Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-29
Army Officials Confer With Presi-
dent Mckinley.
FORTY THOUSAND mEN
Bo Will Have This Number In the
Philippines ut tho Close OF the
Rainy scason-Eniistmcnts OF Re-
cruits VIII no For Thrco Ycnr.-
Ton Thousand Men Needed OH
cers 10 he Promoted.
tBy Telegraph to vlrr1plan-pllot,

-
Washington, D. c.. June 2S.-Secre-
tary Alger. Adjutant General Corbln
and Colonel Bird assistant quarter
master general in charge of transpor-
tation, had all hours consultation with
the President to-day relative to the
question of e-enforcements for General
Otis. A definite decision has been
reached to continue recruiting men at
all the recruiting stations for service
in the Philippines, and Secretary Alger
said when he left the White House.
after the conference. that General Otis
would have 10000 men when the rainy
season closed for u resumption of ac-
tive operations.
WILL PUSH RECRUITING.
There are seventy recruiting stations
in the United States and enlistments
are to be taken at all of the stations.
The enlistments are to be for service
in the regular army and recruits are to
be organized into regiments or assign
ed to regiments already formed after
enlistment. No organizations as such
are to be accepted. IL sufficient recruits
can be obtained by regular enlistment.
FOR THREE YEARS.
General Corbin said the enllstments
would be for three years. although the
law for the creation of the provisional
army of $4,000 in excess of the regular
army ofs6b.000, provides only for such
force until 1901. Arrangements are
to be made at once for increasing the
transportation necessary to get these
additional troops to the Philippines.
AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGNING.
The decision to reinforce General Otis
by the end of the rainy season is inter
preted to mean that aggressive cam
palgning Will cease until the bad
weather ends. Until that time our on
erations will probably be confined to
occasional excursions to places in close
vicinity to our lines where the insur-
gents may have congregated in force.
BY remaining quiescent under good
shelter during the rainy season it is
hoped the health of our troops will be
conserved and the danger from CHI
matte fever reduced to minimum.
SKELETON ORGANIZATIONS.
General Otis has cabled the War De-
partment that he has the skeleton or
CARNATIONS of two of three regiments
which 1t is proposed to raise in the
Philippines. At the War Department
this is said to mean that General Otis
has the officers for these regiments Sc
lected and that they are ready trr- be
MED with enlisted men. How many
or these can be secured from the vol
unteer regiments, now in the Philip
pines is not known.
THE VOLUNTEER ARMY.
1t is stated at the War Department
tnat the recruits now being enlisted at
the rate of 1000 a week cannot be used
for the volunteer army provided for in
the act OF March 2, authorizing 81, 900
men, although it would be an easv
matter TO transfer these men from their
own consent to the volunteer service If
It should be determined to raise addi
tional troops.
REGULAR ARMY'S STRENGTH.
Later in the day it was definitely de-
cloeo 10 pegin the enlistment for the
nrst volunteer service under the act of
the last Congress. The reports to the
Ad1utant General based on the reports
or the recruiting officers and on close
estimates as to the number OF soldiers
In the Philippines and in each command
in Cuba and Porto Rico show that the
regular army Is up to its full author
ICED strength.
TEN THOUSAND MEN NEEDED.
The additional soldiers needed must
be obtained under that section of the
49, - 49, TIE enlist
ment of volunteers. The only exception
Will be in the case of the few enlist
ments that will be made from time to
time to fill gaps in the regular army
caused by casualties and by the expi-
ration OF enllstments. The officers
scattered among the principal cities of
the country who have been enlisting
regulars only. will be instructed inn
mediately TO prepare to enlist volun
teers. The present indications are that
about 10000 men will be wanted
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS
Volunteers will not be accepted in or
CARNATIONS. Secretary Alger Is de-
termined to adhere to that rule. Look
ing over the act Of Congress, he has
concluded that the authorization to
raise these volunteer troops "at large"
indicates purpose on the part of Con-
gress to follow out the plan successful
ly operated In the case of the Immune
regiments.
1t is the present purpose to disregard
State and local lines in securing the
recruits and welding them into organi-
cation. Thus the regiments cannot be
known by State names, but simply
under the designation of first. second,
third. ETC.. volunteer United States in
fantry or cavalry. No difficulty is an
ticipated in securing the men needed,
for 1t is believed that the 1000 who are
weekly offering themselves at the re-
cruiting offices will. be even mora will.