The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-05-17

Troops and Supplies on the Way
to NIariIn.
washington, May 1.-THE dispatches
from Hongkong brought welcome news
from Admiral Dewey to the president.
and particularly to 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,
ard that while he refrains from taking
the city of Manila he has It practicable
at his mercy. The admiral expresses
the belibf that the, rebels are hemmillg
the city by land but the fact that lie
says explicitly that they have made no
demonstration seems to disprove
thoroughly the published reports that
they had already entered Manila and
had began a career of bloodshed and
rapine. The best evidence of the eff
fectiveness of the blockade maintained
by the American admiral and also of
the work Of the insurgents in surround
ing the city is shown i'll 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 admiraPs 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 admiraIs
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 out by
Secretary Long is as follows:
Cavite, May -; via Hohgkohg. =
Maintaining strict blockade. Reason
to believe that the rebels are hemming
IN the city by land but have made no
demonstration Scarcity of provisions
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, one French, two German, one
Japanese vessels here observing.
Dewey.
The officials are making
All Possible Haste
TO rush troops to supplement Admiral
pewey'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 pc,
sition and maintaining order. 1t is con-
tdently hoped here that the City of
Picking, chartered as a transport YES
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 can carry 1000
men, which, with the marines aboard
the Charleston, just about to sail, will
be of considerable assistance to the adj
miral, but far from the number which
he will need. The total number of men
to be sent will aggregate probably r.
600. Maj. Gen. Gesley Merritt, who is
to command the expedition and subse-
quently 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-
cenUate 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 fleet was dis
abled at Port of France, Martinique.
There was Il 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 Spanisi
government had caused it to be spread
so that no complaint could be made 90
France on account of the stay of the
boat at central point. None Of the
officials, however, would express them
selves on the subject. Secretary Long
also public message which had been
received from Key West telling of the
departure of the United States vessel
UncaS, in command of Capt BralnafI.