The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-11
USING NATIVE PONIES.
Otis Finds Native Animals Better than
Big American Horses.


Big American Horses.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1O.-Up to the close
of office hours to-day General Otis sent no
news to the War Department indicating any
further conflicts with the natives. He had
a few casualties to report. these in answer
to inquiries from anxious friends of indi-
vidual soldiers. and he gave notice to the
department that he had been obliged to buy
a large number of horses to supply the
transportation needed owing to the length
ening of the American lines. These horses
so called, are really the little native Fill
pino ponies, which, it is said at the War De-
partment, have been found to be the best
animals for pack and draft purposes that
can be secured. Some big American horses
have been taken to the islands by the
troops, but they have sickened and died
and altogether have proven to be wholly I'M
fit for the climate. On the other hand Gen.
Otis reports that he has mounted several
troops of cavalry on the little native ponies
with good results.
The same state of affairs still holds good
with respect to the instruction of General
Otis. Again Secretary Alger said this after
noon that he had not sent any instructions
since the beginning of hostilities and would
send none. He fully expects that Otis will
latter is armed. and that d condition pre-
cedent to dealing with him at all is the re-
turn of the insurgents to their homes and
the surrender of their arms. Certainly Gen.
Otis is not expected to now take any action
that will amount to a recognition of the in
surgents as a foe to be treated with on the
basis of Independent nation.
One of the kilograms received by the War
Department this morning from General Otis
was in answer TO inquiries. The general
said the body of Cass White Company B,
First Colorado, had been recovered from
the river. White had been shot in the head.
The second dispatch said Corporal George
B. Wardlaw,ss Utah Battery had been
slightly wounded in the left ankle; condi-
tion good The third dispatch, timed Manila
II a. m Feb 10, referred entirely to the
purchase of some horses and other supplies,
and made no reference to any further en-
gagements with the insurgents. The action at
Caloocan, reported in press dispatches, how
ever, exactly bears out the opinion of the of
fcials Of the War Department as to the
course likely TO be followed by General Otis
in dealing with the insurgents in his front
1t was believed that he would not under
take a campaign of subjugation at this
stage, but that he would not hesitate to at
N~N@~ NN--NN
surgents that appeared to threaten another
onslaught on his men without waiting for
another overt act their part in other
words, he would regard a gathering such
as was reported to be going on at Caloocan
about six miles north of Manila, as Justify
ing an instant attack on the insurgents to
prevent them from attaining a degree of
strength that would make them dangerous
Viewed in this light General Otis's action
really would be in the nature of defensive
tactics.
For reasons that they will not divuge,
officials do not expect the attempt to be
made to land the American troops at Iloio
Immediately, though that was the under
standing a day two ago, based on Gen.
Otis's advices as to his intentions 1t is pos
sible that it has been concluded to be good
policysto allow the natives in Panay to learn
for themselves the disastrous fate that has
overtaken Aguinaldo's forces in the neigh
borhood of Luzon, hoping that they may be
induced to abate their resistance to General
Miller's attempted landing Then too, as
there is considerable foreign interest in this
town, which is second only to Manila in the
Philippines, it may be deemed necessary to
give formal notice of the American purpose
to attack the place in order to enable proper
precautions to be taken. Even if the attack
took place according to the original plan,
news of the result would not reach here for
two days, as Iloilo is distant from Manila
about $50 miles and the waters between are
not easy of navigation.
Owing to the pressing need for additional
signal corps in the Philippines and the diff
Guilty of getting reinforcements there from
the United States, it has ben decided by the
War Department to strengthen the corps
now in the islands by the addition of one
company of sixty men recruited from the
volunteer forces now stationed there. The
company will be recruited from the best men
obtainable in the service and officered by the
best noncommissoned officers that the COM
pany commanders are willing to spare The
new company will be divided into patches
OF twenty men, who will be distributed
among the companies already organized
there, making leaven of forty old men to
each of the new companies. The work of
the corps in the Philippines, as at Santiago
ana In Porto Rico. has been invaluable in
spite or the very small force available
since the renewal of hostilities the men on
duty in this corps have been working almost
continually day ard night. Telegraph and
signal men, the War Department says, are
worth more than generals of divisions in the
present crisis. and It has been imperative TO
increase the working force on the ground.