Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-05-20


form baptism, matrimony or funera
rights, or to administer consolation, OF
grant absoution."
When the Boston and Concord re,
turned from conveying the McCullocl
To sea on her first trip from Manila
> to Hongkong, they stopped at Cor.
regidor Island and after capturing Il
gunboat destroyed the signal station
The absence of signals resulted in the
/ Calao entering the harbor uniformed
l of the change that had taken place
and her easy capture by the Ameri-
cans.
Major General Wesley Merritt's
name will be "mud," ii he does not
stop his back talk to the War Depart
mcnt. He says hc will not go unless
, certain number of regular troops
constitute part Of Il force suitable to
his rank. Such Il course is unusual in
military matters, and he may have to
answer for INSTRUMENTATION, if the Sec
rotary of War has the nerve to do what
is right.
The London Spectator urges Amer
lea to keep the Philippines; to raise a
colored army OF 10000 men, and with
this effective Sepoy army hold the
Philippines, Hawaii and Porto Rico,
paying the army of occupation out of
the local revenues. Continuing, the
Spectator says: "With such gar.
rison, these islands would be as safe as
a drawing room, and as full OF bust
ness as Broadway or the Strand"
The United States navy ranks fourth
in Importance with the leading powers.
England, France and Russia stand
first in the order named. Spain
stands eighth in the row, and is pre-
coded by the United States, Japan,
Italy and Germany, in the order
named. England's navy consists of
1,34O vessels, Frances 2O7, Russia's
10Y, the United States 80, Japan and
Italy and Germany's 70, and SPANS
a vessels for actual fighting.
The new battleship Alabama was
launched from Cramps ways Wednes-
day at noon. The launching was
private, the yard being under guard.
Miss Morgan, daughter of Senator
Morgan, performed the ceremony of
christening. 1t will be fully six
months before the ship will be able
to enter the service. The Alabama
is one of the three powerful sea- going
battleships, to cost $3,75000O each
without armament, authorized by act
Of June 10, 1896. She is a sister ship
to the Wisconsin and the Illinois, now
under construction.
A Madrid newspaper says that if
any alliance, defensive or offensive, is
signed between the United States and
Great Britain the same day the general
confagration will burst out which has
been SO long suppressed by the powers.
1t must be admitted, however, that
SPANS prophecies concerning the acts
OF other nations so far have been ex-
ceedingly at fault. 1t is more than
mere conjecture that the Don's judy
ment is largely influenced by self-in-
terest. Whatever they want done is
what the other powers are going to do
they fondly believe.
A Madrid dispatch received in New
York by the World, Tuesday, says that
the Spanish fleet was to leave Cadiz
Immediately for the Philippines to re-
capture Cavite, or enable Manila to
hold out against capture till Euro
pean nations intervene. Five battal-
ions OF 100 men each are to be sent,
of picked men, and the expedition will |
60 by way of the Suez canal. 1t seems
from this that our venerable Uncle |
has not been too premature in getting
q move on for reinforcement of Adj
miral Dewey, and it will be well for
him to keep shown"
1t seems that the task of holding
the Philippine Islands is greater one
than had been contemplated and that
if occupation is to be made effective at
least 10000 troops will be necessary.
Nearly 10000 Spaniards will oppose
the landing of our soldiers and it is
feared the insurgents in the interior
may prove as troublesome as the Span
iards in Manila. If Spain sends her
feet to the Philippines, at least 10000 |
troops will be necessary. 1t is said
that these conditions are giving the
President more trouble than the
whereabouts of the Spanish fleet.
"There will unquestionably be Sec
ond call for volunteers" said a we'll
known Western Senator, who holds
intimate personal relations with Sec
rotary Alger. "To properly hold the
Philippines we shall find $4,000 to 5O,-
600 none too many. To clean up mat
tiers in Cuba in a quick manner, we
shall need not far from 100000. With
regulars and volunteers already in the
field we find ourselves short about 75..
600 men. l understand the President
is considering call for 100000 addi-
tional volunteers. also understand
Secretary Alger and Gen. Miles agree
1 nal, 1a D~oa,Ia~kO