Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-11
WILLING TO REMAIN
Volunteers at Manila Make Sacrifices
for Patriotism.
ENCOURAGING ADVICES FROM Otis
Insurgent Forces Show Signs Of
Dsintegration.
tG.NG ADVICES FROM Otis
THE HANCOCK's QUICK TRIP

Gen. Otis iE response to an inquiry as to
what action had been taken with regard to
the return home of the volunteer troops
! whose time has expired because of the close
of the war with Spain, and in special re-
sponse to the inquiry as to what troops, if
any, are on the transports scheduled to sail
for San Francisco within the next few
| days:
MANILA. May II, 1899.
"Adjutant General, Washington:
Volunteer organizations first to return
now at Negros and forty-fve miles from
Manila at front; expected that transports
now arriving viii take returning volunteers;
volunteers understand they will begin to
| leave for United States latter part of
month; know Importance of their presence
| here at this time and accept sacrifice which
! United States interests make imperat tive.
Hancock now entering harbor. Transports
returning this week carry sick and wound
ed men; Pennsylvania ard ST. Paul not
needed longer in southern waters where
they have been retained, hence dispatched;
transports Nelson and Cleveland brought
freight; return without cargo. OTIS"
The telegram is somewhat Disappointing
In that it shows that none of the volunteer
troops Will start on their return home be-
fore the latter part of the month. 1t also
indicates that the situation in the Philip
pines does not Justify any reduction in the
military strength at that place, and that
Gen Otis is awaiting the arrival of REIN
lorcements of regular troops now their
way to Manila before sending home any of
the volunteers in his command. An en-
couragng feature of the situation is Gen
Otis statement that the volunteers know
the Importance of their presence in the
Philippines at this time and accept the
| ssiti, III,
make imperative"
Arrival of the 2Ist Infantry,
Another encouraging feature is the ar
rival at Manila of the transport Hancock
That vessel sailed from San Francisco
April Is. with the 21st Infantry and Light
Battery E of the 1st Artilery-thirty-nine
officers and 1,45l enlisted men in aII-with
Col. Jacob Kline, 2lst infantry. in com
mand. These fresh troops will prove
strong and welcome addition to the army
in the Philippines, and will aid materially
in the development OF the military opera
tOns row in progress. In another dispatch
Gen. Otis said that the health conditions
of the troops on the Hancock were excel
lent, but that two dea tbs occurred en-
rOute-PfiVates d. E. Jones and Elmer H.
CheValler Companies l. and f., 2lst Infan-
Try, VINO died April ~ and 26, respectively.
signs on insurgent ficidinE.
In another cable message, received this
morning, Gen. Otis makes the following re-
port IN regard to recent operations and the
present situation:
Manila, May II, 1899
"Adjutant General, Washington:
situation as follows: Succeeded in pass-
ing army gunboats to Calumpit for use in
Rio Gfande; railway connection with that
point secured this week; passage of p1,n-
1l..l
with JOYFUL demonstrations by inhabitants
IN country passed over by troops
temporarily civil administration inallgll-
rated and protection to inhabitants against
1nsurgent abuses given as far as possible
Signs of insurgent disintegration daily
manifested; obstacles which natural fea-
lures OF country present can be overcome
Otis"
Ihe Hancock Broke the Record
The trip of the Hancock across the Pa
| clIlc was a record breaker. Up to this time
the record was twenty-eight days. the Sher-
man having made the eastward trip and
the Seneca and Ccandia having made
the western trip in that period of
time The time of the Hancock was
twenty-five days, and that vessel
steamed the entire distance across the Pa
enc without stop being the first one of
the transports to accomplish that feat
heretofore all the transports, both on the
eastern ana western trips, have stopped at
Honolulu for coal and provisions The s1Ic-
cess OF the Hancock has decided the de-
FdTtIhent 10 90 away with the usual stop
at Honolulu hereafter in the case of ali
transports having coal capacity sufficient to
make the G,OOU miles between San ITrauciSco
and Manila.
There are five troop ships now on The Pa
cihc on the way 10 Manila with reinforce
Gtnts ana stores for Gen. Ots' army The
Warren left San Francisco Auril - two
udyS later than the Hanrppk nd
at Manila within the next ten days She
carried eight batteries of The 9th Artillery
including 20 officers and J12 men, and also
2ao recruits. She stopped on the way and
Is therefore not expected to make such
good time as the Hancock. The Newport
also sailed from San Francisco on the p0tb
ultlmo, and is due at Manila in a few days
She carried two light batteries. including
eight officers and 30 soldiers, and also II
offlcers and ZIG men of the Marine Corps
the Morgan City left San Francisco April
- with 611 enlisted men and recruits The
Senator and Ohio left San Francisco April
Is carrying between them the entire 18th
Regiment numbering 80 officers and 800
men.
Will Stop nt Honolulu.
All these vessels will stop at Honolulu
and will probably occupy about thirty days
in making the trip, that being the average
time The only vessel yet to sail for which
complete arrangements have been made Is
the Sherman. She is booked to carry the
olH y, ana 10 start from San Francis
CO on the 22d instant The TRANSPORTS
Grant and Sheridan will also aid in carry
ing troops between San Francisco and Ma
Mia. The Grant, which has been detained
at san Francisco in quarantine. will prob
ably follow the Sherman about week lat
er carrying the 10th Regiment of Infantry
To Remodel Atlantic Transports.
The officials of the War Department are
SO well pleased with the performances of
the troopships Grant, Sherman and Sheri-
dan. which took reinforcements to the Phil
| tppiues, that they have decided to remodel
| the transports Thomas, Meade and Logan.
now on the Atlantic station into similar
| troopships. These vessels are owned by the
government, and will be converted into
troopshfps in accordance with plans en-
ployed so successfully in the Sherman.
| Grant and Sheridan. Like the others, they
| are destined for service between this coun-
| try and the Philippines, and In course of
| time Will be transferred to the Pacific sta
| tion 1t is estimated by the quartermas-
| ters department that 1t will take at least
-FOUR months to put each one of the ships in