The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-23
NO MORE MEN FOR MANILA.
GEN. MERRTTr HAs TELE6RAPHED
THAI HE HAS ALE HE NEED&

for Peace ne Paris-Gen. Merritt Instruct
ed 20 Hold On to the Philippines.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 22.-The Administration
has taken stops to maintain firmly It's present
military position In the Philippines. In view OF
the possibility that the peace negotiations OF
the Paris tribunal will be dragged out for SOW
eral months. No moro troops will be sent to
Manila until the conclusion Of the deliberations
Of the commission. but the present force under
Gen. Merritt will not DO diminished. The
Secretary OF War and the Adiutant- General OF
the Army both authorized tho statement to-
day that no further expeditions OF troops will
be sent from the Pacific coast. and that Gen.
Meryitt's army will not be increased in any
why until the conclusion Of tho negotiations
for n permanent peace with Spain.
Definite adviees have been received from
Gen. Merritt which led TO the decision yester-
day TO withhold further shipments OF troops TO
the Orient Tho despatch received by the War
Department from Gen. Merritt on Saturday
evening last. informing the Administration OF
the terms OF surrender ut Manila. was followed
by q second. In which the General told tho
Government In so many words that no moro
troops were needed In the Philippines. This
was In answer TO a question sent 10 Gen. Mer-
rift by the Secretary of War on Aug. 10. asking
him II. in his opinion. more regiments should
be sent to reinforce his command. In the tele-
gram OF buIuTuuy luSJ, WnlCH wis Lu6 HESL mtb-
sage to be sent over the restored cable
from Manila to Hong Kong, Gen.. Merritt asked
the department what disposition should be
made of his present force. He intimated that
his command had become larger than would
be necessary II peace is TO prevail, but he said
he did not know how confident the Admins
tration was OF the chances OF establishing a
permanent peace without further hostilities.
Assuming that the protocol would lead to a
he should send q part of his force back to San
Francisco on some OF the transports then ct
Manila. or in ease 1t should be decided that he
should hold them all at their present station.
he inquired what disposition should be made
OF them.
The reply sent was that the protocol was ex-
pected to lead to a peace settlement, but that
the negotiations might extend over a period Of
several weeks, or they might last several
months. The Administration could only con-
lecture how long the present unsettled rela-
lions between the two countries would last.
Gen. Merritt was instructed to use his
judgment about the disposition OF the troops,
but was advised that It would be best. under
the present uncertain condition Of affairs, to
send none OF them back to the United States.
In short. he was told to hold on in the Philip
pines. His instructions rs to the general dis
position Of his force were as explicit and firm as
wereithe orders from the President q few days
ago to have no joint occupation Of the city OF
Manila with the insurgent forces.
Gen. Merritt sent In his message OF Saturday
evening. a large part Of which was not made
public by the Wal Department. still other in
formation In regard to the situation at Manila.
While asking II the Administration would adj
wise that q part Of his forces be sent back to the |
United States. he told of the difficulty which
was being experienced in landing supplies at
Manila. just what this d~if1culty is the Ad-
ministration does not know. but 1t is not re-
garded as serious. The subsistence of the
army has been well provided for. and IL IL said
by the Subsistence Department in Washington
that Gen. Merritt's command now has enough
fresh beef and vegetables on hand to last three
months. In addition to these supplies there
will he a Rhlpload Of fresh beef and vegetables,
which was contracted for by the Government in
Sydney, Australia. q few days ago. and is tn be
landed in Manila. subject to the approval Of the |
subsistence officers a. to quality and condition.
This beef and vegetables are to be kept on
board ship until used by the army In order to
avoid the necessity Of removing the whole cargo
at one time from the reirigerators. While the
yesselis lying In port the Government will pay
demurrer fees.
The decision TO Send no moro troops to Ma
Mia does not prohibit the shipment Of subsIst- |
ence and Quartermaster supplies from San
Francisco for the use Of the army at present In
the Philippines. It is the intention OF the War
Department to send the transport Scandal from
tho Pacific coast within a short time with q
large store OF supplies for Gen. Merritt, aud
after her arrival at Manila the War Depart
mentis intention to employ the Scandal as q
hospital ship will be carried out. Other expe-
ditions with supplies Of various kinds will be
sent from time to time from San Francisco. the |
several vessels purchased by the Government
on the Pacific coast being used for this purpose.
There was a report at the Wa Department
to-day. traceable to apparently good authority.
that an effort had been made to overtake, by
means ola swift despatch boat. the transport
Arizona, which sailed from San Francisco last
evening. The statement was made that the
Administration. having decided to send no
more reinforeements to Gen. Merritt. wished to
intercept the Arizona and order the commander
OF the expedition to abandon the trip. Both
Secretary Alger and Adj Gen. Corbin said
to-day that the report was untrue. 1t Is the
purpose OF the Administration to send more
troops to the Hawaiian Islands than was fret
expected and to maintain there q considerable
military force In readiness to be despatched TO
Manila II needed. The troops on board the
Arizona are to be held at Honolulu until orders
are given for their movement elsewhere.
The decision not to increase Gen. Merritt's
forces at present Is good assurance OF the ADJ
minlstration's avowed confidence that the in
surgent forces under ARhinaldo will not cause
any serious trouble. The news conveyed in |
The sUS's Manila dispatches last night In re-
gardto the demands made by the insurgent
chief was the first complete information which
the Administration has had OF the new and
more serious turn of affairs In the Philippines. |
Some alarm was felt by President Me-
kinney and Secretary Alger until the
nrst DESPATCH was read which told of the de-
mands made upon the American commander by |
Aguinaldo. but their fears were set at rest by
the subsequent statement that the insurGent |
leader had accepted the position OF the Ameri-
can Government us firmly explained to him by
Gen. Merritt. Tho decision TO send no more
troops to Gen. Merritt was almost regretted
untllthe Administration learned late last night
through The SUN's dispatches that Aguinaldo |
Ind abandoned his threatened attitude.
Secretary ,Alger said to-day that II has not