The San Francisco call., 1898-10-12
MAJOR SIMPSON
 BRINGS GENERAL
 OTIS REPORT Troops May Be Kept in the Islands. RETURN OF THE NEWPORT GENERAL MERRITT WAS GLAD TO LEAVE MANILA. Several Sick Soldiers Home Again, but the Main Body Will Come
 on Board the Rio
 Janeiro.
RETURN OF THE NEWPORT
GENERAL MERRITT WAS GLAD
 TO LEAVE MANILA.

September 13, via Nagasaki, but did not call at Honolulu. The Newport car ried only ten passengers, among them
 being Major w. A. Simpson, formerly adjutant on the staff of General Otis, and who is on his way to Washington; Captain James G. Blaine Jr., Lieuten- ant Conklin, Douglass White, c. c. Carl ton, Washington correspondent of The Call; Pierre BOeringer, The Calls ar tist, who accompanied the first expedi- tion to the islands, and five or six pri- vate soldiers, viz, J. Vetenburg, Will liam Roe, W. S. Saylor and O. R. Barnes of the Twelfth Minnesota, who has either been honorably dis charged or granted leave by reason of physical disability. The main body of sick and disabled soldiers will, however, come on the Rio Janeiro. There will be nearly 150 of them in all, in charge of Dr. Daywalt, and among them are a number of Californians, whose names are published elsewhere. There is still large number of sick soldiers left in the hospital at Manila, for it was thought best only to remove those who were well able to stand the long voy- age. When the Newport sailed 1t was QuuGTSlOOQ lIlGl IIlG INIO OdIIctIO WOulO leave on Thursday September 15, two days later than the Newport, although it was not absolutely settled that she would sail on that date. The Rio was to cross to HongkOng and then steam to Nagasaki. If she sailed on the ex- pected date she will be due in San Francisco in about four or five days, as she had orders to sail only ten knots an hour, the same slow rate of speed made by the Newport.
 The latter vessel brought little news
 Everything in the Philippines was in statu quo, the Americans, Spaniards and Filipinos alike awaiting news from the Paris commission, as well as from the Filipino Congress-" which was called by Aguinaldo to meet at Malo- los, just north of Manila, in October. Rumors of conspiracy among the Spanish clericals were rife, and were given some credenCe at the army head quarters. It was thought that the Spanish clerical party was endeavOr- ing to create discord among the Fill pino soldiers, already disappointed and at not being able to enter Manila under arms, and that General Juan Blanco might be melted to com init some overt act against the Ameri- can troops, so that active warfare would seem to be yet in progress when the commission met in Paris to con- sider among other things, the disposi- tion of the Philippines Indeed, an out break was looked for at any time. On September 12 there were reports of trouble in the Malate district Troops were hurried across the bay from Ca vite and from other points, but upon their arrival at Malate found every thing quiet.
 Major Simpson has been assigned to duty in Washington, and carries with him to the capital official reports from General Otis. The major politely de clined to discuss the nature of General Otis report, but 1t is generally under stood to contain nothing of importance, | 1t being merely report of the condi- l ton of the various troops; but from the fact that most, if not all. of the trans ports have either returned or will in the near future, 1t would seem to be the plan to keep the troops in the islands for an indefinite period. Nothing posi- 1 tive will be known concerning the dis position of the island troops, however. until after the conclusion of the Paris | conference
 Captain Blaine did not have long to remain in the islands. He went over on the St. Paul. one of the last vessels to arrive at Manila and had hardly a chance to look around before he was ordered to return. He Is on his way to Washington.
 MT Carlton, Washington correspond ent of The Call, realizing that the dis position of the Philippines would be one of the most important matters dis CuSSed in Washington at this winters session, especially when the Senate is called upon to ratify the treaty of peace, made a trip to Manila, going via the Suez canal.
 Tn Hongkong I had the pleasure of meeting General Merritt who was en route to Paris said he to a Call rep resentative last night. 1T think he was very glad to leave Manila. He did not find 1t a desirable place even for temporary residence. 1 was one of a | small party congregated in the Hong | kong Hotel, where General Merritt was stopping. Some one put this very frank, although abrupt, question to i him:
 General, what shall we do with the PhiIippines%
 How are we going to get rid of them?' he asked in return.
 This was considered by all of those l present as quite significant of General | Merritt's attitude with respect to the | islands before the commission at Paris | and it was thought, too-and very req sonably-that General Merritt's advice | might be very considerable factor in shaping the policy of the administra- ton. As for my own personal views | as to our retention or rejection of the | islands, I will not intrude them upon | the public, for do not believe any one would be interested in knowing.
 ''As for the situation In the islands when we left Manila, The Calls read CTS may find it fully reported in a let ter from Mir. Sheridan. correspondent at Manila.
 "At Nagasaki we saw the Zealandia, | which as you have doubtless been told | by the China's passengers, was caught | in a typhoon off the island of Formosa | Her repairs were nearly completed and | her captain thought that possibly she | might be ready to sail on Sunday, fol- | lowing the Newport's departure. This 1 would be five days later.
 Doubtless you have heard of the suicide of Chaplain Freeman of the Baltimore. He was on the Zealandia, l bound for Yokohama, where he was to meet his wife. after a long absence from her. According to the Zealan- dia's officers and passengers, the chap | lain was a man of delicate physique | and nervous temperament. He was moody and subject to fits of melan- choly. When he spoke, which was at rare intervals, 1t was of his wife and of his home at Logansport, Indiana Ills companions on the boat attributed |