d a good
many rounds of ammunition which had been brought up from Corregidor
Island by the U.S.S. _Petrel_.

I then availed myself of an early opportunity to express to the
Admiral my deep gratitude for the assistance rendered to the people
of the Philippines by the United States, as well as my unbounded
admiration of the grandeur and beneficence of the American people. I
also candidly informed the Admiral that before I left Hongkong the
Filipinos residing in that colony hold a meeting at which the following
question was fully discussed, namely, _the possibility that after the
Spaniards were defeated, and their power and prestige in the islands
destroyed, the Filipinos might have to wage war against the United
States owing to the American Government declining to recognize our
independence. In that event the Americans, it was generally agreed,
would be sure to defeat us for they would find us worn out and short
of ammunition owing to our struggle with the Spaniards. I concluded
by asking the gallant Admiral to excuse me for an amount of frankness
that night appear to border on impudence, and assured him of the
fact that I was actuated only by a desire to have a perfectly clear
understanding in the interest of both parties._

_The Admiral said he was very glad to have this evidence of our
earnestness and straightforwardness and he thought the Filipinos and
Americans should act towards one another as friends and allies, and
therefore it was right and proper that all doubts should be expressed
frankly in order that explanations be made, difficulties avoided,
and distrust removed; adding that, as he had already indicated_, _the
United States would unquestionably recognize the Independence of the
people of the Philippines, guaranteed as it was by the word of honour
of Americans_, _which, he said, is more positive, more irrevocable than
any written agreement, which might not be regarded as binding when
there is an intention or desire to repudiate it, as was the case in
respect of the compact made with the Spaniards at Biak-na-bato. Then
the Admiral advised me to at once have made a Filipino National
Flag, which he said he would recognize and protect in the presence
of the other nations represented by the various squadrons anchored
in Manila Bay, adding, however, that he thought it advisable that we
should destroy the power of Spain before hoisting our national flag,
in order that the act would appear more important and credi