ds.

On the day following the departure of the Spaniards the Cebuanos
established a provincial government in agreement with the _Katipunan_
party of Luzon, General Aguinaldo's direct representative being
Luis Flores, the chief leader of the armed Cebuanos, to whom Pablo
Mejia handed over all that he had received from the ex-governor
Montero. From its establishment up to the last day of its existence,
this government used the seal and stamps of the Philippine Republic,
and was constituted as follows, viz.:--

_Provincial Council_

President and Commander-in-Chief Luis Flores.
Vice-President Julio Llorente.
Commissioner of Police Gen. Arcadio Maxilom.
Treasurer-General Pablo Mejia.
Minister of Justice Miguel Logarta.
Secretary to the Council Leoncio Alburo.

_Military Department_

Chief-of-Staff Gen. Juan Climaco.
Military Administrator Arsenio Climaco.
(Half-caste Chinese
and cousins.)

_Municipal Council (Junta Popular)_

Mayor Julio Llorente.
Councillors Several citizens elected
by popular vote.

The above constitution was in conformity with a decree of General
Aguinaldo dated June 18, 1898, and countersigned by Apolinario
Mabini. Local representatives of the provincial government were
appointed throughout the Island for the collection of taxes and the
maintenance of order, and the system worked fairly smoothly until
the arrival of the Americans in Cebu City, February 21, 1899. On that
date the American gunboat _Petrel_ and a large steam-launch suddenly
appeared in Cebu harbour. The United States Vice-Consul seems to have
been the only person who had received prior advice of their intended
arrival. The commander of the _Petrel_ sent a message ashore saying
that he desired an interview with the government representatives
and that he demanded the surrender of the city, and gave 14 hours
to the people to consider his demands; but, as a matter of fact,
the negotiations lasted about 24 hours, during which time a council
of Filipinos was hurriedly called to decide upon the course the
provincial government should adopt. Very divergent a