Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-16
CEbu WILL BE
OCCUPIED
Gen. Miller Will Take That in
Near Future.
SEVERAL MORE SKIRMISHES
Rebels Are Driven Back Into the
Jung!e--The Serious Wound of
One Montana Soldier,
SEVERAL MORE SKIRMISHES

New York, Feb. ia dispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says: The war
department expects dispatches from Gen.
otls by the end of the week announcing
the occupation by an American force of
Cebu the third city of Importance in the
Philippines. When Gen. Miller started
for lloilo his instructions were, after es-
tablishing American authority at that
port to proceed Immediately to Cebu and
occupy that place. For this purpose the
Fifty first Iowa regiment was sent after
him, but on account of unexpected op-
position to the landing of Gen. Miller's
troops at Iloilo, compelling a tedious de-
lay for the forces on shipboard, the Iowa
regiment was returned to Manila last
week and the First Tennessee was sent
to take its place for the purpose of gar
risoning Cebu.
1t appears that the regiment was land
ed with the other troops at Iloilo on Sat
! urday and Sunday, but in view of the
/ ease with which Iloilo can be guarded
! against attack on the part of the natives,
it is thought that by this time Gen. Mil
Ter has found it possible to reimbark a
portion of his forces to carry out the
original programme of securing Cebu.
This place is the capital of the island
of the same name and is the most ancient
town in the Philippines, being formerly
the seat of government of the Vizayas
group, which includes Bohol, Panay,
! Negros and Leyte The administration
| was, however, removed to Manila in 1S4S.
Its population at present is over 35, 900
and it is the natural mercantile center of
the archipelago, being about 800 miles
| from Manila. 1t is we'll built and the
neighborhood possesses fine roads. AL
though it's climate is better than that of
any other group, the natives have been
devoid of commercial enterprise The
trade of Cebu consists principally of
hemp and sugar, the neighboring islands
of Leyte, Mindanao and Bohol having ex-
tensive hemp plantations, most of the
product of which finds it's way to Cebu
for shipment.
There are some valuable and extensive
coal deposits not far away from town but
the mines as yet have been worked only
specifically. The town is built on
large plain at the foot of the chain of
hills which traverses the island through
terly has been a thriving place. The mer-
chants quarter, situated along the port,
includes some we'll built stone houses,
though many are old. The huts of the
Malays, for the most part fishermen, are
on the beach east and west of the city.
There is fine cathedral, bishops pal
ace, court house, postoffice and a tele-
graph station. The port is formed by the
narrow channel which parts Cebu from
Makatan island 1t was on this little
island that Magellan was killed in 1852
after making the first passage across the
Pacific.
| 1t is not the intention of General Otis
and Admiral Dewey to establish garri-
sons for the present at other towns in
the Philippines except Manila. Iloio and
! Cebu, although as soon as these ports
and their revenues are under the control
of the United States, the smaller vessels
of Admiral Dewey's fleet will make sys-
tematic cruises throughout the islands to
command respect for the American flag.
! On the visits of these ships to the various
ports their officers will learn positively
whether the commerce of such ports will
warrant the establishment in them of
custom houses and American representa-
tves, but al present there is not sufficient
information to warrant the despatch of
officers to any other ports except, pos
sibly, at the northern terminus of the
railway line extending from Manila to
Lingayan 1t will be General Otis plan
to open this railroad throughout it's
length as soon as possible. 1t is owned by
a British corporation and in addition to
the commercial advantages accruing
from it's operation, it's strategetic value
can hardly be overestimated.
| Aguinaldo's followers in the island of
Luzon are apparently confined to the
immediate neighborhood of it's line. One
of Admiral Dewey's ships will soon go to
the extreme south of the archipelago to
secure the alliance of the sultan of Sulu
and to report on the harbors of that
miniature group while another ship will
explore the comparatively undeveloped
island of Halawan, in the China sea,
which many naval officers say will turn
out to be the most important island in
the Philippines.