and
ninety-four men. The _Leite_ has a battery of one 3 1-2-inch hontoria
guns, and several 2.7-inch rapid-fire guns.

_July 1._ Aguinaldo proclaimed himself President of the Revolutionary
Republic on the first of July. The progress of the insurgents can be
readily understood by the following extract from a letter written by Mr.
E. W. Harden:

"There are persistent rumours that it is the desire of Governor-General
Augusti to surrender Manila to the Americans, but the command of the
Spanish troops is practically held by the senior colonel of artillery, who
opposes surrender.

"The rebels have captured the water-works beyond Santa Mesa, which
supplied Manila, and the Spanish fear that their water will be cut off.

"The rebels have also captured the strongly fortified positions of San
Juan and Delmonte, where the Spaniards were to make their last stand if
Manila capitulated. The city is still surrounded by insurgents.

_July 2._ "There was fierce fighting Saturday before Malate. The Spaniards
had modern guns to command the rebel trenches, and maintained a steady
fire throughout the afternoon, but found it impossible to drive the
natives out. Forty rebels were killed. The Spaniards finally were driven
back."

_July 4._ Brigadier-General Green, in command of the second army
detachment, on the way from San Francisco to Manila, rediscovered and took
formal possession of the long lost Wake Island, in north latitude 19 deg. 15'
and east longitude 166 deg. 33'.

_July 5._ To the Spanish consul at Singapore, Captain-General Augusti
telegraphed:

"The situation is unchanged. My family has succeeded in miraculously
escaping from Macabora in a boat, and, having passed through the American
vessels, all arrived safely at Manila. General Monet's column is besieged
and attacked at Macabora."

_July 15._ The steamers _City of Puebla_ and _Peru_ sailed from San
Francisco with the fourth Manila expedition, under command of
Major-General Otis.

_July 16._ The steamer _China_, of the second Manila expedition, arrived
at Cavite, and was followed on the next day by the steamers _Zealandia_,
_Colon_, and _Senator_.

_July 19._ The work of surrounding Manila by American forces was begun by
advancing the First California regiment to Jaubo, only two miles from the
Spanish lines. The Colorado and Utah batteries were landed at Paranaque,
directly from the transports. Over fifteen hundred men encamped between
Manila and Cavite. The Tent