Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-19

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washington, May 17.-The dispatches
from Hongkong brought welcome news
from Admiral Dewey to the president,
anu particularly 10 Secretary Long and
the naval officials who are watching
the admiraPs movements with so much
interest. While no apprehension ex-
listed as to his security nevertheless re-
assurance of safety is always pleasant.
The kilograms indicate that Dewey has
lost none of the prestige gained in his
memorable fight Of two weeks ago,
ana that while he refrains from taking
the city of Manila he has it practically
at his mercy. The admiral expresses
the belief that the rebels are hemming
the city by land, but the fact that he
says explicitly that they have made no
demonstration seems to disprove
thoroughly the published reports that
they lad already entered Manila and
had tegan a career of bloodshed and
rapine. The best evidence of the eff
fe~ctiyeness of the blockade maintained
by n American admiral and also of
the work OF the insurgents in surround
ing the city is shown in the statements
In the dispatches that provisions are
scarce in the city of Manila, which
seems to indicate to Commodore Dew
ey
An Early Surrender
by the Spanish authorities. Another
published report seems also to be re-
futed by the admiral's advices, and
that is that the rebels had raided
Cavite, where the Spanish naval sta
ton was located and where, presuma-
bly,, large supplies Of arms and ammu-
milton were kept. If the rebels have
been supplying themselves with arms
it must have been with the admiraTs
consent, as his dispatch is originally
dated from Cavite. indicating that he
Is still In possession. The greatest sat
isfaction prevails here over the good
work being done and the effectiveness
of the blockade being maintained by
him. The dispatch as given by
Secretary Long is as follows:
Cavite. May 13, via Hongkong. -
Maintaining strict blockade. Reason
to believe that the rebels are hemming
in the city by land but have made no
demonstration. Scarcity Of provisions
in Manila. Probable that the Spanish
governor will be obliged to surrender
soon. Can take Manila at any moment.
Climate hot and moist. On May u
captured gunboat Callao attempting to
run blockade. Have plenty coal. One
British, n French, two German, one
Japanese vessels here observing.
Dewey.
The officials are making
All Possible Haste
to rush troops to supplement Admiral
Dewey's forces so that il the Spanish
governor does surrender the former
will not be dependent upon the small
number of marines which he ear lily
| spare from his ships, but will have the
assistance of soldiers in holding his po-
sition and maintaining order. 1t is con
fidently hoped here that the City of
Picking, chartered as a transport ves-
sci, will be able to clear from San
Francisco in a very short time, to be
followed In rapid succession by the
other three ships engaged for 4 similar
purpose. The Picking a carry 1000
men. which, with the marines aboard
the Charleston, just about to sail, will
be of considerable assistance to the ad-
miral, but far from the number which
he will need. The total number of men
to be sent will aggregate probably 12,-
600. Maj. Gen. Gesley Merritt, who is
to command the expedition and subse-
| uuently to be made military governor,
regards that as the least which can
maintain order In a city like Manila
made up of many discordant elements.
Over ten regiments of infantry and
four batteries of artillery from the
volunteers have been ordered to con-
centrate at San Francisco, and from
these and the regulars now in the ex-
IRENE West will be taken for
The Philippine Expedition.
1t is expected here that practically
all the volunteers will go. Secretary
Long was at the navy department sew
eral times during the day, and in addi-
ton to the dispatch from the admiral
he authorized the publication of the
statement that the torpedo boat Terror,
belonging to the Spanish feet, was dis
abled at Port of France, Martinique.
There was a 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 a 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 central point. None of the
officials, however, would express them
selves on the subject. Secretary Long
also public a message which had been
received from Key West telling Of the
departure Of the United States vessel
Uncas, in command Of Capt. Brainari.
She is bound for some point In Cuba
with a view to securing the release OF
two American prisoners under a flag
of truce in exchange for Spanish pris-
oners held by this government.