Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-10-27
PHILIPPINES CAMPAIGN.
Object Of Recent Operations Ex-
planned by Secretary Root.
GENERAL OTIS POLICY INDORsED.

Campaign TO be Opened In Earnest
ne Soon as the Floods Subside and
the Earth IL Dry-Ample Provision
Made For Care of the Sick and
Wounded.
Preparations for the opening Of the
campaign in the Philippines have been
nearly completed. but no definite date
for the beginning of q general move
ment has been decided upon, says a
Washington dispatch to the New York
Sun. Secretary Root said recently that
it is impossible to tell when the coun-
try will have sufficiently recovered
from the rains to admit of the begin
ming OF the campaign. All arrange
ments have been made for the ad-
vance, and General Otis Is only wait
Ing for the foods TO subside and the
earth to dry before inauguratiug the
fall operations.
Secretary Root explained the other
day for the first time the reason for
the recent activity against the FilipinOs
In Luzon. He Endorsed General Otis
policy regarding these operations and
said that General Otis Is thoroughly
opposed to policy Of capturing and
giving up towns. He has firmly op-
posed the sending OF troops into battle
TO take places which 1t was not Intend.
cd they should hold There are peculiar
conditions In the Philippines. Our
troops cannot live III water up to their
waists. TSe whole country Is flooded,
and during the rainy season our sol
diers must be quartered In some kind
OF barracks We are holding certain
lines, and TO do SO II is necessary that
We occupy towns where proper quar-
tiers can be provided.
while occupying these places the In
surgents were annoying. and It became
necessary to chast!se them. They were
driven some distance beyond our lines,
and In pursuing them our troops enter
ed other places. They could not remain
In these towns. owing to the absence
OF proper quarters, and having accom-.
plished their purposes OF driving the
enemy beyond the established military
lines returned to their former stations.
That Is why towns taken by Ameri.
cans have not always been occupied"
Secretary Root said that recently
some of the operations had also a sig
nificance as relating 10 the movement
now being conducted by General Law
ton. He said that General Otis did not
deem IL wise to operate very far north
without having base Of supplies and
that San lsidro would probably be held
as such 4 base. AS TO the preparations
for supplying the American army When
the campaign opens, Secretary Root
said that nothing was being left un.
done TO provide everything for the
proper conduct Of the campaign. About
a month ago he made special inquiry
into the facilities of the medical de-
partment ut Manila, and is fully salts.
fed that every provision Is being made
for the proper care Of the sick and
wounded
Asked about Colonel Woodhull's re.
quest for additional surgeons and fe-
male nurses. he replied, When his re-
quest was received at the department.
more than the number he asked for
had already been ordered and were on
the way to Manila
1t was learned that Colonel Wood
hull cahled Oct. 10 a reQuisit!on for 20
medical officers and 80 additional fe.
male nurses. He said Can use twice
rs many" General Sternberg replied
that l3 commissioned medical officers
! and 10 acting assistant surgeons were
already on the way TO the Philippines
or under order. This Is In addition to
the regimental surgeons going with the
volunteer regiments. Thirty female
nurses asked for were Immediately or
dered and will leave New York, begin
ming Nov. l.
! The question Of hospital accommoda.
ton In anticipation Of the needs Of the
enlarged army in the islands has been
! settled by the adoption Of General
! Otis recommendation that additional
/ hospitals be constructed Of bamboo
and hospital tents erected. report
! Just received from Colonel Woodruff
/ describes the hospital accommodations
existing at Manila at this time. The
first reserve hospital has been increas
ed by the use of tents so as to accom-
modate 1900 beds. The second re
serve hospital is located in seminary
building and has accommodation fol
$50 beds, with supplementary wards lT
n Spanish barracks for provision fol
80 cases and Il possible 800. At Cor
regidor island, 80 miles from Manila
there Is a convaleScent hospital which
under favorable conditions will accom-
modate 25 patients. In addition t
these hospitals. the hospital ships Mis-
souri, and Relief, now on the way t
Manila, are to be held there and con
verted into floating hospitals, havin:
an aggregate capacity Of coo cases
They will be IN charge of a trainct
corps of medical officers and nurses.
The preparations made by the wa
department contemplate provision 70
5000 sick and conyalescent. these be
Ing considered ample to meet all re
Quirements after the opening Of tn
campaign. Medical supplies by tn
tons have been shipped ON the trans
ports, and, though 100 tons on tn
Morgan City proved 4 complete loss
the order was immediately duplicate,
In San Francisco, and the supplies ar
now ON the way to the Philippines
For the troops in the field an Increase
corps of hospital men has been order
ed. There are now in the Philippine
nearly 1000 hospital corps men, ant
with those on the way and under oil
dcrS. the corps will be increased t
5000 before the beginning Of hostil