The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-02-11
CAME AS A SHOCK.
Opening of Eostilitics Not Anticipa led
by the Admin IstratIOn.

| ny the huhihistrbtiOn.
| Washington, Feb. 6.-Admiral
| Dewey on Sunday cabled the navy de-
partment that hostilities had begun be-
| tween the American army and naval
forces in and about Manila, and the
| Philippine insurgents. The insurgents
he said, had been the aggressors, and
| had been repulsed.
| Admiral Dewey's cablegram is as fol-
| lows:
Manila, Feb $40 the Secretary of the
| Navy. Washington: Insurgents here inau-
| gurated general engagement yesterday
! night, which has continued to-day. Amer
| lean army and navy generally successful.
| Insurgents have been driven back and our
lire advanced. No casualties to navy.
DEWEY"
The news came like shock, for the
administration, though appraised that
an ugly situation prevailed in the Phil
| ippines, had clung steadily to a hope
| that by tact and patience actual fight
| ing might be averted. and even those
I public men who felt that hostlities
! would follow, should the treaty be rati-
! fed and the United States attempt 10
| occupy the islands, believed that Aguin-
X
the treaty of peace was in its most crit
ical stage. Some senatorial opponents
Of ratification of the treaty adhere to
their position but the general opinion
in Washington is that the news from
Manila insures the ratification Of the
treaty this afternoon
Otis Master of situation
Officials noted one little flaw in
Dewey's dispatch, in which he spoke of
the American army and navy as gen
orally successful conveying just the
least intimation that at some points
the results were not as satisfactory as
at others. 1t is inferred here that this
might mean the development Of weak
ness at some Of the more exposed points
on the American lines, which might be
| easily explained by the fact that the
attack was made at night perhaps in
| places where the insurgents could
| creep close up in the shelter of the
tropical jungle that grows nearly into
| the town Of Manila Every confidence,
| however, is felt that Gen. Otis is mas
| ter Of the situation. This confidence is
| based not only on Dewey's cablegram
| but from repeated assurances to that
effect conveyed by Gen. Otis to WASH
! ington from time TO time during the
| past few months. The forces under
| his command as shown by the rec
| ords Of The adjutant generals Office De-
| cember 10, the date Of the last report,
were 1859 troops, and OF these there
were present for duty 1886 men. Re-
| Il 4
aldo's force at from 10000 TO 10000
men, well armed.
| Backed by Dcwey's Fleet.
| Besides his soldiers, Gen. Otis has al
| his back in Manila bay, commanding
| the city, vcritablc rock Of Gibraltar
in Dcwcy's fleet. With the vessels he
now has and those about TO Join him
Dewey will have ~ ships of various
| types. or full.hedged warships be now
has nine. as follows: The flagship
| Olympia, the Boston, Baltimore,
Charleston, Concord, Monadnock, Mon
ierey, Petrol aud the Buffalo. He also
has three armed supply ships. which
are just as effective as "A warship almost
in attacking troops outside Of fortiiica.
lions and in maintaining the blockade.
They are the Culgoa. the Nanshan aud
the InHro. The vessels on the way TO
join Dewey are the gunboat Helena,
now al Colombo; the CastiDe, al Glib.
rnltar; the Princeton, due Mt Port
Said Tuesday; the Bennington, the
I,rutus and the Yorktown, probably
nj Guam, on their way TO Manila; the
battleship Oregon and the waterfront
Iris, Mt Honolulu. The Solnce Is about
TO start any moment from Norfolk for
Maniln. This leaves out Of account the
army transports under Otis command.
which could be made Of great service.
The fleet cannot operate syainst
troops In the interior. but undoubtedly
Dewey Immediately will draw a tight
Gordon OF blockading vessels around
the island OF Luzon and make a special
effort absolutely 20 cut of the insur-
gents from the supplies and ammuni-
ton which they must have 70 carry on
the war.