Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-18

| Dewey and Merritt Get Instructions
on This Point from WnshingtOn,

on This Point from Washington.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-THE two
American commanders at Manila, Admiral
Dewey and Major General Merritt, united in
a joint dispatch, which was received here
late this afternoon, asking for instructions
as to the manner of dealing with the va
rious elements, particularly the insurgents,
now that the city was occupied by the
American forces.
After conference at the White House,
in which Secretary Alger and Acting Sec
retary Allen participated, instructions were
sent to the two American commanders. The
text of the request for instructions, and Of
the answer, was not made public, but Secre-
tary Alger summed up the instructions as
substantially as follows:
THE instructions are to enforce law and
order and to treat all law abiding citizens
alike"
The instructions are practically the same
as those sent last night to General Lawton.
The latter order specifically stated that he
insurgents must recognize the military oc-
cupation and authority Of the United States
and the cessation of hostilities proclaimed
by this government Doubtless the same
rule is being applied to the insurgents under
Aguinaldo, although it was not officially
e.
1t is said the joint dispatch from Dewey
and Merritt did not in terms refer to Agui-
naldo nor did the instructions mention the
insurgent leader by name. 1t is we'll under
stood, however, that the desire of the
American commanders was to have in
structions on the manner Of dealing with
the large and menacing forces of insurgents
under Aguinaldo, who have surrounded Ma
Mia for many weeks and who, it is thought,
may or have demanded the right to occupy
the city with the American forces as the
Cuban insurgents did at Santiago. 1t had
been thought in some quarters here that
the showing heretofore made by the insur-
gents would lead to their receiving a certain
amount of recognition, in the way of joint
action between the United States forces and
those of the insurgents, when the city was
occupied but the instructions sent tonight
are based on occupation by the United
States alone and as a high administration
official summed up the situation, There
shall be no joint action except between
Merritt and Dewey. They will maintain
law and order and will treat insurgents and
Spaniards alike, requiring all to observe
peace and order"
Aside from this Joint dispatch, the only
other word received from NJ nila during the
day was in the brief dispatch from Admiral
Dewey announcing the surrender of the
city last Saturday. A detailed dispatch from
General Merritt vas eagerly awaited
throughout the day, as it was feared that
the sharp engagement of the land forces
during the stormng of Manila had resulted
in some casualties on our side: but no dis
patch came from General Merritt up to the
close Of office hours tonight, except the one
in which he joins with Admiral Dewey in
asking for instructions. Secretary Alger
concluded from this that the casualties
could not have been heavy as he felt sure
General Merritt would promptly report any
considerable loss. There was a bare possi
bility that cipher dispatch from Merritt
had mscarried.
1t was noted that neither the first dis
patch of Admiral Dewey nor the Joint dis
patch of Dewey and Merritt made any ref
erence whatever to the part which the Ger
man cruiser Kaisern Augusta took in
| removing Ca tain General Augusti from
| Manila to Hong Kong
From this the officials believe that the
American commanders do not attach serious
| significance to the course OF the German
| naval authorities The incident continues
! TO cause some irritation here, but it is prac,
| tically certain that no official cognizance
will be taken of it. A high official OF the
Navy department said that at most the
course of the German naval commander was
one Of bad taste. There is no disposition
| in any official quarter at present to carry
! the incident to the point of considering II
! a breach Of neutrality as has been suggested
| in some British newspapers.