Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-06
Manila and are practically as good as
the regulars.
No one here knows
THE REAL STRENGTH

OF the insurgents opposed to Gen. Otis.
The accounts of their numbers are con-
| flicting and hone of them comes from
| reliable sources. Still, the best belief
of the authorities of the War Depart
menr is that they number about 10000
mems but they are not comparable to
! the American forces in personnel, dis
cipline or quality of arms. 1t is
some Remingtons and variety of 9TH
er firearms, and it is suspected they
have been quite plentifully supplied
with ammunition from outside sources.
Taken as whole, this armament is de-
cidedly inferior to that of the American
| troops Then, with inexperienced Of
ficers, in many cases even the colonies
of regiments being not more than
twenty-one years of age, and their lack
of knowledge of tactics, they are at
great disadvantage. Their strong
point is their knowledge of the coun-
| try and certain fanatical bravery in
| onslaught that would be formidable to
| a volunteer force not well
TRAINED TO STAND FIRE.
Like the Cubans they rely too much on
a sword-like weapon corresponding to
the machete a weapon of little value
against long-range rifles. Altogether,
/ the War Department officials have not
the slightest doubt of Gen Otis ability
to hold his position indefinitely and
the only cause for apprehension is the
fear that by taking to the interior of
the country. practically impossible for
American troops in the approaching
rainy season, prolonged Indian fight
ing style of campaign may follow.
| Besides his soldiers Gen. Otis has at
his back in Manila bay commanding
the city veritable rock of Gibraltar
| in Dewey's feet. With the vessels he
now has and those about to join him,
Dewey will have twenty-one ships OF
various types. Of full-fedged warships
he now has nine, as follows: the flag
| ship Olympia, the Boston, Baltimore,
Charleston, Concord, Monadnock, Mon
| terey, Petrol and the Buffalo. He also
has three armed supply ships which
are just as effective as a warship in
attacking troops outside of fortifca-
tons and in maintaining blockade.
They are the Culgoa, the Nanshan
| and the Seafiro. The vessels on the
way to join Dewey are the gunboat
Helena, now at. Colombo, the Castine,
at Gibraltar, the Princeton due at Port
| Said Tuesday, the Bennington, the
Brutus and the Yorktown, probably at
Guam on their way to Manila, the
| battleship Oregon and the water boat
| Iris at Honolulu. The Solace is about
| to start any moment from Norfolk for
| Manila. This leaves out of account the
army. transports under Otis command
which could be made of great service
The fleet cannot operate against
troops in the interior, but undoubted-
! ly Dewey Immediately will draw a light
Gordon of blockading vessels around
the island of Luzon and make a spe-
cial effort absolutely to
CUT OFF THE INSURGENTS
| from the supplies of ammunition which
they must have to carry on the war.
One of the first steps of the admin
istration upon hearing of the outbreak
at Manila was to give attention to the
presence in Washington of Agoncillo,
the accredited representative here of
the Philippine insurgents. They would
not say whether or not any steps had
been taken looking to his expulsion
rest, but his status, it can be stated,
has already been the subject of care
full study. The officials have been loath
to disturb him, first because they did
not care to martyrize him unneces-
sarily, and secondly, because they did
not care to expose themselves to the
criticism that they were interfering
improperly with the supply Of infor-
nation and arguments respecting the
Philippine question while the treaty
was pending before the Senate. 1t Is
possible, however, that their patience
is now exhausted. believing as they do
that he has in some fashion been con-
nected with this outbreak and that
the Filipinos might be arous-
ed to the point of action.
1t was said at the State Department
plainly that Agoncillo was either
traitor or a spy. If the Philippines
are regarded as American territory,
then he is the representative and ac-
tive agent of an instruction against
the United States, and as such is
traitor. If the Philippines are still in
nominal Spanish possession, then, as
a state of war still technically exists,
he can be regarded only as a spy. At
the very least his presence is highly
obnoxious and there is said to be ample
AUTHORITY FOR HIS EXPULSION
by Presidential order.
1t was impossible to-day to secure
any relations with the Filipino junta
which has ire headnuar+ar- az -ba A.