DEMORALISED, A short telegram was received ip the city on Sunday which showed that the long-expected had happened ut Manila, the Americans and the Insurgents having at Inst come to blows. The telegram, which was received by Consul-General Wildman, gave no details, and some time elapsed before any confirmation was received. Yesterday, however, a private telegram was received from Manila which ran as follows:—"Out-post affair Saturday night resulted Asfeated and demoralised. All well here." eneral attack Americans Sunday. Natives
Before the receipt of the above wire there were not wanting some who doubted that anything serious had occured. The Filipino leaders here considered it highly improbable as Aguinaldo had given strict orders to his followers to refrain from fighting, at any rate until yesterday, when the final vote on the Treaty of Peace was to be taken in the Senate, and they expressed the opinion that if a collision had occurred it had been forced by the. Atericans so as to affect the vote referred to.
The Filipinos complain of the severe censorship of telegrams imposed by the Americans, contending that it is contrary to the agreement entered into. In the meantime we shall have to await the arrival of a vessel from Manila before we get full details.
Another telegram is said to have been received in town to the effect that the American fleet ce-operated with the land forces in ropulsiog the attack of the Filipinos and that the loss of the latter amounted to 1,900 men.
The Hongkong Daily Press of the 8th mat., says Though in the United States and at home details of the fighting between the Americans and the Insurgents at Manila on Sunday have been published we know comparatively little in Hongkong, what messages have been received being of a most meagre description.
Apparently, however, the collision was not expected any more than it has been any time during the last few weeks. Indeed when the Sungkiang, which arrived here to-day, left Manila Bay at half-past five on Saturday night affairs, if anything, seemed more settled, and it would appear that the authorities did not anticipate any immediate trouble seeing that some balfdozen American officers came over with the Sungkiang intending to proceed home. Under the circumstances, however, their plans may have to be altered.
The Hongkong Daily Press of the 9th has the following from its correspondent Manila, Ist February.
The committes of six presided over by Ramon Avenceiia has arrived here from Tioilo and gone on to Malolos, where the affairs of the District of Bisnyas will be laid, or probably delayed, before General Aguinaldo. As soon as they have reached a conclusion it is expected that they will meet and discuss the question with the American Commission in Manila, This Latter body, is composed of, Brigadier. General Hughes, Colonel J. F. Smith, of the Ist California Volunteers, and Lieut.- Colonel Crowder. For several days they have talked over the situation with a number of officials representing the Re-publica Filipino, but apparently without definite results.' The whole matter has been raked over and a deal of talking done by both sides, so there is reason to anticipate the early reaching of conclusion.
meanwhile warlike preparations continue with unabating activity. Aguinaldo discourages tourists, correspondents, and others who would venture into the country beyond Manila. Men who have gone to Malolos have not been allowed to alight from the train, but were advised to return to Manila. Many Americans and Englishmen who have been accustomed to ride out to the waterworks and other places in the vicinity of the city are met with unfriendly looks, and a few days ago a party of cyclists who managed to surmount the obstacles of the road for some ten miles were detained and bothered in many ways, It is rumoured that a consignment. of arms and machine guns has been landed along the north coast of Luzon and is now in the hands of the Filipinos; but there is no way of ascertaining the truth of the report. The arms are supposed to have come from
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.