Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-15
MORE MEN FOR OTIS
Five Thousand to Be Added to the
$4,000 De rad.
10 ENLIST VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS
The Administration Ready to Sus-
tain Him.
MAY HAVE MORE TROOPS

pines The President has always stood
ready to give him everything he needed Tor
the enforcement of his plans IN the ihll-
ippines and has assured him several times
that he could have more men if he needed
them Up to within the last few days the
plans of the administration die not con-
template any increase in the army III the
Philippines above the limit OF 8O,ooo spe-
Gifted by Gen. Otis. Recent events, how
ever. have convinced the authorities Oh the
advisability of stretching that limit to 3d.
coo men, and the War Department Is max
ing arrangements accordingly.
The action of the President in giving Gen.
Otis more men than he has asked for was
taken after full consideration OF the mill
tary situation in all its phases. The extra
5000 men will be added TO his army as
nrscautionary measure to guard against
Dossible inrOads on his forces ny disease
incident to the hardships of aNcdmpalSn in
a tropical climate in an unhealthy season
Such condItIonS now confront the American
troOps in the Philippines, and will naturally
have the effect of reducing the effective
strength of the army to greater or less
extent.
To Raise Three Volunteer Regiments.
1t has therefore been decided to increase
the army of occupation to $4,000 men, ana
as one step in that direction General OTIS
has been authorized to recruit three skele-
ton volunteer regiments from among the
volunteers now In the Philippines ander
orders to return home for muster out He
has already assured the department OF the
practfcabiIity of this arrangement, but has
as vet given no details. The three regl-
ments will be in excess of the regular army
of 5000 men, and will be organized under
the authority of the statute giving the
President discretion to increase the army
to 100000 strong by the organization OF
35, 600 volunteers. 1t is estimated at the
War Department that about 1000 of the
volunteers now in the Philippines Will en-
list in the new regiments, leaving only
about $500 additional recruits TO be for
Warded from the United States to complete
the organizations.
The President has informed General Otis
that the officers for these regiments will be
appointed upon his recommendation. They
will be selected from the officers in the reg
ular army and in volunteer regiments who
have shown their courage and capacity in
the arduous campaigns in the philippines.
In addition to the regfmental and staH off,
GERS. seventy-two Iieutenants will be re-
quired for the three new regiments So far
as possible these will be selected from
among the men who have rendered good
service in the Philippines.
Otis Can Have More Men.
Adjt Gen. Corbin said this afternoon that
the President Is doing everything in his
power to uphold Gen. Otis in the Philip
pines, Gen. Brooke in Cuba and Gen. Davis
In Porto Rico. and is prepared and willing
to give them everything they ask for. As
TO the army in the Philippines, Gen. COrbin
said that Gen. Otis could have had more
men If NJ had asked for them. With full
Knowledge of the situation, he indicated,
however that 10000 men were sufficient for
his purpose and in giving him 5000 men in
excess of that number the President has
merely acted in spirit of precaution, ard
with the sole idea of encouraging and as
els rir.cr Ter
campaign. and with no idea that he has
underestimated the necessities OF the situa-
ton.
With the regular troops now in the Phil
ipFines and those urder orders to proceed
there. Gen. Otis will have an effective army
OF 10000 men, and the three volunteer reg-
ments and recruits to be forwarded from
this country will swell the total to about
$1,000 men. As a general principle it is
regarded better that Gen. Otis should have
more man than he needs rather than that
he should have not enough for a prompt
and vigorous prosecution of his plans. In
cIeasing the company strength from 112 to
12s men will add about 1000 men to the
army in the Philippines.
All the volunteers who re-enlist in the
three new regiments will receive, on the
day of their enlistment, travel pay allow
anees. amounting in each case to about
800 anC at the expiration OF term of enlist
ment, will be forwarded to their homes at
the expense of the government.
The Plan of Reinforcement.
The approved plan for the reinforcement
of the army operating in the Philippines is
briefly stated by high official of the War
Department as follows:
THE increase OF the size of the COM
panies with Gen. Otis to 12S men to the
company was made from 3.1O0 men, here
tofore the Hospital Corps. which the con-
troller has decided may be enlisted, over
and above the $500 men provided by law
In addition, the oath and 25th Regiments of
Infantry have been ordered TO Manila and
Gen. OTIS has been authorized TO organize
three skeleton volunteer regiments in Ma
Mia Gen Otis has informed the depart
ment that he can organizs these regiments.
1t Is proposed to send him recruits from
here to fill them to their maximum limit.
The arrangements referred to will give
Gen. Otis fighting force of over SO, 900
men OF the line These plans have been
approved by the President and will be put
into execution with the least possible de-
lay
Ammunition for Rapid-Fire Guns.
The War Department is preparing to send
to Gen. Otis 6OOO rounds of ammunition for
six-pound rapld-fire guns. These guns were
turned over TO the War Department by
the navy for the purpose of arming the
transports during the early portion of the
war. They are now in use in the Philip
pines, and considered very effective
gun for use against the Filipinos.
Transports Rechartered.
The Quartermaster's department has re-
chartered the Zealandia and the Valencia,
transports now at San Francisco. to be
used to carry troops to the Philippines
These transports belonged to the Pacific
coast fleet, but 1t was thought they would
no longer be required and they were put out
of commission. But as there are several
transports at Manila to bring home VOL
unteers they cannot be made available for
some time to carry the regular troops that
are ready to go to Manila.
Invitation to the President.
SAN FRANCISCO, June I5-The Ohio