The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-18
ROUND ROBIN.
Continued from Page ~

force outlined by the major general
commanding the army as unsuited to
the ends to be achieved and insufficient
in efficiency for the expedition to the
Philippines.
1.-TWO regiments of regular infantry,
two-thirds Of a regiment of regular
cavalry, and two light batteries, is
very small proportion of the forty-two
regular regiments in the army when
the work to be done consists of con-
quering a territory 1000 miles from our
base, defended by a regularly trained
and acclimated army of from 10000 to
$4,000 men and inhabited by 140000D0
people, the majority of whom will re-.
gard US with the intense hatred born
of race and religion.
Besides, if l am not greatly mis-
taken, the suggested command is only
on paper, as the Fourteenth infantry
is only partially available. My letters
of May 10 and Is give the composition
and minimum strength of the regular
force deem necessary.
Wesley Merritt,
Major general commanding.
1T was then referred to Gen Miles
for further remark ana was Endorsed
by him as follows:
Headquarters of the Army,
washington, D. c., May IS, 1898.
Respectfully submitted to the sec
rotary of war. The reference TO the
Spanish troops is believed to be very
much exaggerated. No reports have
been received thus far that there is
anything like the number indicated in
the above endorsement, while the pc p
ulation of that territory is probably
nearer one-half the number stated
''The number of troops already order
ed to the Philippine Islands is three
times as many as Admiral Dewey call
ed for. The force ordered at this time
is not expected to carry on a war to
conquer an extensive territory and the
chief object within letter was to sug-
gest means Of quickly establishing a
strong garrison to command the har-
Dor Of Manila and to relieve the United
States fleet under Admiral Dewey
with the least possible delay. This, in
my judgment, is of pre-eminent inpor-
4ance
1.-THE troops mentioned in the within
letter as available to send to that de-
partment number 1926. The Tenth
Pennsylvania volunteers, ordered to-
day, will be approximately 1000 more.
These troops, in my judgment, are all
that 1t would be advisable to send to
the Philippine Islands at this time
Nelson A. Miles, major general,
Commanding u. S. A."
~ bAAuS appears THERE w db no COItFO-
versy regarding the number of troops
to be sent, Gen. Miles, in fact having
designated more than Gen. Merritt
called for, but only difference Of
opinion as to the composition of the
force, Gen. Merritt desiring to have
more regulars than were designated by
Gen. Miles.
Certain newspapers have attempted
to show that Gen. Miles did not want
more than 5000 troops to be sent to the
Philippines under Cen. Merritt, but the
above official correspondence shows
this not to be the fact
The Manila dispatch sent from Hong
Kong by the newspaper men will be
taken up by the cabinet tomorrow. SO
far as can be learned, nothing has been
done or decided on concerning the COM
munication. Officials are exceptionally
reticent on the subject and 1t could
not even be ascertained whether the
newspaper card had been cabled to
Gen. Otis though 1t is presumed that
this has been done.