He gave as his
reason for departure that he was going to remain under cover until
Artacho could be bought off, but he intended to go far afield for this
purpose, as he gave his destination as Europe and the United States.
"Aguinaldo and his companions probably sailed from Hongkong on April
8, 1898, and arrived in Singapore on April 21, after stopping in
Saigon. War between the United States and Spain had been rendered
inevitable by the resolution of Congress demanding that Spain should
withdraw her forces from Cuba, and was declared on April 21. Although
Aguinaldo and his followers did not appreciate the influence which
conditions on the other side of the world might have upon the future of
the Philippines, it happened that in Singapore at that time there was
an Englishman named Bray who did. He had been a member of the civil
service in India, and had lived for some years in the Philippines,
but he had fallen upon evil days and was engaged in writing letters
to the Singapore _Free Press_ upon the Philippines, and in retailing
such information as was in his possession concerning them to the
United States consul-general in Singapore, Mr. E. Spencer Pratt, for
transmittal to Commodore Dewey. Bray heard of the arrival of Aguinaldo
and realized what could be done with him, and that if the matter were
well handled it might be to his own advantage.
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