Esta mañana les ha llegado a los yanquis un barco mercante con bandera inglesa que parece traía pliegos oficiales del Gobierno de Wasington (sic). A las 12 horas visita al Gral. el Vice Cónsul inglés y el Cónsul Belga, Traía el Cónsul inglés un pliego firmado por Dewey y Merrit, cuyo contenido era poco más o menos el siguiente: pudiera ser que dentro de 48 horas atacáramos la plaza por mar y tierra. Se lo decimos a usted con esta anticipación para que tenga tiempo de poner á salvo la gente indefensa. El Gral. ha contestado á los yanquis que bien sabían ellos que no podía sacar de la plaza á la gente indefensa por estar los insurrectos casi á las puertas de Manila. El Cónsul Belga que traía en el bolsillo las condiciones de la capitulación por si el Gral. hubiese deseado conocerlas, se las ha guardado sin decir palabra al oír la respuesta de este. La noticia del próximo bombardeo ha corrido como un rayo por la ciudad, y toda la gente se ha aprestado como podía á la defensa. Los militares no descansan un momento acarreando carros de pólvora y balas de cañón y aprestos de guerra.
This morning, a merchant vessel with the English flag seems to have brought to the Yankees official letters from the Washington government. At noon, the English vice-consul and the Belgian consul visited the captain general. They were bringing an official dispatch signed by Dewey and Merritt, whose message was more or less as follows. It is possible within forty-eight hours we would attack the plaza on land and by water. We forewarn Your Excellency that you may have time to evacuate to safety the civilian population. The captain general answered the Yankees knew fully well they could not evacuate the civilians because the insurgents are almost at the very doors of Manila. The Belgian consul who brought in his pocket the peace conditions in case the captain general would want to know them kept quiet on hearing the latter’s answer. News of this next bombardment spread like lightning through the city and all the people prepared for the defense. The military do not stop for one moment bringing in chariots of gunpowder and cannon shot, and other war materiel. It seems Commodore Dewey was surprised at the unexpected destitution of Gen. Augustin who, five times, had refused his attempts for a parley, telling Dewey to do what he intended as he himself knew what to do.