26 NOVEMBER 1898, Page 3

The Times' correspondent at Manila reports that two American officers

have recently explored Luzon, and were everywhere well received. They found the island, which is ,arger than England, splendidly fertile, and were surprised at the comparative civilisation of its people. At one place, Dagen, they were entertained with a theatrical performance and a ball by people who wear European dress, and are "a surprisingly cultured class." They are bitterly hostile to the Spaniards, but willingly obey Aguinaldo's agents. The account reads to us as if it were intended to serve a purpose, but it is true that the Tagals take readily to the externals of civilisation, and the half-castes could easily organise antertainments which seemed to explorers who had expected 3avagery, quite European. For all that the Filipinos require government from above for at least a century.