Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-18


Gen. Otis has informed the War De-
partment of the sailing of six chartered
transports from Manila for San Fran
cisco. They are the City of Pueblo, the
Zealandie, the Pennsylvania, the Nelson,
the Cleveland and the st. Paul. Sick and
wounded men are being brought home on
these vessels.
The Cleveland and the Nelson are
freight boats, but the others could have
brought volunteers if it had been consd-
cred advisable to reduce the effective
forces during the negotiations now being
conducted with view of ending further
Filipino resistance TO the American Gov
ernment. The Pennsylvania has been sta
toned several months ut Cebu, and the
ST. Paul has been at Iloilo since fall.
These vessels will he returned TO their
owners when they reach San Francisco,
and as rapidly as possible all the remain
ing chartered vessels will be released.
Gen. Otis cables: ''Noluntecrs under
stand they will begin to leave for the
United States the latter part of the month: !:
know Importance of their presence here
at this time and accept sacrifice which
United States interests make imperative
War Department officials say that the
| cable regarding the return of the volun.
| teers indicates that the troops are making
no clamor 10 he sent home, but see the
necessity of remaining until they can he
relieved by the regulars now on their way
| and TO be sent TO Manila as soon as they
| can be shipped.
There have been many applications from
| the West to have the volunteers brought
home by the Suez canal route. A Wash
ington dispatch says investigation shows
that il is impracticable. The Suez canal
route is Il much longer route than that
across the Pacific and the men would be
kept OH the transports from ten TO fifteen
or twenty days longer than if they came
across the Pacific. The distance is esti.
mated to be about 5000 miles longer 10y
! the Suez canal route than across the Pa
| cific. and at this season of the year il is
| considered more unsafe owing to climatic
conditions, especially for the troops who
| have been in the tropical climate of the
| Philippines. The greater part of the voy-
| age would have to be made through the
tropical climate even farther south than
| Manila as they would have to skirt the
southern coast OF Asia. where plague spots
| exist at all times and especially in the
| summer season. BY the other route, the
! transports can sail north to Japan, and
then across the Pacific in more salubri
Gus climate, which will make the voyage
| beneficial To the men. The expensive tolls
at the Suez canal make the Pacific route
| the more economical.
The War Department has, therefore
been constrained to deny these requests
and TO bring the volunteers home by the
Pacific route. AS a majority of the vol
unteers are from the West, they will alsC
have shorter railroad journey before
them when they land in San Francisco.
Gen. Lawton has established n Filipino
government at Balinay, a council compos
ed of Filipinos, and mayor being elected
Americans are not to be- held responsible
for remuneration to the officials. TO such
an extent as the natives conduct their
affairs in manner the Americans consid
er proper, they will not be intcrfercd with
This has been promised them. a portion
of the FilipinoS are satisfied with this
and have commenced to cultivate theil
fields. Those in that city who were un
willing to submit to foreign rule have
largely become weary of the war and scR
of slaughter and have laid down theil
arms.
Gen. Lawton is giving n cordial wei
come to the Filipinos returning from the
north and coming into the protection o
the Americans. Many natives are gettinl
food supplies from the rebel stores takeI
at Balinag by Gen. Lawton. Aguinaldo':
power is reported To be weakening con
tinually. The returning insurgents ar,
made to understand that they will be nc
corded kind and just treatment.