The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-28
WASHINGTON VIEW OF MATTER
A DIGEST or rue LATTE ADVicES
FROM GENERAL OTIS.
Doing u In nm Orderly way.
Step NJ a Timc.


the lighting north Of Manila brought nttlc
of decisive character, from what The
war officials could decide In ali official
quarters the most intense interest pre-
vailed but there was no excitement aud
none of anxiety and tension shown dur
ing the memorable days OF last summer
when the decisive blows were being struck
at santiago.
Early in the day General Otis cabed the
war department brief but comprehensive
dispatch summing IN the situation. 1t
disclosed that severe lighting was going on
today with our forces advancing as far
north as Mariloa. and the insurgents, under
the command Of Aguinaldo, wero being
driven bnok with considerable slaughter
This and the press dispatches satisfied the
officials that the strategic movement of
entrapping the insurgents between our
lines had not proved as successful MS de-
signed, and that the move had now shifted
30 retreat by Aguinaldo's forces aud a
pursuit by our troops, The nsurgcnt re-
treat toward Maloos was slow and logged
and advantage was taken Of one after an
other from the lines of entronehment, the
burning OF bridges and tho interruption Of
communications,
General OTIS dls?atch although received
early today. was sent Monday evening.
Manila time, and summed up the work OF
| the three days. That the ngl Ang would
proceed into the fourth day was shown
by the CLOSING sentence The column will
press on in the morning This refers 10
today.
The engagement has now shaped itself
80 that il is looked upon as more of n
chase than the execution of a strategic
l tf.At tln Aytaa riss Ian Al
/ ysnced to Marllao and the nsurgent bnse
forced back TO Malolos. the main bodies
of the two opposing forces are about ten
or twelve miles apart This could be
covered in forced march under fair con-
dtions. but II is twelve miles OF innumer-
able difficulties and obstacles which our
troops must cover before they reach the
insurgent stronghold, IL is expected that
the engineers with Macarthur are hastily
repairing the bridges This Will permit the
artillery to be taken forward as well as
the Infantry columns. II 10 expected that
every mile Of the distance OF Malolos viii
be contested by the insurgents. for General
Otis reports that II Is a stretch OF country
covered with the intrenchments thrown M
during the last thrsr months. Our men,
! therefore must advance slowly. repairing
/ the roads as they 20 and at the Same time
they must fight their way through We'll
made rebel intrenchments.
Serious as the work is, there Is no lack
OF confidence among the officials here as
! to the outcome OF the campaign Malolos
/ is the capital, aud the insurgents have been
! in operation there, The tactics OF Agui-
1 naldo are taking him gradually beyond the
range of Admiral Iewey'R guns. While
/ the insurgents were at Malahon on Satur-
day they were within mile of the water
1 front and easily Within range of the iieet.
/ But as they have moved northward they
1 have gradually moved away from the bay.
( MalOloB Is about seven miles back from
| the bay. although there are shallow
estu9ries which would permit light draught
/ boats TO get within a mile or TWO.
Tho duration Of the battle Is beginning
10 attract the attention OF army strategiBts
as it is very important element IN deter
mining the strength Of the men, supplies
OF ammunition and stores Of the army The
/ first blow was struck before iaybfeak last
Saturday and the fighting continued AL
the day Sunday and on Monday. The re-
ports show little night fighting, except In
repulslng nsYrgent attacks SATURDAY,
night With today the lighting had Listed
seyenty-two hours Judged by the stand
ards Of great battles, such as Waterloo
Pleyna and others, mentioned by army
authorities this is long and Intensely
arduous engagement. But the 1gniint
about Manila is not up 10 tho standard o.
civilized armies. as II is a running hrusf
conflict. with only occasional Issues be
tween the organized batteries OF troops
Some OF the battles of the civil war LASTED
many days, notably The battle Of the vii
derness and the lighting about Richmond
The question IN these long continued
fights Is TO have all the supplies, stores
etc, kept close to the liehting forces. q
they will not be exhausted.
A short time ago tho Healandia ana Pn
ebla left San Francisco with the Ninth In
try bound for Manila. BY April ! fou
transports are expected to arrive OF san
Francisco from Manila, and they VIII re
turn with reinforcements for OTIS nbou
the 18th OF the month Tho HancocS vii
take the Twenty-hrst infantry, the siAtl
artillery, Washington batteries md re
cruits, the Newport $50 marines aid &c
crults and the Morgan City six cOmpenie
OF tho Thirteenth infantry. A htle ate
the Ohio viii arrive and return with IN
remainder Of the Thirteenth infantry, III
Senator Is also expected later IN the mont
, and can take 1000 men.
The use OF Chinese as litter bearers
said TO be device to save our own me
for the more serious work. The Chimes
carry light bamboo litter md, being &C
customed 10 the climate they cnn trag'
twice as fast as an unacclimaiel carrier
{ The main point. however, Is hat The eght
ing force II kent intact.
While the casualty list Il source {
profound regret N army quar- sts, il Is sal