Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-10-21
SITUATION At MANILA.
Otis Sends a Long Dispatch to the War
Department.
SICK LIST rs, INCREASING.
Fart of His Dispatch Not Made PuD-
lic-Disbelief In Washington OF
Any Fight Between Dew
ey and Insurgents.

lic-Dfsbclief In washington Oh
Any Fight Between Dew
ey and Insurgents.
Washington, Oct. p. - General Ofls
| las cabled the war department quite
ong dispatch regarding the conditions
Manila and the Philippines. The dis
,atch contains matters which bear on
the negotiations pending in Paris ana
will be cabled to the United states
peace commissioners. The dlspatch
saws the situation at Manila has i'm
proved. and General Otis says he does
not anticipate any trouble with the IN
,urgents. Part of the dispatch follows:
1.-THE situation in Iuzon somewhat
improved. Influence of Filipinos of ed
ication and property not desiring lnne-
pendent government, but hostile TO
Spain. gaining ascendency in revolu-
tionary councils. Promising nothing,
but enforcing the law. Complications
seriously affect interisland commerce
and diminish revenue. Affairs progress
ing favorably though sick reports IN
creasing, owing mostly to carelessness
Of enlisted men. Health of officers
good Condition of city and facilities
for quartering troops improving. Fever
decreasing. Intestinal troubles about
the same. Many slight ailments; small
box apparently arrested. During the
month 70 deaths--eght smallpox, eight
typhoid fever, five malarial and intes-
final complaints, three accidental"
General Otis cabled considerably more
than the above, but the department
does not deem it advisable to make the
other portions of the dispatch public
because of it's bearing upon the peace
negotiations. 1t contains suggestions
by General Otis regarding the DISPOSE
ton of the Philippines and also infor-
nation about the insurgents.
A sensational Spanish report of
naval battle between Admiral Dewey's
vessels and the insurgent navy in the
Philippines Is received with absolute
lncredulity in both the navy and war
departments. If there has been any r.
cent action Admiral Dewey has failed
to mention it, and neither General Otis
nor United States Consul Wildman has
regarded it as worthy Of notice.
What 1t Refers To.
1t is believed at the navy department.
that the Spanish authorities refer to
the seizure of the little ste Ably
by the McCulloch on Sept. % last. This
steamer was Of American register,
though formerly known as the Pasig.
1t was reported to Admiral Dewey that
she was bringing arms and supp les OF
war to the insurgents.
He sent the McCulloch to stop this
movement, but when the cutter found
the Abby in Bahamas bay, the latter
vessel had landed her cargo of arms,
and the insurgents refused to give tham
up. Thereupon the Abby was seized
and taken by the McCulloch to Manila.
This affair could not be dignified with
the name Of a naval engagement, and
Admiral Dewey, In reporting the seiz-
ure to the navy department, made little
Of 1t.
1t is just possible that there have
been some similar incidents not ened
worthy of report in the islands of u blu
or Panay, as 1t has been reported that
some insurgent vessels have been car
rying arms to spread the insurrection
In those islands and Dewey would have
repressed them. But the reports to the
navy department show that it is absurd
to speak OF an insurgent navy seriously,
schooners and one or two little coast
ing steamers, all put together not be-
ing a match for the least of the vessels |
under Dewey's command. The explana-
ton of the admral's interference with |
these vessels in their operations is !
desire on his part to maintain the status
quo in the Philippines pending the con-
clusion Of the peace commissions work |
in Paris.
Spanish Scholars Wanted.
One of the high officials connected
with the state department has called
attention to the necess'ty that already
confronts the United states govern
lnent of finding suitable corps OF
bright young men well versed in the
Spanish language IS we'll as English
to assist in the execution OF the colonial
policy which has now been ir,roscd up
on us as a result of the war. He point
ed to the difficulties that had been en-
countered by the American officials,
civil, naval and military. who had gone
to the Philippines, to Cuba and to Porto
Rico in their dealings with the inhabit-
ants Of those islands.
Hostile clashes might easily arise,
and at any rate serious disagreements
could be expected to follow from a fail
ure on the part of the governments
agents to secure perfect knowledge of
the expressions of the people whose af-
fairs they were to administer either
permanently or temporarily.
This condition had been encountered
at Cavite in the early days of the Unit.
ed States military occupation, and I'M
doubtedly in the opinion of the Off
cial referred to, the relations between
the military and the insurgents would
have been much more satisfactory and
safer had the United States had the
benefit of the services of loyal Ameri-
cans well acquainted with the Spanish
manners and customs.
He suggested that the time was ripe
for some of our leading educational in
stitutions to take this want into con-
sideration and endeavor to meet 1t by
providing a special course that would
afford the government trained agents
In case Of need as we'll as developing
a class Of enterprising commercial
agents who would be Of great value in
developing our colonial trade.
mn