lly unexpected barrier to the realization of
our cherished plans for the emancipation of our beloved fatherland. I
am profoundly pleased to say that they succeeded, Artacho withdrawing
the suit through a transaction.

In accordance with the decision of the meeting above referred to, I
left Hongkong quietly on the 7th April, 1898, on board the steamship
_Taisany_, and after calling at Saigon I reached Singapore as a
passenger by the s.s. _Eridan_, landing there as secretly as possible
on the 21st April. I at once proceeded to the residence of one of
my countrymen.

Thus is explained the cause of the interruption of the vitally
important negotiations with Admiral Dewey, initiated by the Commander
of the _Petrel_.

But "Man proposes and God disposes" is a proverb which was verified
in its fullest sense on this occasion, for, notwithstanding the
precautions taken in my journey to avoid identification yet at
4 o'clock in the afternoon of the day I arrived at Singapore an
Englishman came to the house in which I was residing and in a cautious
manner stated that the United States Consul at that port, Mr. Spencer
Pratt, wished to have an interview with Don Emilio Aguinaldo. The
visitor was told that in that house they did not know Aguinaldo;
this being the prearranged answer for any callers.

But the Englishman returned to the house several times and persisted
in saying that it was no use trying to conceal the fact of Aguinaldo's
arrival for Consul Pratt had received notice from Admiral Dewey of
General Aguinaldo's journey to Singapore.

In reply, the Consul said he would telegraph about this matter to
Admiral Dewey, who was, he said, Commander-in-Chief of the squadron
which would invade the Philippines, and who had, he also stated,
full powers conferred on him by President McKinley.

Between 10 or 12 in the forenoon of the next day the conference was
renewed and Mr. Pratt then informed me that the Admiral had sent him
a telegram in reply to the wish I had expressed for an agreement in
writing. He said the Admiral's reply was--_That the United States
would at least recognize the Independence of the Philippines under
the protection of the United States Navy. The Consul added that there
was no necessity for entering into a formal written agreement because
the word of the Admiral and of the United States Consul were in fact
equivalent to the most solemn pledge that their verbal promises and
assurance would be fulfilled to t