The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-08

Washington, Feb. There was lit
tie abatement of interest in the stirring
events at Manila exhibited ut the War
Department to-day. The first feeling Gi
anxiety for the safety of the American
forces had given away entirely save In
the case of the personal friends and a..
quaintances of soldiers supposed to be in
iured, and there was displayed instead
the greatest interest in the extent of the
loss inflicted upon the insurgents by the
American soldiers and sailors. Officers
at the War Department who know Gen
eraI Otis well, declared, when he an
nounced the killing, capture or wound
ing of 1000 men, that he un-
doubtedly had underestimated the dam
age inflicted by him, as was his wont,
instead of magnifying it in the spanish
fashion.
The news of the day from abroad was
found in the casualty list sent by Gen
eral Otis and in the concise and excellent
description by him of the results OF the
engagement of Saturday night and sun
day. The officials say that nothing
more can be expected from him on this
to forward mail report giving in de-
tail all the history of the fighting. Ma
turally there was great deal of specu-
lation as to. the future conduct of af-
fairs by General Otis, but 20 some ex-
tent this must remain speculation mas
much as Secretary Alger had said that
the General is to be left TO follow his
own discretion.
J
TO assist him to a correct understand
ing of the diplomatic situation he has
been cabled the full text of the peace
treaty ratified yesterday.
A orwardmovement is probable at
Iloilo. where General Miller has been
for weeks lying in front of the town III
his transports. He has never had any
doubt of his ability to take the place
whenever he got the word, but there
has been restraining influence from
Washington, based in part on the hope
that the insurgents could be brought to
n peaceful retirement from the town,
and an apprehension that an effort to
force landing might result in serious
injury to foreign interests. Now, how
ever, it is felt that the latter are per-
haps more in jeopardy from a continu-
ance of the existing state of affairs than
they would be through a rapid seizure OF
the town.
General Miller now has with him the
Eighteenth infantry and battery of ar
tillery and it is likely that he will be
strongly reinforced before the attempt is
made to take Iloilo.
Naval officers have watched with pride
the achievements of the naval vessels
during the recent fighting, and they
were gratified when Secretary Long this
afternoon sent the following cablegram:
Dewey, Manila:
Congratulations.
(Signed.) LONG.
OUR MEN IN FULL CONTROL.
Manila, Feb. 7.-3:45 T. M.-The
Americans, as this dispatch is sent, are
in complete control of the situation with
in a radius of nine miles from Manila.
Their lines extending to Malabon, ON
the North, and to Paraaque, on the
South, are fully twenty-five. miles long.
While a few detached bodies Of the
enemy still offer desultory opposition the
main body of the rebels is in full re-
treat and utterly routed.
OF the hordes Of troops originally
drawn up in battle arraS against the
Americans, fully one-third are already
incapacitated. and the others are scat
tered in every direction.
The terrible loss of the rebels may be
gathered from the fact that 160 OF
them were buried in one rice field on
Monday. near Pasas and that 81 were
inferred between paco ana Santa Ana.
A converted river gunboat did terrific
execution among the rebels, sweeping
both banks of the river with her Gdtlins
guns and her heavier battery Hundreds
of Filipinos undoubtedly crawled into
the canebakes and died there's
The Americans are working nobly in
their efforts to find the wounded, and
are bringing hundreds of suffering
rebels to the hospitals for treatment.
The natives are unable to understand
the humane motives which prompt the
yictors to succor the wounded of the
enemy.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press is informed that members of the
hospital corps have made the starting
discovery that there are several women,
in male dress and with hair cropped,
among the dead.
The chief of the Ygorotes, the Filipino
natives who fought 50 CALAMITY in the
face Of our artillery fire. with their
bows and arrows, is in a hospital with
a shattered thigh. He admits that he
never saw modern artillery and was
ignorant Of it's effects and force until