Criticism Of Germany

Washington, Au?. 16.- The extraordinary news contained in dispatches from Hong Kong of the arrival there on board the Germán cruiser Empress Augusta of General Augusti, the governorin-chief of the Philippine islands, and who until Thursday last, when the vessel sailed from Hong Kong, was in command of the beieagured city, constitutes a gross breach of the laws of neutrality, unless Admiral Dewey or General Merritt consented to the Spanish commander's departure, which is on the fact of it improbable. At the time when the Empress Augusta left Manila with the general on board no news could possibly have been received there of the fact that the war was within a few hours of its close. This being the case, the Germán authorities in receiving General Augusti on board have perpetrated another one of ihose untriendiy aces which have characterized their entire behaviorsince Admiral Dewey commenced the siege of Manila. The matter, of course, would be infinitely more serious had the war not been brought to a close. For by taking away the Spanish commander-inchief, the captain of the Empress Augusta would have diminished the importance of . the capture of the beieagured city in the event of its having fallen or surrendered. As a prisoner, the captain general would, in the event of the continuance of war, have possessed considerable valué to the United States for the purpose of exchange, and the Germán cruisers in rescuing the commanding Spanish general from capture by the American besieging force committed just as reprehensible an act towards thia country as if he had carried off Spanish treasure, Spanish guns. or Spanish colors, which would otherwise have fallen into the hands of the American army as the lawful spoils of war.