The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-02-09
CAME AS A SHOCK.
Opening of Eostilitfes Not Anticipated
by the Administration.

g.
Opening Of Hostilities Not Anticipates
by the Administrations.
Washington, Feb. 6.-AdmiraI
Dewey on Sunday cabled the navy de-
partment that hosti1ities had begun be-
tween the American army and naval
forces in and about Manila, and the
Philippine insurgents. The insurgents.
he said, had been the aggressors, and
had been repulsed.
Admiral Dewey's cablegram is as fol-
lows: ->
Manila, Feb. 5.-To the Secretary Of the
Navy, Washington: Insurgents here inau-
gurated general engagement yesterday
night, which has continued to-day. Amer
lean army and navy generally successful.
Insurgents have been driven back and our
line advanced. No casualties to navy.
DEWEY"
The news came like shock, for the
administration, though apprised tina:
an ugly situation prevailed in the Phil
ippines, had chung steadily to hope
that by tact and patience actual fight
ing might be averted, and even those
public men who felt that hostilities
would follow, should the treaty be rati-
fled and the United States attempt to
occupy the islands, believed that Aguin-
aldo would not force the fighting when
the treaty of peace was in its most crit
ical stage. Some senatorial opponents
of ratification of the treaty adhere to
their position but the general opinion
in Washington is that the news from
Manila insures the ratification of the
treaty this afternoon
Otis Master of Situation.
Officials noted one little flaw in
Dewey's dispatch, in which he spoke of
the American army and navy as "gen-
orally successful" conveying just the
least intimation that at some points
the results were not as satisfactory as
at others. 1t is inferred here that this
might mean the development of weak
ness at some of the more exposed points
on the American lines, which might be
easily explained by the fact that the
attack was made at night, perhaps in
places where the insurgents could
creep close up in the shelter of the
tropical jungle that grows nearly into
the town of Manila. Every confidence,
however. is felt that Gen. Otis is mas
ter of the situation. This confidence is
based not only on Dewey's cablegram,
but from repeated assurances to that
effect conveyed by Gen. Otis to Wash
ington from time to time during the
past few months. The forces under
his command, as shown by the rec
ords of the adjutant generals office De-
cember 10. the date of the last report,
were 1850 troops, and of these there
were present for duty 1886 men. Re-
cent dispatches have estimated .Aguin-
aldo's force at from 10000 to 10000
men, we'll armed.
Backed by Dewey's Fleet.
Besides his soldiers, Gen. Otis has at
his back in Manila bay, commanding
the city, veritable rock of Gibraltar
in Dewey's fleet. With the vessels he
now has. and those about to join him
Dewey will have 21 ships of various
types Of full-fedged warships he now
has nine, as follows: The flagship
Olympia; the Boston, Baltimore,
Charleston, Concord, Monadnock, Mon
terey, Petrol and the Buffalo. He also
has three armed supply ships, which
are just as effective as warship almost
in attacking troops outside of fortifica-
tions and in maintaining the blockade.
They are the Culgoa, the Nanshan and
the Zafiro. The vessels on the way to
join Dewey are the gunboat Helena,
now at Colombo: the Castine, at Glib
raltar; the Princeton. due at Port
Said Tuesday; the Bennington, the
Brutus and the Yorktown, probably
at Guam, on their way to Manila; the
battleship Oregon and the Waterfront
Iris. at Honolulu. The Solace is about
to start any moment from Norfolk for
Manila. This leaves out of account the
army transports under Otis command.
which could be made of great service,
The fleet cannot operate against
troops in the interior, but undoubtedly
Dewey Immediately will draw tight
Gordon of blockading vessels around
the island of Luzon and make special
effort absolutely to cut off the insur-
gents from the supplies and ammuni-
ton which they must have to carry on
the war.
AGONCILLO A FTTGTTTVE