The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-24

In mind, this Is MERRITT, not MILES For
good reasons the Miles press bureau has
not included this important letter OF MER-
RrrT's in its latest selection, and we ac-
cordingly supplement the omission by
printing it in full here:
"nEApQrARrERs DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST.
"GpyEnSoRs ISLAND.
New York. May H. 1929.
ms Ere,iienev WILLIAM MCKINLEY. President Of
IN, United States:
"SiR-Since my letter to you Of May H. I have
been studying the problem before me with oil tho
| assistance can get from my stan and from men
who have lived in the Philippine Islands.
ITO the list ADMITTED the 18th Of necessities
for the expedition desire to add One siege battery,
fully manned and equipped; an ordnance detach-
ment Of two officers and twenty-five men. with
| necessary tools
The question OF trains must necessarily be post
poned until moro definite information can be had.
but present Information indicates that II Will he
imperative TO carry with the expedition advance
pon'oon train and all the drsught animals Cor artil-
lery and trains Tho most suitable horses ard mules
can no purchased on the Pacific coast.
81 need hardly urge tho Importance Of my learn
ing at the earliest ossible moment what Admiral
DEWEY rcpors OF the military situation and. II cable
| communication cannot he had with him at an early
date 1t seems 10 me that despatch should be got to
| him from Hong Kong in order TO obtain answers 10
81 What is the total strength of Spanish forces In
| the island
- How much of this force is in or about Manila1
20. What proportion Of the troops is Spanish and
| what nativer
"4 What amount and calibro Of neld artillery
have they?
"H Can We operate field artillery, or will noun
| tain artillery alone be practicable?
30 VIA number Of horses can be had in or near
| Manila What work are theJ equal tn2
! ~ What food supplies Is it imperative to brinC2
| 20. Will bridge trains be needed. and how much?
Z" have been i'll consultation with an intelligent
physicsn who has passed much time in the Eastern
| country, including the Philippines. and am con-
WINGED that the expedition must be fitted out very
carefully with reference to the conditions to he met
there. These conditions nre not the Same as those
Obtaining in Cuba. II the Quartermasters Depart
ment has no reliable man to furnish this inforna-
| ton. can send one to Washington.
seems more than irobdb,e that we ,oiN hare he so
called insuro,nts TO 6Gh az nell as the SPdnidrds and
upon the work to be accomplished will depend the
ultimate strength and composition of the force.
with great respect. your obedient servant.
Nv. MERRITT. MajorGcneral, u, s. Army"
Gen. MERRIrT's arrangements were made
directly with the President and the Secretary
Of War. 1t does not appear from the record
that MILES was consulted up to this point.
Nevertheless. on May 16, as he says with
out having then seen MERRITT's estimate
| OF May 49, MILES volunteered to the Sec
rotary Of War the suggestion that tho force
for the Philippines consist Of thirteen thou
sand volunteers and less than three thousand
regulars instead Of the seren thousand reg
uldrs and eight thousand volunteers for which
MERRITT had asked. This is what tho
headquarters statement now indulgently
terms only difference as to the compost
tion OF the force"
MILEs's suggestion Of May 16 was re-
ferred to MERRITT, who returned 1t to the
Adjutant-Gencral on the next day, May IT,
with this comment:
~ consder the composition OF the force outlined
by the Major. General Commanding the Army
| unsuted to the ends to be accomplished and insult
hcient in efficiency for tho expedition to the Philip
| pines.
| Two regiments Of regular infantry. two.thirds Of
| Q regiment of regular cavalry. and two light bat
teries is vory small proportion Of the forty-two
regular regiments in tho army when the work to be
done consists OF conquering territory 1000 miles
from base. defended by q regularly trained and
acclimated army OF from 10 900 to 20 900 men, and
inhabited by IA. 900. 900 OF people, tho majority Of
whom will regard with the intense hatred born OF
| race and religion.
| "Besides. II I am not greatly mistaken, the sug-
Rested command is only on paper IS the fourteenth
Infantry is only partially available. My letters OF
May Q and IL give the composition and minimum
strength OF the regular force deem necessary.
| w MERRITT. Major. General. Comm andinR."
This went back to MILES on May 1s, in
the course of routine, and he then wrote
down by way OF criticism two opinions
which disclose his psychical attitude toward
the Merritt expedition in particular and the
Philippine policy in general.
First, as to MERRITTs estimate Of the
strength of the opposing forces, namely,
ten to twenty-five thousand men," MILES
placidy remarked
The reference to the Spanish troops Is believed
to be very much exaggerated"
The answer to this came nine days later
straight from Admiral DEWEY, in response
to the inquiry suggested in Gen. MERRITr's
letter OF May 10, printed above. AS Gen
MILEsS press agents fail to include in their
too partial selection or arrangement of
documents DEwEY's decision as to the rel
alive accuracy Of MILEs's estimate of the
hostile forces and MERRITr's we give here
the Admrals replies to the first three
questions:
-. Between or. 900 and 10000 Spanish troops of
all kinds in Philippine Islands
80. Fifteen thousand at Manila.
80 About 30 per cent. spanish"
Secondly, ms to MERRrTT's estimate Of tho
number of American soldiers needed for
the expedition, MILES adhered to his
original declaration that an army OF 5000
or G,OOO was big enough. Wo arc still
quoting from MILEs's Endorsement of
May 10:
THE force now ordered to he sent IT, as already
indicated. ten thousand more than ,oH b, required for
The purpose"
The answer to this obstinate reafflrmation
Of tho sufiiciency of a cOrporals guard
came from no less parsonage than the
President himself This will make your
, force quite 10000 wrote Adit. Gen. Cor,
BIN to Gen. MERRITT on June IA. "The
President remarks, however after reading
your telegram, IA fast as transportation is
provided you shall have tho full 20, 900. o,
| o,,o,, t,,ro &c rruDirrJ