The record-union., 1899-04-21
Spain Has Troops Left in But Two
Islands.
VIII Soon Withdraw Those Stationed In
Mindanoa and Sulu.
Believed That the Natives Are
Likely to Prove Troublesome
When the Spanish Evacuate the
Garrisons in the Former Island,
and That Smo1dering Tribal
Wars Will Then Be Resumed.


and That Smoldering Tribal
Wars Will Then Be Resumed.
MANILA. April 2O.-6:3O p. m-
Spain's evacuation of the Philippine
Islands will be practically completed by
the withdrawal of the Spanish garrison
from Zamboanga, Island of MindanaO,
and from the Sulu Islands, and if the
United States assumes control of Min
danao and the Sulu Islands on the
Spaniards' withdrawal, the military au-
thorities here must, in order to garrison
these islands, diminish the forces of
American troops, which are already too
small
There was almost mutiny among the
Spanish troops in the islands because
they We're expected to- proceed to the
Ladrone Islands and the Caroline ISL
ands, some of them refusing to do so
claiming that their enlistments had ex-
pired. The latter were exempted, and
Were allowed to return to Spain on
board the transport Alva
The native troops in the Spanish gar
risons are in a sad plight They must
accompany the Spaniards, or risk the
rage of their own people. The Span
iards proposed to dismiss them but
they refused to give up their arms.
The natives of Zamboanga, embold-
ened by the suspicious capture of the
ornaments on board the Spanish gun
boats, which were purchased there by
Francisco Reyes of this place, as cabled
to the Associated Press on April 18th,
are likely to prove troublesome when the
Spanish garrisons are withdrawn from
the coast towns of the island of Min
dinao. It is believed that the smolder-
ing tribal wars will then be resumed,
anarchy will prevail, and the inhabi-
tants of nearly every village will figh.
with their neighbors
A tripartite exchange of prisoners will
be arranged If it is possible to negotiate
with the Filipinos as if they were a
civilized nation. If the Filipinos con-
sent to release the Spanish prisoners
the Americans might release the Taga-
los they now hold prisoners, in return
for which Spain would free her political
prisoners. The provisions of the Paris
treaty would thus be carried out The
Spanish Commission, however. hesi-
tates TO enter the Filipino lines, fearing
treachery. although AguinaIdo has
guaranteed the safety of the Commits
sloners.
The release of the Filipinos held by
the Americans might be distinctly ad-
vantageous, as they all claim to have
been converted to the American cause
by the good treatment they have re-
ceived. and announce themselves to be
anxious to influence their friends in
favor of the policy of the United States.
A scouting party of the Minnesota
regiment between Malolos and Bigaa
met superior force of Filipinos this
morning. The Americans repulsed the
enemy's attack. until just as their am
murition was falling the Minnesotans
We're reinforced by two companies of
American troops, and the rebels were
scattered. One soldier of the Minnesota
regiment was wounded.
body of about 100 rebels tried 70
break through the lines of Prices Bat
TALON of the Fourth Regulars at the
IasiT River last night, but they were
repulsed without any loss on the Ameri-
can side
MORE TROOPS FOR PHILIPPINES.
NEW YORK, April 20-A special to
the Tribune" from Washington says:
Fourteen thousand regulars are to be
sent to reinforce General Otis at Ma
Mia as soon as the necessary marine
transportations can be provided. The
first regiment to be ordered will proba-
lily be the Seventh Artillery. of which
tn" two light batteries, c and M. have
been ordered home from Porto Rico for
the purpose. They will be sent at once
to San Francisco to await an available
transport steamer
The thirteen heavy batteries of the
regiment will be equipped as infantry
according to present plans although one
or them may be used as light artillery.
The headquarters of the regiment of
artillery are now at Fort Slocum. N. Y,
two are at Fort Adams. r. l.. and one
each at Portland Head, Maine. Fort
Preble. Maine, Gravers Cliff. Mass.
Fort Schuyler. n. Y, and Washington
barracks. The garrisons. like most of
the other posts of the army in the Unit
ed States. will be left in charge of de-
tachments.
1t is not expected that the bulk of the
large body of reinforcements can reach
Manila until the end of the rainy sea-
san, which has just begun, but they viii
closely follow the departure from the
Philippines of the volunteers With the.
regular troops already ordered and on
the way to Manila General Otis will
have an effective force of p 12S men, in
addition to the recruits being sent every
few days for the regulars already in the
Philippines. This force is to be raised
10 oo,uuc men by the time the aggressive
operations can be pressed in the early
autumn. The volunteers to be returned
tc this country from Manila number
barely 1000, many of whom are great
~ debilltated, SO the determination to
SEND I4dOo able-bodied regulars to take
their places is calculated to show the
rebel leaders that the United States is
terribly in earnest about meeting its
responsibilities for preserving order and
commanding respect throughout the
archipelago.
1t IS announced that the army in the
Philippines will be increased to 81. coo
men, whether the rebels abandon the
field or not. If Aguinaldo gives up his
hopeless fight as a result of the nego-
tiations in progress between his follow
ers and the Commissioners. So 900 men
are deemed the right number to garri-
son the forts in the outlying islands and
to establish lawful government in them.
If the insurrection continues in Luzon
at least 10000 american troops, it is