Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-05
sUBJUGATIoN OF PHILIPPINES HAS
ONLY BEGUN.
AMERICANS HOLD SMALL AREA
BATTLE FOUGHT IN JUNE WITHIN
SIGHT OF MANILA.
Insurgents Are Well Armed and
Equipped and Are Learning How
to Fight-Next Campaign
Can Not Begin Until
October.
CHICAGO. Aug. 4-The Tribune's special

correspondence from Manila, under date of
June 26, says:
The next campaign can hardly begin
sooner than November, although the coun-
try may dry up enough toward the middle
of October TO permit the American troops
TO take the field then.
The American army during the rainy
season can hardly be expected to do any
thing more than hold what it has gained
and prepare for the next campaign. The
ground TO defend is not very great.
On the south of Manila we have linus.
about fifteen miles away, where the Fourth
and Fourteenth infantry. with several guns
from the Sixth artillery, are stationed.
1his territory was gained only within the
last two weeks by the hard fighting at
Paranaque, at which even the rattle of
the rifles could be heard in Manila We
hold the road that runs to linus through
Paranaque and Bacoor, every inch of which
was only gained. by hard fighting and
which has to be closely guarded all the
way TO linus by troops in trenches and
massed in two or three companies at the
villages and bridges
'Northward the farthest point in the con-
troll of our soldiers is San Fernando, forty
one miles from Manila. on the railroad.
The railroad is 149 miles in length in all.
but the insurgents control all the track
between San Fernando and Dagupan, the
northern terminal of the road.
THE insurgents are in possession of
three-hourths Of the rolling stock They
have twenty-seven of the roads loco
motives. while the Americans only have
four. The rest of the rolling stock is also
distributed between the two parties in a
like ratio.
THE Americans hold Canabanda, east
of San Fernando, ten miles. They hold all
the towns along the railroad. of course. to
San Fernando and Balinag, seven miles
east of Pulilan.
Reports continually come from Baliuag
that the town is entirely surrounded by the
enemy and is about to be carried by as
sault. but Colonel Page and the Third in
fantry have so far driven the rebels back
with disastrous loss every time they have
assaulted the town, and he declares he can
hold 1t for an indefinite time. although his
position there is by no means an easy one.
Supplies and mail can only be carried over
10 Balinag from the railroad under an es-
cort OF not less than $50 men, who are in
variably attacked somewhere along the
r road. both going and coming.
''The insurgents have their intrenchments
drawn well around both San Fernando and
Baliuag, and their outposts are in sight of
the American outposts.
AN officer down from San Fernando told
me to-day that the insurgents seemed never
TO relax their vigilance. The sharpshoot-
ers and skirmishers are always alert and
frequently the showing of a head by a
careless American picket will draw four or
five shots from the enemy in a twinkling
and start general fusillade.
AT San Fernando, two determined at
tacks along the whole rebel lines were
made last week. The second engagement
lasted three hours, when the insurgents
were driven back with heavy losses. Bullets
fly continually over both places and stray
bullets frequently find victims.
THE insurgents intrenchments are in the
shape of a horseshoe, with the two ends
resting on the railroad track.
THE country north of Baliuag that Gen.
erai Lswton's troops marched over to San
Isidor had all to be evacuated, owing 10
the lack of troops to garrison the captured
towns, and will have to be retaken afresh
when the next campaign opens.
THE insurgents are continually receiving
fresh supplies and arms. At Paranaque a
week ago they astonished the Americans
by bringing out some modern field pieces
that they had obtained somewhere.
Heavy shipments of arms are said TO be
tralia, and, ii is said, even from our own
country Cartridges picked up in the in
surgent trenches bear the trade mark OF a
big manufacturing firm in the United
IThe insurgents have three factories
where they manufacture cartridges and
other munitions of war. If they We're kept
on the run they would have no time so to
equip themselves that they could return
after every defeat, better able to fight than
they were before. They are learning things
an every encounter with the Americans. The
papers in Manila have continually referred
TO the fact that the rebels were prone 10
shoot too high, and they seemed finally to
have learned the lesson and now they are
getting their shots well down and showing
q great improvement in craftsmanship.
They also fight in better formation and al
The battle of Dazminas 1 saw mounted
officers in flashing red breeches with white
coats, galloping saucily about the field and
probably doing much by their spectacular
attire to give their followers increased con-
fdence and a great willingness to follow
their commands.
The few Americans who came over to
Manila week ago Tuesday on the Esmer-
aida from Hong Kong were astonished a
few hours after sunrise when their ship
had steamed out of quarantine to hear
heavy cannonading from the monitor Mo-
nadnock. which was in plain sight, down
the coast about five miles below Manila
Some of the passengers thought it was
some sort of salute in honor of the arrival
of some distinguished naval or army hero
sat in the stern of the health officers
launch. That, said the young man, %
that's nothing. That's jest a battle 1,
was some time before the passengers could
were fighting within sight and sound OF
Manila. where the war had started six
months before The battle ragged ali dav
and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon the rattle
of small arms could be distinctly heard
and late that evening the health officer told
us the fighting had been at Paranao,,e