was, however, soon remedied.

In an order issued on August 22 it was enacted that all natives and
all Spanish soldiers were to be disarmed before they were admitted
into the walled city. The insurgent troops were included in the above
category, but their arms were restored to them on their leaving the
city. An exception was made in favour of the insurgent officers,
from the grade of lieutenant upwards, who were permitted to enter
and leave Manila with their swords and revolvers.

On August 25 a provisional agreement was entered into between the
American authorities and Emilio Aguinaldo, to remain in force pending
the result of the Paris Peace Commission, whereby their respective
spheres were defined. The Americans retained jurisdiction over Manila
City, Binondo, the right bank of the Pasig River up to the Calzada
de Iris and thence to Malacanan, which was included. The remaining
districts were necessarily in the hands of the rebels, there being
no recognized independent government in Luzon other than the American
military occupation of the capital and environs.

Towards the end of August, the American Commander-in-Chief,
Maj.-General Wesley Merritt, quitted the Islands in order to give
evidence before the Peace Commission at Paris, after having appointed
General E. S. Otis to be the first Military Governor of Manila.

The British Consul, Mr. E. A. Rawson Walker, who had rendered such
excellent service to both the contending parties, died of dysentery
in the month of August, and was buried at Paco cemetery.

Philippine refugees returned to the Islands in large numbers, but
the American authorities notified the Consul in Hong-Kong that only
those Chinese who could prove to his satisfaction previous residence
in Manila would be allowed to return there.

Trading operations were resumed immediately after the capitulation,
and the first shipment of cigars made after that date was a parcel
of 140,000 exported to Singapore in the first week of September
and consigned to the _Tabaqueria Universal_. Business in Manila,
little by little, resumed its usual aspect. The old Spanish newspapers
continued to be published, and some of them, especially _El Comercio_,
were enterprising enough to print alternate columns of English and
Spanish, and, occasionally, a few advertisements in very amusing
broken English. Two rebel organs, _La Independencia_ and _La Republica
Filipina_, soon appeared. They were shortly followed by a number