Situation At Manila

Hong Kong, June 28. - The eruiser Charleston and the troopships from San Francisco are expected to arrive here, in company with the Baltimore, which sailed to meet them some days ago. It is expected ihat their arrival will be followed soon by a movement against Manila on the part of the American forces. These active operations, it is believed, will begin eariy next week. In the meantime the Spanish authorities are strengthening the defenses o the city and are preparing for an ob stinate resistance. They have plucke up courage from the remarkable concentration of Germán vvarships in the bay. The newspapers of Manila say that the friendliness of Admiral von Diederichs has created a feeling of complacency throughout the city, the people believing that a bombardment will be averted by the interference of the Germans if Admiral Dewey undertakes to reduce the defenses by shelling the erarrison. Germany's entire Asiatic fleet is gath ering here. The Kaiserin Augusta, th Kaiser, the Princess Wilhelm, the Cor moran and the Irene have already ar rived and the Deutschland and th Geflon are expected soon. These repre sent the entire Germán fieet on th China station, with the exception of th Arcona. The transport Darmstadt wil arrive with relief crews for the Germán ships. The Germán? on their arriva fired salutes in honor of the Spanish port. This is something which neither the English nor the Frenen commanders have done. The object of the demonstration is unknown. It is not surprising that the Spaniards find hope in the attitude of Germans. Two English warships, the Immortalite and the Bonaventure; two French warships, the Pascal and the Bruix. and one Japanese warship are here. On June 15 the insurgents captured San Fernando and Maseabaebe, after desperate fighting in which sixty Spanish were killed, including General Ricardo Monet. Over 1,000 Spanish soldiers were taken prisoners as the result of the tion of these two tovvns. This battle caused the complete overthrow of the Spanish torces in Pampanges province. Señora Augusti, wife of the Spanish captain generai, and their five children, who were captured by the insurgents some days ago in the interior, will be brought to Cavite, where they will have safe keeping under the protection of General Aguinaldo. Admiral von Diederichs, commanding the Germán squadron, unofh'cially requested their Iiberation. Aguinaldo refused this request. basing it on the necessity for holding the lady and her children as hostages to insure the insurgent prisoners in Manila against Spanish cruelty. On the request of Mr. Walker, the British consul, Aguinaldo has delivered up 185 wounded Spanish soldiers, who were prisoners in his hands, to the care of Spanish surgeons in Manila.