The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-27
OTIS ON THE SITUATION.
10000 MEN ENOUGH FOR THE PHIL
IPPINES, HE SAYS
FiIipinos Enabled to Hold Together by
Anti-EHpRnsionists In the United states
-InsurRent Armies Scattered-Natiyes
Desire PeaCe-Condition of Our Army.


in the Philippines were received by the War
Department to-day, In one Of them Gen.
Otis reiterated his opinion that 10000
troops would he sufficient to put down
the insurrection This despatch was
not made public. aud probably it will
not be until after the return ot President
Mckinley tomorrow, il at all. In the
other despatch. which AdJt.-Gen. Corbin
gave to the press. Gen. Otis made
statements which will probably he con-
strued as inconsistent with his estimate
OF 10000 men as a sufficient force for all
purposes In the second communication
he said that II per cent OF his command
was sick. that repeated calls for American
troops in other islands than Luzon were being
received and that the troops have worked to
the limit OF endurance. Inquiries by a Sun
reporter. as to whether these statements were
not taken by the military authorities to mean
that Gen. Otis was limiting that he needed re-
,nforcements. resulted in disclosing tho
fact that the other despatch. in which he
adhered to his original estimate of3O.OOO men.
had been received. The message made pub
lie. which was sent by Gen. Otis in response to
Instructions 70 cable summary OF the situa-
tlon. is as follows:
MANILA. June 26
"Adutdnt General, Washington:
Rainy season. Little inland campaigning
possible IN Luzon. We occupy large portion
Tagalog country lines stretching from Imus
south to San Fernando north. nearly sixty
miles. and to eastward into Laguna province.
"Insurgent armies have suffered great losses
and scattered: only large force, held to-
gether about 1000, in Tarac province and
northern Pampanga. Their scattered forces
In bands of 80 to 800 in other portions Luzon !:
in Cavite and Batangas provinces could assem-
Bile possibly 1000. though demoralized from
recent defeat.
THE mass OF people. terrorized by insurgent
soldiers. desire peace and American protec-
ton: no longer fee on approach of our troops
unless forced by Insurgents. hut gladly
welcome them; no recent burning OF towns !;
SEns nT Hr @ut Ti @Hs Rep
out Manila much as possible, as city popula-
tives IN southeast Luzon combining to drive
out insurg"nts. ,,
in United states aid. They proclaim the near
overthrow Of the present Administration. to I've
f%9 tS by snd br
which enables them to hold out, Much con-
tcntion prevails among them. and no civil gov
."Trade with ports not in our possession.
former source inSurgent revenue. now lnt"r-
food and merchants suffering losses: mehi-
tat" restoring trade privileges. although m
1urgents reap benefits.
Courts here in successful operation undor
direction of able Filipnos. Affairs in other
islands comparatively quiet. awaiting results
IN Iuzon. All anxious for trade. and repeated
calls for American troops received. Nm CIV
ing attention to Jolo archipelago and Palawan
Islands.
ancc. Volunteer organizations have been
called I'M replaced by regulars, who now oG-
vania and Utah now taking transports. and
Sixth Infantry sent To Negros to relieve Cali
fornia. These troops in good physical con-
sickness among troops has increased late
ly. due mostly TO arduous service and climatic
tnflnpnpp9 Nothing
cent. Of the command reported sick; nearly 8
IS per cent. have Intestinal trouble: remain:
Ing p Per cent haze yHT1gs ailments OF
and men who served in Cuba break under re-
lately received are inade'uateiy o''iceree ,Lrs "
1t cannot be said to night whether or not
ion. among the officials as to the advisa-
Gen Uts that a 9 bs of 3o3o
advisers win urge that volunteers h;se enlisted
TO augment Gen otis's command; There is a
sue is to muster in a large force OF volunteers.
to be held in II the United states for trans
emergency requiring more troops there. 4
number OF officers who were not aware Of the
for protection from outlying islands.
sna hs Of .et1sS 81 s ttoDrs
as intended by Gen. Otis MS a strong hint that
reInforcements were desirable The detals Of
therefore. IT, cannot be explained how Gen;
Otis reconciles his adherence TO the 10000
estimate with his remarks in the published
Taken as a whole. however. the review of the
situation submitted by Gen. Otis Ia very en-
couraging., War Department officials say that
they consider that the most imporant state ,S
ro@ the !Ha S66
which the anti-expans ionists in th.s country
have sought to revive hope among Aguinaldo
ing that something, should be done BY the
department to punish the men responsible for
m nrKs is this feeiing among officials IRON
likely that President Mckinley, will be. urged
Of treason. The opinlon Is growing TIA that the
tempting to cause dissension among the
troops in the Philippines and TO induce the in
surgents to believe that the expansion policy
Of the ADMINISTRATOR would be Tep1diiated at
agniz s" In the absence Of President Nc
Kjnley. nobody here is il a position to say
opinion is strong that the President will agree
with the view Of some q his advisers ser that t,
offenders in the future: PROFESSIONALLY the
viii be take at th rf meeting of the
II the indignation produced by the stateme Mt ON
the subject in Gen. OtisS despatch docs not
nhate among the officials now here. some in
teresting developments are likely.
In the despatch made. public, Gen. Otis said
that II per cent Of his command was sick
There are now approx matey $4,000 troops
regulars and volunteers. in the Philippines
From Gen. Otiss statement It appears that
more than 1000 are ILL., This number in
cIudes at least 1.2OO wounded. The records Of
the War Depart ment show that on July ~ last
out Of the 1884 officers and men al San.
tiago 4. 224 were sick. The proportion Of sicE
to the total number OF men at Santiago wa:
portion OF sick to the full strength OF the arm,
under the command OF Gen. Otis, which has
been longer in service in the tropics and has
done much more arduous duty than that per
formed by tho force under Gen. Shafter Ii
view OF this showing the military authorities
say that the statement Of Gen. Otis that IL pc
cent OF his men are sick is not so discouraginG
as 1t might seem on It's face,
When the attention OF Adit Gen. Corbin WA
called to-day to the statements OF Gen. Otis h
said that they could not be properly construed