The San Francisco call., 1898-05-13
Dewey Awaits Orders Be- fore Attacking the Span
 iardS Ashore.
Famine Threatens the City -Ad- miraI MontijO BlameS His
 Own Government.

form the tranquil character of our tropical temperaments.
 While the ladies and children in car riages or on foot fled in fright to seek refuge in the outlying suburbs and ad- jacent villages around the capital from dangers multiplied by their imagina- tions, every man, from the most stately parsonage to the most humble work man, merchants, mechanics, SpaniardS, natives, soldiers, civilians, all we re- peat, sought their stations and put on their arms, confident that never should the enemy land at Manila unless he passed over their corpses. Although from the first moment the strength of the enemyS armor and power of his guns demonstrated that his ships were inVulnerable to our energies and our armamentS, the hostile squadron would never have entered our bay had not it's safety been guaranteed by it's man. fest superiority. The city walls, church towers, roofs of high buildings and all high places convenient for observation were occupied by those who were not retained by their military duties with in the walls, on bridges or at advanced posts.
 The slightest details of the enemy's S ships were eagerly noted as they ad- vanced toward Cavite, in line paral- Tel with the beaches of Manila, as though they had just come out of the Pasig River. There were no gaps in the line, but the curious public hardly realized the disparity between their great guns and the pieces mounted on our Qualifications. Some had glasses and others were without them, but all seemed to devour with their eyes these strangers, who, while brave, were not called upon to show their courage, since the range of their guns and the weakness of our batteries enabled them to preserve immunity, while do- ing as much harm as they pleased All who appreciated the impunity with which the hostile ships maneuvered as if on harmless parade were full of such rage and desperation as belong to the brave man who can make no use of his courage.
 WASHINGTON, May 12-The United States will establish a temporary gov ernment oyer the Philippine Islands. Orders have been issued for Major General Merritt, now commanding the Department of the East at New York, to proceed to Manila with the least possible delay for the purpose of as- suming the office of military Governor of the Philippines. Similar orders to proceed to the Philippines were sent to Major General E. s. Otis, commanding the Department of the Colorado, at Denver, who has recently been released from duty as president of the court martial which tried Captain o. M. Car ter of the engineer corps.
 Orders to General Otis direct him to report to General Merritt for duty un- der his direction in the Philippine Isl ands. General Otis will be second in command al,d will act as military Gov ernor of the islands in case of the ab- sence or disability of General Merritt.
 Orders were also issued for an army corps of about 2.000 men for immedi- ate duty in the Philippines. This corps will be made up of regulars and volun- teer organizations stationed on the Pa cific Coast and in the far Western States General Merritt was at the War Department to-day in consultation with the Secretary of War, General Miles and the bureau chiefs with re- gard to the organization of the expedi- tion.
 Prompt action will be had in the matter with a view to having the troops make an early start on their long voyage across the Pacific, Gen eral Merritt will leave this afternoon for New York to arrange his private affairs preparatory to departure for San Francisco as soon as possible. Complete arrangements have been made for the equipment, transporta tion and subsistence of the troops and they will be able to start for Manila shortly after the arrival at San Fran cisco