The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-10
NO INSTRUCTIONS TO OTIS.
Secretary Of War Says the General Has Not
Been Intehered With.
THE AMERICAN FLEET AT ILOILO
Powerful Enough 10 0ssiroJ the Place II FIIiplnos
Refuse 10 Surrender No Longer Resilancy.
as 10 Course 10 Be Pursued.

Washington. Feb. 1o-All that General
Otis had to report TO the war department
yesterday related TO the casualties that
have occurred so far among the Ameri-
can troops as the result OF the actions
since Saturday night. Matters in Luzon
are now in a state OF temporary quiet,
apparently, and one of the officials who
knows as well as any one what is going
on said that he did not expect TO hear of
important developments in the Philip
pines for the next four or five days.
Secretary Alger repeated his state
ment to the effect that he had sent no in
structions 10 General Otis. and in answer
TO an Inquiry as TO the projected move
meDt towards "A landing at Iloilo added
that IL General Miller had been ordered
to make a landing the order must have
been given by General Otis, for ii had
not gone from the war department. The
Impression prevails. however, that this
movement is already under way. and il
would not be surprising TO hear within
the next two days that il had been exc
cuted
Admiral Dewey was heard from yes
terday to the effect that he had found il
necessary TO clear out all armed in
surgents at little village which COM
manded the lard approaches 10 his naval
station at Cavite. The action was
thoroughly approved at the navy de-
partment.
Probably within As hours General Miller
will have begun the attempt to occupy
Iloilo. No specific orders on this score
have been sent TO him since the battle
OF Saturday and Sunday, nor has he
been heard from directly respecting that
matter, but ii was his known intention
to make this movement as soon as he
felt that conditions warranted IT, State
ments contained in the press reports
from Manila convince the officials here
that General Otis has at last authorized
the landing. The best indication of that
determination was the dispatch yester-
day from Manila Of the First regiment
OF Tennessee volunteer infantry for
1loilo.
The movement to occupy Iloilo might
have been made some time ago but for
the necessity for Withdrawing the Fifty
first Iowa regiment from before Iloilo.
These troops had been on their trans
port so long that they were really UNIT
for active service until they had had an
opportunity OF stretching themselves
ashore for "a few days. The men are now
on shore at Manila. General Miller has
with him the Eighteenth infantry and
battery G. of the Sixth artillery, AID
these will be reinforced in the course OF
"a hours by the First Tennessee regi-
ment. making a force quite equal TO the
occupation OF Iloilo.
Surgeon General Sternberg says there
Ia no necessity for any additional pro-
vision for the treatment of sick or
wounded soldiers in the Philippines now
from the increased tax upon the hospi-
tails there as a consequence of the recent
lighting at Manila. Ample provision was
made some time ago for such an emerg
ency, and General Sternberg has no
doubt that all cases of sick and wounded
Will receive prompt and thorough at
tention. In accordance with plans made
several weeks ago the hospital ship Re-
lief will sail from New York for Manila
on Feb. Is via the Suez canal She will
carry all the medical and hospital sup
plies that can be placed upon her. as well
as from IL 10 Is officers Of the medical de-
partment and $50 privates OF the hospital
corps. The latter are to relieve an equal
number of men who have been on duty
In the Philippines for several months.
The Filipinos who make up all that is
left OF the junta that was established
here have so far made no preparations
TO move out OF the country, the main
reason being the illnoss of Dr. Lazada.
The other Filipino, Lopez. who stays TO
take care Of his associate. is giving every
public Indication OF an avoidance of any
action that might be construed TO be Of
fensive In political way.