor Luna; Interior, Senor Araneta; Agriculture and Commerce, Senor Buencamino; Public Works, Senor Canon.

1899. January 5th. The Was.h.i.+ngton officials announce that they "expect a peaceful adjustment." [Blessed are they who expect nothing.]

President McKinley instructs General Otis to extend military government with all dispatch to the whole ceded territory.

January 8th. Protest of Aguinaldo against the Americans.

January 12th. General Otis telegraphs to the War Department that conditions are apparently improving.

Other dispatches represent the situation as daily growing more acute.

January 16th. A telegram was received at Was.h.i.+ngton from General Otis, of so rea.s.suring a character regarding the position at Manila and Ilo-ilo, that the government officials accept without question the correctness of his statement, that the critical stage of the trouble there is now past and that he controls the situation.

A commission nominated by President McKinley, consisting of Dr. Schurman, President of Cornell University; Professor Worcester of Michigan University, and Mr. Denby.

January 21st. The Philippine const.i.tution is proclaimed at Malolos.

February 4th. Fighting between Filipinos and Americans began at Santa Mesa 8.45 P.M., and continued through the night.

February 5th. Fighting continued all day and ended in the repulse of the Filipinos with heavy loss.

General Otis wires: "The situation is most satisfactory, and apprehension need not be felt."

February 6th. The U.S. Senate ratifies the Peace Treaty with Spain by 57 to 27.

Senator Gorman in the course of the debate expressed his belief that the battle at Manila was only the beginning. If the treaty was ratified war would follow, lasting for years, and costing many lives, and millions upon millions of money.

[Senator Gorman makes a better prophet than General Merritt or Mr. Foreman.]

February 8th. General Otis wires: "The situation is rapidly improving. The insurgent army is disintegrating, Aguinaldo's influence has been destroyed."

February 10th. The Americans attack and capture Calocan. President McKinley signs the Treaty.

February 11th. Ilo-ilo captured by General Miller without loss, but a considerable part of the town was burned.

February 18th. The American flag hoisted at Bacolod in Negros Island, opposite Ilo-ilo.

February 22nd. Tagals attempt to burn Manila, setting fire simultaneously to the Santa Cruz, San Nicolas, and Tondo. Sharp fighting at Tondo. Many natives were burned while penned in by the cordon of guards.

February 23rd. The Americans burned all that remained of Tondo. General Otis issued an order requiring the inhabitants to remain in their homes after 7 P.M.

March 13. Oscar F. Williams does not expect to live to see the end of the war. This is the man who on July 2nd, 1898, "hoped for an influx that year of 10,000 ambitious Americans," who he said could all live well and become enriched. See Chapter XVIII.

Since the American occupation three hundred drinking saloons have been opened in Manila.

March 19th. Urgent instructions sent from Was.h.i.+ngton to Generals Otis and Lawton to hasten the end.

March 24th. Engagement at Marilao--the Filipinos are defeated.

New York Times says the situation is both surprising and painful to the American people.

March 31st. The Americans occupy Malolos which the Filipinos had set on fire, after some skirmis.h.i.+ng.