Show INSURGENTS IN POSSESSION Take Hollo Before Defore the American Troops Arrive Washington Dec 29 A A dispatch has been received from General Otis that confirms the fears of the officials of the war department as to what had taken place at Iloilo It appears that the American had arrived too lateon late lateon lateon on the scene scene and that the insurgents had added to the difficulty of the problem problem lem hem already presented by hoisting their flag over the city which they had been besieging for mon months The news was contained in the following dispatch dispatch dispatch dis dis- patch from General Otis Manila Dec 27 Adjutant Adjutant General Genera Washington D. D C. C Sent Colonel Potter Potter Potter Pot Pot- ter on fast vessel to Iloilo on to communicate with Spanish General Rios Latter Batter evacuated evening of thirty nine hours late Insurgents took possession of city on and Potter found Aguinaldo's flag flying Cannot now report probable probable able oble results will not hear from there for to four r days as ls no cabs ab unica- unica t e p eve e a stations in southern islands except Mindanao by orders they say Bay from Madrid OTIS Signed The evacuation by the Spaniards of all the Philippine ports as reported by General Otis although doubtless inspired inspired inspired in in- by a desire to secure by concentration undoubtedly has done much to complicate the problem already presen presented ted to the war department department department depart depart- ment of extending the military jurisdiction jurisdiction juris juris- diction of the United States over the islands It will now be necessary to expedite the execution of the original plans and it may be fairly expected that within a a. week important events will have happened in the Philippines It is presumed that hat General Otis will demand the surrender of Iloilo Ilono into his hands and this demand may at ot once raise the issue between the insurgents and our own government of possession of the islands |