The "Manila Times" gives the following, account of the capture and cruel mas-sacro of the constables in the province of Sorsogon:-—A band of fifty out-laws, armed with rifles and bolos, attacked five members of the Philippines Constabulary on the main road between Bulusan and Barcelona, in the province of Sorsogan, on the evening of April 4th. The inhuman wretches captured three of the constabulary, tied them hand and foot, gouged oni their eyes with sharp hard-wood sticks, and thea, plocing them in the burning sand with the sun beating into their eyeless sockets, commencing at their feet, cut them into small pieces with holes, adding every possible feature of barbaric torture except. burning. The other two members of the constabulary escaped to Sorsogon, where, nearly dead from an awful race of ten miles, they tried to convey some idea of the fate of their comrades. When the attack was first made the constabulary poured a hot fire into the band, several were seen to fall and they were held in check for several minutes, but they soon realised that +hey had only one chance to save their lives, with such overwhelming numbers against them—that of flight. Only two were equal to the emergency and they escaped only by leaving their arms and ammunition. A detachment of the constabulary left Sorsogon as soon as the men reached there. On reaching the scene of the attack, the only oridences left of the struggle were small proes of human flesh and bone, bearing 2 mute record of the awful fate of their former companions in arms.
The Editor comments as follows on this outrage:—"The Sorsogon outrage is one of the most savage chapters in the history of warfare. It is not likely that General Smith could consider this as within the laws of war. It is to be hoped that the punitive expedition that has gone out on the trail of the slayers of their comrades will come up with them. Such a band has already burned all its bridges behind it. The civil governor of the province will undoubtedly call on the military authorities to help exterminate the outlaws."
The Fall in Silver.
In our leading article of April the 25th we drew attention to the seriousness of the situation brought about by the continued depreciation of silver. The " Ma-ulla Times" of April 19th has also a leading article on the same subject, indicating that they are also alive to the fact, that some attempt should be made to bring about a better state of things. The following is the article in question There was another drop in silver yesterday, and to the man on the street it was, to say the least, unexpected. Silver on demand was selling yesterday at the rate of 433. That is to say, that the value of one hundred dollars Mexic: expressed in_terms of United States ct rency, was $433. This was a great disappointment to the many who had hoped from the brightening aspect of the currency question that silver had reached its lowest level and was on the rebound. Tt is hard to prophecy now to what level silver will fall.
If silver continues to drop, and there does not seem any particular reason just now to think that it will not, it will tell heavily on those merchants who have to make remittances for their goods which ther bought some time ago when a given amount of silver represented considerab-Ly more money in the United States will mean that that cost of living i ulla will be still further enhanced: has already been advanced, as the establishment of gold prices in many of the Leading stores testify. Those who a year ago placed their money in the savings bank could have received $45.60 for every hundred pecos they wished to remit, to the United State. "The same hundred peses to-day will only purchase $43 and a fraction. which means that: a loss of ne five per cent is incurred.
The value of $100 gold expressed in Mexican according to yesterday's market rate is $930. It is impossible to say what it wil be in a few months. There are many who helfere that the price of silver will go wp acoin. which will mean that those whose incomes are in Mexican will not hare to lose so much in converting their money into gold, but: this optimistic view has prevailed for some time past and yet its realisation does not coom to he in sight. In fact. the recent falls in silver serin ta indicate the error nennsness of the optimistic view. The camaca of silver on a gold basis might ver hans afford relief. but even this somewhat anxious remedy is not likely to be arailahle, for he tha dosnatehes nrinto? vostorday we learn that the Republicans in Washineton have conceded to the Senate Committee's wishes for a silver stan-Aard for theee islands.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.