310 
MANILA UNDER THE AMERICANS. 
N ovaletta. 
summary of Before describing what we saw, it may, perhaps, be 
events desirable to give a brief summary of the events which 
have occurred since 1896 for the benefit of any 
Binoe 1806# readers who have not followed the fortunes of the 
Philippines closely within the last twelve months. 
Prior to 1896 cases of insurrection among the Filipinos against the 
Spanish rule had occurred, but had always been quelled with promp¬ 
titude before assuming serious proportions; there is little doubt 
that the Filipinos had just cause for complaint—it was the story of the 
Inquisition over again. Encouraged by the success of the Cuban Re¬ 
bellion, some of the more influential Filipinos in the neighbourhood of 
Manila organized a body of agents, all energetic young men, and sent 
them into the various districts to find out if the natives were willing 
to rise. One of these agents was Aguinaldo, whose district happened 
to be Cavite, he not only found the people willing to rise but too eager, 
and they forced his hand by starting the rebellion before plans had 
been properly matured. This rebellion maybe said to date from 26th 
August, 1896. Round Manila the rebellion was practically quashed at 
the start, and resulted only in a few natives being shot down. Aguin¬ 
aldo found time to take up an entrenched position 
at Novaletta, and here the Spanish brought a most 
dire disaster on themselves; when advancing against Aguinaldo’s 
position they moved in three columns along the isthmus from San 
Roque, one column along either beach and one along the road in the 
centre. On either side of the road at one place were paddy fields, in 
which a few rebels with rifles were in ambush; on the approach of 
the columns these rebels opened fire on them, a panic among the Spanish 
was the immediate result, the inner column turned outwards and the 
outer ones inwards and began firing into each other. Officers could 
not control their men and the result was that they shot each other to the 
number of some six or eight hundred without doing any practical damage 
to the rebels. After this, Aguinaldo, finding that the insurrection in 
other quarters had failed, retreated with a few followers into the 
interior, glad to get off with his life. He had, however, made a name 
for himself through this chance occurrence and was regarded by the 
Spanish authorities as the leader of the rebellion. The Spanish 
Governor of the Philippines then negotiated with the Spanish Home 
Government for authority to expend two million dollars to pay 
Aguinaldo and other leading rebels to leave the Philippines and thus 
put an end to the rebellion. Aguinaldo received $400,000 and agreed 
to leave; he went over to Hong Kong and later on to Singapore. 
Thus ended the insurrection, and the Filipinos settled down again 
under Spanish rule. This was the state of affairs when the Spanish- 
American war broke out in April, 1898. 
On Sunday, 1st May, 1898, Dewey’s squadron entered Manila Bay, 
and on that day destroyed the Spanish Fleet at Cavite. His orders, 
originally, had been to destroy the Spanish Fleet and leave, but, 
finding he was short of coal, he was obliged to remain awaiting supplies 
