"With regard to the suit before the Supreme Court in Hongkong re Spanish grant _to Philippine rebels, the Singapore ree Press is authorised to state from the highest authority that "the plaintiff in the action having long since been excluded from the community of the rebel leaders by unanimous acclamation, owing to his past antecedents, which they cannot endorse, he has no legal or moral standing to justify the action taken, which is supposed to be a political move of a certain Power immediately concerned, with the object of trying to discredit the rebel leaders before the eyes of the world. The plaintiff never had faculties for independent action, the supreme authority being invested by general consent in President Aquinaldo, who alone has the power to dispose of the money, and for this. reason it is banked in his name only. Later events will prove Tt would, be a remarkable anomaly if British tribunals. could adjudicate over an agreement made by Subjects of a foreign State in their own country, with, matters purely: and solely affecting that country." The last sentence reveals an ignorance of legal matters that is extraordinary."
We take from the, Hongkong Telegraph the following notes on the U.S. naval preparations The following vessels compose the North Atlantic squadron: New York, flagship Tow2, Indiana, Miantonomoh, Terror, Puritan, Cincinnati, Morbleheud, Montaomary, Castine, Nashville, Helena, Wilington, Fern, Vesuvius; torpedo-boats Foote, Dupont, Ericsson, Cushing, Porter, and Tinslow, and tugs Leyden and Samosel, The following vessels will compose the flying squadron: Brooklyn flagship Massachusetts, Texas, Minneapolis, ani From this order. it will be, seen that, Captain Sampson. has a fleet intended for Dlockading purposes. His.fleot consists of one armoured cruiser, two battle-ships of the first-class; three monitors, four cruisers, four gunboats, and one dynamite cruiser, with the necessary accompaniment of torpedo-boats and tugs.
Commodore Schley's command is, as its name indicates, intended for swift offensive and defensive operations, and includes an armoured cruiser, one first-class battleship, one second-class Uattleship, and two protectted cruisers. It is proposed to add Commodore Schley's force the cruiser Nev. Orleans, The cruiser San Francisco will be added to Captain Sampson's force at Key. West. Besides these ships it is proposed to add an improvised torpedo-boas flotilla to both squadrons.
Usper the heading "The Position in Manila" the China Mail of the 30th ult. says There is an enormous crush of business at the branches of the Hongkong and Shanghai and Chartered Banks. Captain Mogridgo sys that all day long natives and Chinese were rushing to these banks to deposit their money, like a regular stream of ants. The Memmon brought over in her strong room specie to the valu of $500,000. 'The American sailing Great Admiral, about which some anti was felt, completed her loading and left the' port with papers of clearance from the Spanish authorities which would absolve her from any molestation from any Spanish war vessel she might meet on her voyage to New York. As, she sailed out arbour she dipped her. ensign to the Spanish Admiral, and the salute was returned. Notwithstanding the, fact that there are numerous reports regarding the numbers of rebels. gathering round about Manila, the Spaniards appeared to regard the situation with the utmost composure. Bight large obsolete Krupp guns have been placed in position wu the promenade. Every one of the war vessels of the Spanish fleet, including the Castilla, went out for a cruise on the evening of 25th April, and were to anchor at Port Subig, to the north of Manila Bay. The Spanish Admiral did not accom-riy the fleet, considering no doubt that is services would be of grenter value in the port of Manila. The Memnon left Manila on the 27th of April and carried 550 Chinese refugees, and the Captain states that if the ship had been twice her size she would have been filled to overflowing. The and it is expected ste will reach Manila' Esmeralda was passed yesterday morning,
either late to-night or early to-morrow morning.
"Smrus" says in the China Mail "Mats as. naval station for Germany The very idea is enough to make the neigh-houring White Dogs howl.in derision... Tf Quemoy Island and Samsah Inlet failed, satisfy the Germans, Matsu cannot do 0, for the only anchorage is on the, west facing the mainland, and even that is none
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.