The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-19
WAR SITUATION.
No pprehsnsion At Washington A. to
the afsty Of Adm. Dewey.
Gratifying Progress being Made In the
Mastering In of the Volunteer Forces
Sixty Thousand Troops Had been
Mustered In Up to Sunday.

Mustered In Up to Sunday.
WASHINGTON, May 16. = The dis.
patches from Hong Kong brought well
come news Sunday from Adm. Dewey
to the president and particularly to
Secretary Long and the naval officials
who are watching the admiral's move
ments with SO much interest. While
no apprehension existed as to his Sc
curity, nevertheless reinsurance of
safety is always pleasant The tele-
grams indicate that Dewey has lost
none of the prestige gained in his
memorable fight of two weeks ago,
and that while he refrains from
taking the city of Munila, he has
it practically at his mercy. The ad-
miral expresses the belief that the reb-
els are hemming in the city by land
but the fact that he says explicitly
that they have made no demonstration
seems to disprove thoroughly the pub
lished reports that they had already
entered Manila and had begun career
of bloodshed and rapine. The best
evidence of the effectiveness of the
blockade maintained by the American
admiral, and also OF the work of the in
surgents in surrru.,ding the city is
shown in the statements in the dis
patches that provisions are scarce
in the city of Manila which seems
to indicate to Adm. Dewey an early
surrender by the spanish authorities.
Another published report serns also
to be refuted by the aoniral's advices
and that is that the rebels had raided
Cavite where the Spanish naval station
was located and where presumably
large supplies of arms and ammunition
were kept. If the rebels have been
supplying themselves with arms it
must have been with the admiral's
consent as his dispatch is originally
dated from Cavite indicating that he is
still in possession. The greatest salts
faction prevails here over the good
work being done and the effectiveness
of the blockade being maintained.
The officials are making all possible
haste to rush troops to supplement-
Adm. Dewey's forces SO that if the
Spanish governor does surrender the
former will not be dependent upon the
small number of marines which he can
lily spare from his ships, but will have
the assistance of soldiers in holding
his position and maintaining order.
1t is confidently hoped here that the
City of Peking, chartered as a trans
port vessel will be able to clear
from San Francisco in a very
short time, to be followed in rapid
succession by the other three ships en-
gagged for a similar purpose The
Peking can carry 1000 men, which,
with the marines aboard the Charles
ton just about to sail, will be of con-
siderable assistance to the admiral.
but far from the number which he will
need. The total number of men to be
sent will aggregate probably $4,000,
as Maj Gen. Wesley Merritt, who
is to command the expedition and
subsequently to be made military gov
ernor. regards that as the least which
can maintain order in city like
Manila, made up of many discordant
elements. Over ten regiments of in
fantry and four batteries of artillery
from the volunteers have been ordered
to concentrate at San Francisco, and
from these aud the regulars now in
the extreme west will be taken the
men for the Philippine expedition. 1t
is expected here that practically all
the volunteers will 60.
Secretary Long was at the navy de-
partment several times during the day,
and in addition to the dispatch from
the admiral, he authorized the publi-
cation of the statement that the tor
pedo boat Terror belonging to the
Spanish Meet was disabled at Port of
France, Martinique. The dispatch is
as follows:
Spanish torpedo boat Terror dis
abled at Port of France, Martinique"
There was q disposition among some
OF those who saw this statement to re-
gard it with suspicion, suggesting that
the report of disability was intended
simply as blind and that the Spanish
government had caused it to be spread
SO that no complaint could be made to
France on account of the stay of the
boat at a neutral port. None Of the
officials, however, would express them.
selves ON the subject
At the state ana war departments
the officials were on hand in many of
the bureaus for the greater part OF the
day. Secretary Day and Assistant
Secretaries Adee and Cridler were at
their desks. Secretary Day said that
he had NO important news to comm ,Sni-
cate to the press, nor had he any c,m.
ment to make on the ad,ices from
Madrid telling Of the designations of
the entire Spanish ministry.
In Adjt Gen. Corbin's Office, war de-
partment, important action in the as
signinent of volunteer troops to the
various mobilizing points was taken
during the day. The order Of assign.
ment shows that there has been some
change regarding the points to which
volunteers shall be sent, as great
portion Of them go to Chick amauRa.