The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12
MASSACRE TO BE PREVENTED
PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY ADMIRAL
DEWEY TO SAVE THE CITIZENS.
Details of the Negotiations Between
the Insurgent Leaders and the
American Representatives.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 11.-Major Gen
eral Merritt wants more troops. He is now
in communication with Washington on the
subject and hopes to receive word within a
few hours that additional forces have been
granted him. General Mirritt contemplates
leaving San Francisco for Manila two weeks
from to-day and is desirous that his expedi-
tionary forces shall precede him to the Phil
ippines. With the troops that arrived yes
terday and to-day he has a force of about
5000. 1t is said that during the past twen-
ty-four hours the governor general has been
in constant communication with the War
Department and has finally demanded that
the full quota, 20 co., shall be filed for him.
So far as now known the third expedition
will consist of the transports Para, Ohio,
Indiana, Victoria, Olympia, Arizona and
possibly the City of Puebla. The steamship
Peru is the next Pacific mail vessel due
from China. She is American ship and
may be taken for transport. The City of
Rio de Janeiro and the Alameda
are also likely TO be chartered OF
impressed into service when they ar
rive from across the Pacific. The gov
eminent has fixed the following war
valuation on Pacific mail steamers already
taken: City of Peking, $65O,OOO; City of
Sydney, $475,OO0; China, $500 200; Colon,
$3.50 900. If any of these vessels should be
destroyed by the enemy the government
would have to pay the valuation. If any
of the vessels are lost by. the action of the
elements the company must stand the loss.
The government, it is understood, pays $500
a day for the use of the Zelandia and Aus
tralia- For the tug Fearless $15O,OOO was
paid, the tug Active, $4,000, and the tug
Vigilant $4,000. The collers Peter Jebson
and Whitgift cost the nation $125, 900 each.
The charter price of the Morgan City is
$500 day. The Senator and City of Puebla,
having been seized, must be returned intact
or their value paid to the Pacific Coast
Steamship Company. 1t is regarded as prob
able that they were impressed because Sem
ator Perkins is one of the owners and no
member of Congress can be a party TO
contract with the government
Seven batteries of light artillery will go
to Manila if present plans are carried out.
orders have been issued for Batteries Is, II,
X and L. of the Third Artillery, now at the
Presdio to join the command of General
Merritt for duty in the Philippines Light
Batteries d and G., from the Sixth Artillery,
stationed at Washington barracks and Fort
Myer, Virginia, will leave Tuesday for San
Francisco. They will also report to General
Merritt. Besides the batteries now at the
Preside and those from the Sixth, the ex-
pedition will have the Utah artillery. A bat
terry of mountain howitzers for use in the
Philippines has arrived at the Preside. 1t
has been placed in charge of Lieut.. Carson.
Recruits to the number of $40 arrived from
Fort Mcpherson to-day to go into camp
at Camp Merritt. The Red Cross Society
breakfasted the men at the society's head
quarters near the ferry slip, and distributed
bouquets of flowers to them just before the
march to Camp Merritt commenced. The
new arrivals are well equipped-lacking
arms only-and these will be furnished from
stores now in this city.
1t is semi-officially announced that Briga-
dier General H. G. Otis has chosen for ad-
jutant general of the Fourth Brigade Capt.
Murphy, son of United States Senator Muir
ply, of New York and for brigade quarter
master Captain A. w. Kimball, son of Col.
Amos S. Kimball L. S. "A, at present de-
pot quartermaster at New York city.
The steamer Centennial, which was re-
jected by the government, will be reinspect-
ed as her owners insist that she is thor
oughly seaworthy, despite statements to the
contrary. The Zellandia, Colon and China
are being loaded with supplies and are ex-
pected to be ready for departure early next
week. The Senator and Morgan City are
being fitted up for the troops, and both these
vessels will be ready by the end of the next
week. They were built for the Klondke
trade and have a large carrying capacity,
and a few days work will put them in shape
as transports.