The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-08
And 1t Is Expected 5000 Troops Will Be in
the Philippines Within Month.
Army and Navy Officers Amazed at Loss Inflicted on
Spaniards and Dewey's Unparalleled Ex-
emption from Casualties

United States and by the United States
only, as might best serve the interests OF
the Nation.
An Associated Press dispatch says: As
soon as the news from Commodore
Dewey to-day lad been fairly absorbed by
the officials of the Navy Department they
turned their attention to the future. 1t was
already in contemplation to send American
troops to relieve this squadron of the neces-
sty of occupying Manila and the forts if
Admiral Lewey should call for them Al
| though he made no such request in his ca
blegram to-day. the officials gathered from
it's text that he was not in Complete pos
session of the city and they Immediately
ascribed this to lack of men to occupy it.
Therefore Secretary Long stated that with
out awaiting further advices the govern-
ment would send troops to reinforce Adj
miral Dewey with all promptitude Secre-
tary Alger and General Miles were COM
municated with on the subject and they inn
/, mediately planned all necessary arrangsg
ments for the sending of an expedition frorH
San Francisco. These plans will be put
INTO immediate execution. The City Of Pekin
is expected at San francisco to-day. and
| the Mare Island navy-yard people promised
to have her in condition to receive trooDs
and supplies by next Thursday Mean
while Director Grifing, of the navy pay
office, will make every effort to get to-
gether some more swift merchant steamers
10 serve as transports. 1t Is not doubted
that sufficient number of these can readily
DO secured from among the swift and pow
erlul steamers of the great ocean liners
starting from San Francisco.
General Miles thought about 5000 troops
would suffice to reinforce Dewey. with ves-
sells Ike the City of Pekin no trouble would
% round In carrying these to the PhiIip-
pines in six ships within three weeks. II i.
the present purpose to start the expedition
on the 18th, week from tomorrow Tha
troops will be taken from the West main-
~ Senator Shoup was the first In the
held with bid for his people for the Phsl-
lppine campaign. The War Department
promised to take one of the infantry com-
pahles from Idaho. Other troops will be
ora"h from Washington and California.
There are eight companies of United States
regulars in San Francisco harbor, and they
probably will be dispatched their places IN
the coast defense being taken by the four
cavalry companies at the Presidio and
some OF the six companies Of the Fourteenth
infantry now at Vancouver Barracks.
The officials at the Navy Department. a.
well as army officers who were on duty al
the War Department, were amazed at The
extent of the mortality inflicted upou +ho
Spanish by Admiral" Dewey. for. g,o,n
the moment when Secretary Long sem IL.
dispatch of congratulation the commodora
became an admiral. Officers scratched their
heads in vain to think Of any genuine hou-
tie engagement between armed forces that
had been so one-sided in its results as ,ha
battle OF Manila and the subsequent en-
sagements. Never before, save when soma
terrible accident, such as the blowing I'm
OF ship. had occurred, was there record
OF such result. The opinion was ex-
pressed by strategists that. with superb
Judgment, Dewey absolutely smothered the
fire of the Spanish batteries and ships un-
der the weight of his metal before they
had opportunity to make any effective re-
sponse. 1t is likely that he took up his po-
sition at a distance that placed his ships
beyond the range of the old-fashioned ord
nance that formed nine-tenths or more of
the defensive power of the enemy, shellina
them into silence, and escaping hits mean-
time from the few pieces of modern ord
nance that could be trained on him. OF
course, this opinion is speculative, but il
represents the views of some of the ablest
strategists in the Navy Department. Ad-
miral Dewey speaks of the Spanish sick
and wounded In hospital within our lines
There can be but one Interpretation placed
upon this, namely, that the admiral has &C.
cupled Cavite, considerable town about
seven miles towards the mouth of the bav
from Manila. He has thus, supposing he
goes no further, secured a naval base for
the American heet. which VIII servs