The times., 1898-05-21
OFF TO WHIP THE D0hs
Gen. Merritt Makes Satisfactory
Arrangements About Troops.
GOT ALL THAT HE ASKED FOR
That famous New York Interview
Gems. Lee and Merritt-Lfeut.
Rowan From Cuba with Messages
From Garcia.

The expedition which Is destined to go
to the Philippines was the chief subject
under consideration at the War Depart
ment yesterday
Major General Merritt. who is to COM
mand the expedition, accompanied by his
aides-de-camps, Lieuts. T. b. Mott and
Harry c. Hale, arrived early in the morn
ing from New York, and Were In CONSUL
tation for some time with Secretary Aiger
and Adjt. Gen. Corbin. Gen. Merritt
also conferred with Gen. Miles. Gen. Lud-
ington, and the chiefs Of the bureaus of
subsistence and supplies. about matters
concerning the details of gthe expedition.
Gen. Merritt did not spend much time
away fom the War Department during
the entire day, with the possible excep-
ton of the brief interval consumed in
call upon the President. and by dusk the
status of the expedition which he will
lead was considerably improved.
The first conference of the day was
with Secretary Alger and Adjt. Gen. Cor
bin. This was in the cool of The morn
ing. and before the department swarmed
with senator's. sons of fathers and COM
understood. of good results.
Got All He Asked For.
When the conference was over. Gen.
Merritt was seen by a Times reporter
to whom he said that everything had
been arranged satisfactorily as to the size
of the expedition.
When asked if he had completed ar
rangements. he replied: Yes. in a
measure
'.will you return to New York before
leaving for San Francisco?'' he was ask
ed.
No; when / left New York I started
for the Philippines. and only stopped at
Washington at the request of the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of War, ! viii
leave Washington for San Francisco to-
morrow morning.
DO you expect to go direct?"
Il may stop In Chicago for a day"
Gen. Merritt was also asked if he ex-
pected TO get a sufficient force of men
for the expedition. and said:
Il expect to get what l have asked for"
How many regulars do you expect?''
About 5000 regulars
And. general. what will be the prob
able size of the entire expedition"
Anywhere from 5000 TO 1900 men
or thereabouts."
wise for him to speak for publication
concerning the details of the campaign
That other Interview.
The New York interview. which caused
somewhat of a furore in Army circles
when published several days ago. was
incidentally mentioned to Gen. Merritt.
He said ii was an unfortunate incident:
not that he took any particular notice
of it. but because he understood that il
was taken quite seriously here.
Whatever view the Administration may
have taken of the interview, it is gen
orally conceded among Army men and
was the talk among them al the cafes
during the lunch hour yesterday. that
Gen. Merritt had gained point by the
interview. whether he authorized its pub
ication or not. He viii get 5000 regulars
or five times the number originally in
tended for Manila. and about 1900 men.
Every regiment will be of the maximum
strength.
grant Gen Merritt what he desires may
be readily seen by its orders already is
sued directing the Eighteenth and TIVE
ty-third Regiments of Infantry, now in
the South and the crack Pennsylvania
regiments to proceed TO San Francisco.
1t is understood that several additional
regiments Of regulars now at Tampa will
also be designated to join Gen Merritt's
army at San Francisco.