he letter and were not to be classed
with Spanish promises or Spanish ideas of a man's word of honour. In
conclusion the Consul said, "The Government of North America, is a
very honest, just, and powerful government._"

Being informed of what had been said by the visitor I consented to
meet Consul Pratt, and had a strictly private interview with him
between 9 and 12 p.m. on 22nd April, 1898, in one of the suburbs
of Singapore. As soon as Mr. Pratt met me he said that war had been
formally declared by the United States against Spain the day before,
_i.e._, on the 21st April.

In the course of the interview alluded to, Consul Pratt told me that as
the Spaniards had not fulfilled the promises made in the Biak-na-bato
Agreement, the Filipinos had the right to continue the revolution
which had been checked by the Biak-na-bato arrangement, and after
urging me to resume hostilities against the Spaniards he assured
me that the United States would grant much greater liberty and more
material benefits to the Filipinos than the Spaniards ever promised.

I then asked the Consul what benefits the United States would confer
on the Philippines, pointing out at the same time the advisability
of making an agreement and setting out all the terms and conditions
in black and white.

Being as anxious to be in the Philippines as Admiral Dewey and the
North American Consul--to renew the struggle for our Independence--I
took the opportunity afforded me by these representatives of the United
States, and, placing the fullest confidence in their word of honour,
I said to Mr. Pratt (in response to his persistent professions of
solicitude for the welfare of my countrymen) that he could count upon
me when I returned to the Philippines to raise the people as one man
against the Spaniards, with the one grand object in view as above
mentioned, if I could take firearms with me to distribute amongst my
countrymen. I assured him that I would put forth my utmost endeavours
to crush and extinguish the power of Spain in the islands and I added
that if in possession of one battery of a dozen field-guns I would
make the Spaniards surrender Manila in about two weeks.

The Consul said he would help me to get over to the Philippines the
consignment of arms in respect of which I had made the preliminary
arrangements in Hongkong, and he added that he would at once telegraph
to Admiral Dewey informing him of this promise in order that the
Admiral might give wh