The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-10

Manila Water work.-Arrival OF the
American Commissioner
Washington, March 6.-There is some
reason 10 expect important news from
Manila within the next fortnight. II
has developed hat General Otis has
practically completed his plans for a
grand onslaught of the insurgents
which is expected TO deprive them OF
offensive power at least. II is proba-
bic that he will form a large part OF
his force into columns. as soon as his
reinforcements are all at hand, and
will push these in parallel lines
through the jungles, clearing out the
insurgents in every direction as the
troops go forward. The American troops
~are-getting restless and nervous under
the petty, but annoying sharpshoot-
ing of the Philippines and are so anx-
lou to put a stop 10 his that General
Otis has yielded TO their desire.
Forty-one thousand officers and men
of the combined army and naval forces
comprise the approximate total Amer
lean strength now at, en- route and
III OIuSIS 4OT SERVICE at the HnlIlD-
pine islands. No further reinforce
ments are now in contemplation. The
forces of the two services already sta
toned in and o the archipelago
consist of twenty regiments of infan-
try, one engineer battalion, seven
troops of cavalry and eleven batteries
of artillery, an aggregate of about "a
500 men.
Nineteen vessels, with an aggregate
of 297 officers, 1890 men and 253 marines
make up the naval contingent This
Is exclusive of the hospital ship Solace,
with 162 officers and men. all told,
which is constantly passing back and
forth from Manila. There are about
1880 army reinforcements on the way
to Manila, making as rapid progress
as possible, and there are, roughly,
',5OO men in the force under orders to
proceed to the Philippines.
The following vessels are now at Ma
Mia or Hong Kong under the COM
mand of Admiral Dewey: Baltimore,
Bennington, Boston, Buffalo, Callao,
Monterey, Charleston, Concord, Culgoa,
Don Juan de Austria, Helena, Isla de
Luzon, Isla de Cuba. Manila, Monad-
mock, Monocacy, Olympia, Petrol and
Yorktown. These vessels carry 297 Of
ficers, 1890 sailors and 253 marines.
The Solace does not remain at Manila.
The Castine and the Princeton are now
on their way through the Red sea to
join Admira Dewey and the Oregon
n her attendant vessel. the Iris, are
travelling through the Pacific to the
same destination. These vessels will
add to the naval force at Manila SO of
ficers, 739 men and "a marines. The
captured ships Don Juan de Austria,
Isla de LuZon and Isla de Cuba are
not available for immediate service, as
they are in need of repairs. The Solace
has taken out a number of recruits and
of these the Isla de Luzon will be
manned. The Wheeling will join the
Manila fleet, but is not to be counted
as being available in the immediate
future.
The regular troops now in the Phil
{ ippines under command of Major Cen
eral Otis consist of the following: The
Fourteenth United States infantry.
Eighteenth United States infantry,
| Twentieth United States infantry
consisting of forty-one officers and 1,21S
men); Twenty-second and Twenty
third United States infantry. a battal-
ion of United States engineers, compan-
les c, z, G., /, K, l., of the Fourth
United States cavalry; batteries G, H,
X, and L, Of the Third United States
artillery, and batteries d an G.. Sixth
United States artillery.
Most of the volunteer forces already
in the field, and most of whom have
borne the brunt of the engagements
with both the Spanish army on the is
lands, and more recently the Philip
pinos, have been there since the begin
ming Of the American occupancy of the
Islands. They comprise fifteen regi-
ments of infantry, n troop of caval-
ry and five batteries of artillery, as fol-
lows: The First California, First Col
orado, First Idaho, Fifty-first Iowa,
Twentieth Kansas, Thirteenth Mime
sofa, First Montana, First North Dako-
ia, First Nebraska, Second Oregon
Tenth Pennsylvania, First South Da-
kota, First Tennessee, First Washing
ton, First Wyoming, First troop of the
Nevada cavalry, battery A and battery
b, Utah light artillery, the First Wy.
oming light battery and the First and
Eighteenth companies OF the United
States general corps. In addition tC
these another company of the sigma
corps has just been formed at Manila
being recruited by transfers from tn.
regular branch of the army. Thi,
means of making up the new compan
was made necessary by the lack o.
time for dispatch OF men from thu
United States.
Reinforcements for the Philippine,
are now on the way in the ne~ighborhooC
of $500 men all told. These are mad,
up of three general expeditions as fol
lows: The transport Grant. with Gen
eral Lawton and staff, with a total o.
AZ officers and 716 men. including on
battalion OF h Seventeenth infantr!
regiment and four companies Of tn,
Fourth infantry. This expedition sail
ed from New York January 18th, wa
reported at Singapore on Saturday AM
General Lawton cabled General OH
that his expedition win reach Manili
in the early morning Of the 10th in
slant. The transport Sherman. Col
onel j. H. Page commanding. carryin,
a total Of "a officers and 1.702 men, in
GLIDING the entire Third infantry regi
ment and a battalion OF the Seven
teenth infantry. The Sherman sale
from New York February 3rd. Tn
transport Sheridan under command O
Lieutenant Colonel ]. H Smith, of tn
Twelfth infantry and a battalion O
I b Seventeenth infantry, making
total Of 81 officers and 1,796 men. BE
side these the Roanoke, with q fai
sized detachment OF recruits for tn
i various regiments already in the arch
ipelago, has gotten a good start on tn
: way to Manila and the transport Val
encia sailed from San Francisco yes
? cerday for Manila via Honolulu wifi