The times., 1899-10-20


campaign in the Philippines have been
nearly completed, but no definite date for
the beginning of general active move
ment has been decided upon, owing to the
weather conditions in the island. Secre-
tary Root said yesterday that it is i'm
possible TO tell when the country viii have
sufficiently recovered from the rains to
admit of the beginning of the campaign.
All arrangements have been made for the
advance and General Otis is only wait
ing for the foods 10 subside and the earth
to dry before inaugurating the fall opera
tions.
The Secretary explained yesterday, for
the first time, the reason for the activity
against the FiIipinos in Luzon- He endors-
ed General Otis policy regarding these
operations and explained that General
Otis is thoroughly opposed to a policy OF
capturing and giving up towns. He has
firmly opposed the sending of troops in
battle to take places which it was rot in
tended should be occupied" said Secretary
Root and has advocated the sending
of troops only TO those places which it
was intended they should hold. Thera
are peculiar conditions in the Philippines.
Our troops cannot live in water up TO their
waists The whole country is fooled,
and during the rainy season our soldiers
must be quartered in some kind of bar
racks. We are holding certain lines and
to do so il is necessary that we occupy
! towns where proper quarters can be pro
! vided While occupying these places the
! insurgents became annoying and 1t was
necessary to chastise them. They were
driven some distance beyond our llnss, and
/ il pursuing them our troops entered other
places. They would not remain in those
/ towns owing to the absence OF proper
/ quarters and having accomplished Their
/ purpose Of driving the enemy beyond the
4 established military lines returned to
/ their former stations That is why towns
taken by Americans have not always been
occupied"
/ Secretary Root explains that recently
/ some Of the operations had also special
/ significance as relating TO the movement
now being conducted by General LawtOn.
/ He remarked that General Otis did not
! deem il wise to operate very far north
without having a base Of supplies, and
/ that San Isidru would probably be held as
/ 2 base.
As 10 preparations for supplying the
{ American army when the campaign opens,
/ Secretary Roet said that nothing was being
+ left undone to provide everything for the
! proper. conduct of the campaign. A month
/ ago he had made a special enquiry into
/ the facilities Of the medical department at
Manila I am fully satisfied that every
/ provision is being made for the proper
/ care of the sick and wounded" Asked
/ about Colonel Woodhulps request for ad-
/ ditionaI surgeons and female nurses, he
! replied: When his request was received
at the department more than the number
! he asked for had already been ordered, and
they were on the way TO Manila"
It was learned that Colonel Woodruff
4 cabled Oetobsr 10 Tequisition for twenty
medical officers and thirty additional
/ female nurses. He said, Can use twice
as many General Sternberg replied that
/ thirteen commissioned medical officers and
forty acting assistant surgeons were
/ already On the way to the Philippines or
under orders; this in addition TO the regi-
/ mental surgeons going with the additional
volunteer regiments. The thirty female
nurses asked for were Immediately ordered
and viii leave New York beginning the 1st
Of November.
The question OF hospital accommodation
In anticipation Of the needs of the en-
larged army in the islands has been settled
by the adoption Of General Otis recon-
mendatiCn that additional hospitals be con-
sJrucJed Of nipa and bamboo, and the cree
ton OF hospital tents. A report just re-
ceived from Colonel Woodruff describes
the hospital accommodations existing al
Manila at this time.
The first reserve hospital has been in
creased by the use Of tents SO as to accom-
modate $50 beds. The second reserve hos
pitaI is located in a seminary building
and has accommodations for $50 beds with
/ supplementary wards in a Spanish barrack.
for provisions for $50 cases and possibly
800. At Corregidor Island thirty mile:
/ from Manila, there is a conyalescent hos
pital, which, under favorable conditions
viii accommodate 250 patients. In addi
tion TO these hospitals the hospital ship!
Missouri and Relief, now On the way {,
Manila. are to be held there and converted
into floating hospitals having an aggregat,
capacity for 600 cases. They Will be il
charge Of a trained corps Of medical Off
GERS and nurses.
The preparations made by the War De-
partment contemplate provision for 5000
sick and -convslescent this being considered
ample 70 meet all requirements after tht
opening Of the campaign. Medical supple:
by the ton have been shipped on the
transports, and though 100 tons on the Nor.
gan City proved a complete loss, the ordel
was Immediately duplicated in san Fran.
cisco and the supplies are now on the way
70 the Philippines.
For the troops in the field an increased
corps Of hospital men has been ordered
There are now in the Philippines nearl-
p 000 hospital corps men, and with thos
on the way and under orders, the corps viii
be increased TO 5000 before the beginnin,
Of hosulitiss. According 10 Colonel Wood
huIls reports. the hospitals are in no wa
overcrowded al the present time. He re
ports accommodations for over 1900 pa
tients. and his latest statement of the mum
Der of sick shows only 1,S47 beds occupies
by sick and wounded, including the con