The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-07

Washington, March 6.-There is some
reason to expect important news from
Manila within the next fortnight. II
has developed that General Otis has
practically completed his plans for a
grand onslaught upon the insurgents
which is expected to deprive them of of
fensive power at least. 1t is probable
that he will form large part of his
force into columns. as soon as his re-
inforcements are all at hand, and will
push these in parallel lines through the
jungles. clearing out the insurgents in
every direction as the troops go forward.
The American troops are getting rest
less and nervous under the petty but
annoying sharpshooting of the Filipinos
and are so anxious to put stop to this
that General Otis has yielded to their
desire
Forty-one thousand officers and men
of the army and navy forces comprise
the approximate total of American
strength now at, en- route and under
orders for service ut the Philippine is
lands. No further reinforcements are
now in contemplation. The forces of
the two services already stationed in
and about the archipelago consist of
twenty regiments Of infantry, one engi-
neer battalion seven troops of cavalry
and eleven batteries of artillery, an
aggregate of about 21.500 men,
Nineteen vessels with an aggregate of
~ officers. 1880 men and 253 marines
make up the naval contingent. This is
exclusive of the hospital ship Solace.
with 162 officers and men all told. which
is constantly passing back and forth
from Manila. There are about 4.S00
army reinforcements on the way to Ma
Mia, making as rapid progress as possi-
BILE, and there are. roughly 1900 men in
the force under orders to proceed TO the
Philippines.
The following vessels are now at Ma
Mia or Hong Kong under the command
of Admiral Dewey:
Baltimore, bennington, Boston, Buff
falo, Callao, Charleston. Concord Gull
goa. Don Juan de Austria. Helena. Isla
de Luzon, Isla de Cuba. Manila. Monad-
mock, Monocacy, Monterey, Olympia,
Petrol and Yorktown. These vessels
carry 297 officers. 1880 sailors and 253
marines. The Solace does not remain
at Manila. The Castine and Princeton
are now ON their way through the Red
Sea to join Admiral Dewey, and the Ore
gon and her attendant vessel. the Iris,
are travelling through the Pacific to
the same destination. These vessels will
add to the naval force at Manila 50
officers. 739 men and 81 marines. The
captured ships Don Juan de Austria,
Isla de Luzon and Isla de Cuba are
not available for immediate service as
they are in need of repairs. The Solace
has taken out number of recruits and
the Isla de Luzon will be manned. The
Wheeling vii join the Manila feet. but
is not to be counted on as being available
in the immediate future.
The regular troops now in the Phil
ippine Islands under command of Major
General Otis, consist of the following:
The Fourteenth United States. Infan-
try. Eighteenth United States infantry.
Twentieth United States infantry (which
has but recently arrived there consisting
of Al officers and 1,21S mem. Twenty
Second United States infantry andTwen-
ty-Third United States infantry, batta-
lion of United States engineers. Com
panies G. e. /, X. L., of the Fourth
United States cavalry, Batteries G. IL
* and l., of the Third United States
artillery. and Batteries ID and G Sixth
United States artillery.
Most of the volunteer forces already
in the field. and most OF whom have
borne the brunt of the engagements
with both the Spanish army on the
islands, and more recently the Filipinos
have been there since the beginning O1
the American occupancy of the islands
They comprise fifteen regiments Of in
fantry. one troop of cavalry, and five
batteries of artillery, as follows:
The First California. First Colorado
First idaho. Fifty-First Iowa, Twentieth
Kansas, Thirteenth Minnesota. FRS
Montana, First North Dakota, tlrs
Nebraska, Second Oregon, Tenth Penn
sylvania, First South Dakota, Firs
Tennessee, First Washington, Firs
Wyoming, First Troop of the Nevada
cavalry, Battery A and Battery Il, Utal
light artillery, Battery A and Battery d
Of the California artillery. the Firs
Wyoming light battery and the Firs
and Eighteenth companies 0f>the Uni
ucd States Signal Corps.
In addition to these another company
of the Signal Corps has just beer
formed at Manila, being recruited by
transfer from the regular branch Of tho
army. This means Of making up the
new company was made necessary by
the lack Of time for dispatch of mer
from the United States Keinforcement>
for the Philippines now on the way az
gregate in the neighborhood of 4S0C
men, all told. These are made up OF
three general expeditions as follows:
The transport Grant, with Genera
Iawton and staff, with total of ~ of
ficers and 1f6 men, including one batta
lion of the Seventeenth infantry reci
ment and four companies Of the Fonrtl
infantry. This expedition sailed from
New York January 18th. was reDorte,
Mt Singapore on Saturday and Gesera
Lawton has cabled Gen. Otis that hi