The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-25
"MANILA, Feb. a.
For political reasons the
Oregon should be sent
here at once. DEWEY"

mere at once. LEW Z L.
%@++% 4 4 \ r 4 \ 4 4
NEW YORK. Feb. 24-The Herald's
Washington correspondent sends the
following: The cablegram from Ad-
miral Dewey to-day. asking for the Or
egon. was in the nature of a bombshen
to the administration. Unfortunately
| for the authorities, Admiral Dewey
made no explanation of what the 'po-
litical reasons were that necessitated
| the immediate dispatch of the battle
ship to the Philippines.
| Admiral Dewey's message was one OF
the principal topics of discussion at the
| Cabinet meeting. After the meeting
member of the Cabinet gave me this
statement in reference to the sensa-
! tional dispatch from the naval COM
| mander:
$50 far as we know, there is nothing
in the international situation in the
Philippines requiring the presence of
an overwhelming force at Manila
There is no question pending between
the United States and any foreign gov
ernnent relating to the archipelago.
mo complain has been made Of the
| inability of this Government to pro-
tect foreign subjects and their prop
erty and no intimation has been re-
ceived that any foreign government
proposes to submit a claim for dam
! ages on account of the destruction OF
| property in the city.
''It is my opinion, and the President
and other member of the Cabinet view
the matter in the same way, that Rear
Admiral Dewey, in cabling for the Ore
| gon, desires to have in the Philippines
a battle ship flying the American flag
which might impress the Filipinos with
the naval power of this country.
TT is true that he has at his dis
posal a large number of smaller ships,
but the moral effect of the presence of
the Oregon would be such that it might
impress the Fflipinos with the futility
of resisting government like the
! United States"
| Notwithstanding this pacific state
ment on the part of this Cabinet mem
Der, there is an underlying apprehen-
| sion of trouble, and 1t is expected that
! Admiral Dewey will Immediately ac-
quaint Secretary Long with the nature
of the political reasons" which caused
him to request that he be reinforced by
| the Oregon.
The Americans have been victorious
| in every conflict and the natives suf-
fered enormous losses, but 1t does not
seem to have affected their fanatical
desire to rid themselves of the Ameri-
cans. 1t is pretty certain that Otis will
have to keep on fighting until his army
| is increased to such an extent that it
will be able to inaugurate an offensive
| ffacf ho
| pletely crush them.
General Corbin said this morning,
| after reading the dispatch from Cen
eral Otis, that he was satisfied the
worst was over at Manila, and that the
arrival of the Scandia, together with
the knowledge among the insurgents
that General Lawton with other rein
forcements will speedily appear. will
put an end to their activity. He had
| no doubt that the rebels were putting
forth their utmost efforts to drive out
the American force before a large body
of regulars could arrive, as this course
was strongly urged on Aguinaldo by
his agents in Washington, Paris and
Hongkong. These agents expressed the
| opinion that unless the Americans
could be defeated before fresh and
thoroughly seasoned troops arrived
they could never be beaten.
So far as is known here the only Ger
man man-of war in the Philippines is
the Irene, which is at Manila, though
at Hongkong the Germans have the
Kaiserine Augusta and several other
cruisers which might be sent to the
| Philippines.
1t was stated to-day that Rear Ad-
niral Dewey might want the Oregon
because he had learned that the Ger
mans proposed to reinforce the Irene
and he desired to have available
squadron which would overawe the
German admiral and prevent him from
resuming the high-handed tactics
which he pursued last summer.
1t was reported at the department to-
day that a large number of German
marines had been landed at Manila, but
neither Secretary Long nor Secretary
Alger had received any official infor-
nation on this point at the close of
office hours.
1t is admitted in administration cir
cles that the effect of "a large squadron
upon the representatives of foreign
i governments in the Philippines would
be excellent. and it may be Admiral