until Aguinaldo cabled his safe arrival in Hong-Kong.

Aguinaldo had very rightly stipulated that a Spanish officer of high
rank should accompany him and his followers to Hong-Kong as a guarantee
against foul play. The Gov.-General, therefore, sent with them his
two nephews, Lieut.-Colonel Primo de Rivera and Captain Celestino
Espinosa, and Major Antonio Pezzi. Aguinaldo and eight other chiefs,
namely, Gregorio H. del Pilar, Wenceslao Vinegra, Vito Belarmino,
Mariano Llaneras, Antonio Montenegro, Luis Viola, Manuel Fino, and
Escolastico Viola, stayed at the Hong-Kong Hotel, whilst the remainder
took up their abode elsewhere in the city. Aguinaldo cashed his draft
for P400,000, but as to the other two instalments of the P800,000,
the Spanish Government defaulted.

There was great rejoicing in Manila, in Madrid, and in several Spanish
cities, and fetes were organized to celebrate the conclusion of
peace. In Manila particularly, amidst the pealing of bells and strains
of music, unfeigned enthusiasm and joy were everywhere evident. It was
a tremendous relief after sixteen months of persecution, butchery,
torture, and pecuniary losses. General Primo de Rivera received
the thanks of the Government, whilst the Queen-Regent bestowed on
him the Grand Cross of San Fernando, with the pension of 10,000
pesetas (nominal value L400). But no one in Spain and few in Manila
as yet could foresee how the fulfilment of the Agreement would be
bungled. According to a letter of Pedro A. Paterno, dated March 7,
1898, published in _El Liberal_ of Madrid on June 17, 1898, it would
appear that (up to the former date) the Spanish Government had failed
to make any payment to Paterno on account of the P900,000, balance of
indemnity, for distribution according to Clause (2) of the Agreement
set forth on the preceding page. The letter says:--

As a matter of justice, I ought to have received the two
instalments, amounting to P600,000. Why is this obligation not
carried out, and why has General Primo de Rivera not followed my
advice by arresting Yocson and his followers from the 5th of last
February? I have my conscience clear respecting the risings in
Zambales and Pangasinan Provinces and those about to take place
in La Laguna and Tayabas.

Whatever were the means employed, the rebellion was disorganized for a
while, but the Spanish authorities had not the tact to follow up this
_coup_ by temperate and conciliatory