The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-29
GEN. OTIS SILENCE
LACK OF DETAILS IN REPORTS
FROM THE FRONT CAUSES NO
APPREHENSION
TROOPS PRESSING ON TOMALOLOS
MARCH THROUGH SWAMPS AND
JUNGLES WILL BE NECES-
SARILY SLOW
DESPERATION OF FILIPINos

Believed That One Whipping, Such
as Is Being Administered, Will
Suffice, and That the Insurgents
VIII Then Give No Further TrOu-
bIe-If the Americans Can Take
MaloIOs AguinaIdo May Give Up.
WASHINGTON, March 2S-There was
a lull today in the reports from the scene
of action north of Manila, which for a
time was rather mystifying to the war
department authorities Only one dis
patch from Gen. Otis was received during
the day dealing with the situation at the
front, and this related to yesterday after
noon. 1t was not until the Associated
Press dispatch came, late in the day,
telling that the American forces were
resting beyond Marilao that Gen. Otis
silence on today's movements was ex-
planned. After the arduous work of a
three days fight under a fierce tropical
sun, through rice swamps and jungles, it
was expected by the authorities here that
Macarthur would conserve the energies
OI Ills men Dy q matt long enough TO rest
and take supplies before the final blow
against Malolos. the insurgent capital.
The supply trains are we'll up with the
troops, according to Gen. Otis report
today. SO that the rest permits full sup
plies of ammunition and food to be dis
tributed.
The American advance line Is now be-
yond Marilao and up to the large town
of Bulacan. The exact distance to Mao
los is uncertain, owing to the lack of
information as to just where they are
resting. but at most the distance cannot
be more than ten or twelve miles on a
direct line along the railway. AT the rate
of progress made in the last two days
the next twenty-four hours should bring
the American force well up to the insur-
gent capital, If, indeed, the assault upon
that place is not begun by that time The
officials are disposed to allow more time,
however, considering the natural obsta-
cles of unfordable rivers and burned
bridges, together with the successive lines
of rebel intrenchments. And, moreover,
as at Santiago 1t is not doubted that the
intrenchments will become more formiGa-
BILE as the city itself is approached.
ONE WHIPPING MAY SUFFICE.
Leading war department officials re-
ferred today to the desperation with
which the insurgents were fighting. It was
taken as an indication that they had
staked everything on the outcome of this
fight, and. losing it, that they would sub
nit rather than prolong a hopeless strug-
gle In this view may the fierceness of
4hA Hob@;
dence that once whipped they will stay
whipped.
The navy department received nothing
from Admiral Dewey during and up to
the close of office hours. Nothing official
had been received concerning the achieve
ment of the Yorktown in capturing a
Spanish merchantmen in the Gulf of Lin
gayen. While the dispatch is silent as to
the cause for the capture, it is surmised
that it was due to her carrying a contra
band of war. This is apparently borne
out by the fact that the gulf leads to the
terminus Of the railway which In turn
leads to the inSurgent capital Of Malolos
1t IS further borne out by the fact of the
capture itself. which would hardly be at
tempted against a neutral merchantship
unless for serious reasons. Spain is now
practically in the position of neutral
so the merchant ships have immunity
from capture unless there is good founda-
tion for belief that aid and comfort is
being given to the enemy. The last in
formation from Admiral Dewey as to the
Yorktown came yesterday, when he
stated that the gunboat was cruising off
Iuzon.
ON TO MALOLOS.
The irsurgent capital of Malolos is now
the point to which attention in all Of
flcial quarters is directed. Mai. Simp-
son, assistant adjutant general, chief of
the military information bureau, today
advanced the American front five miles
=, on the map, based on the latest advices
from Gen. Otis. These were rather
meagre since yesterday and the dispatch
received today related to yesterday 8
nghting, without stating whether the
action had been resumed this morning.
1t was sufficient, however, to show that
MacArthur's division was now beyond
Mafilao and we'll on it's way to Malolos.
The disposition of the forces as shown by
the latest dispatches places the brigade
OF Gen. Harrison G. Otis advancing on
the left of the railroad and the brigade of
Gen. Hale on the right. Wheaton's bri-
gade is further back, maintaining his
communication with the advance forces.
Ahead of the American forces the most
serious natural obstacle is the Bulacan
river, which is in reality an arm of Ma
Mia bay, about a mile WIDE and very
path of the advancing American forces
But to offset this. Gen. OTIS dispatch OF
this morning conveys the cheering in
formation that our small gunboats are
In the Bulacan river, where great exc
cution was done yesterday, and where
they will relieve the pressure on Mac
Arthurs front. This, In the judgment OF
military authorities, is strategic move
or great advantage. as the Bulacan river
and the big city of Bulacan may be the
Key to opening easy access to the in
surgent capital lying just beyond. Bula-
can Is city Of Importance second only
TO Manila, and Is the capital of the
province 1t is much larger and stronger
than the insurgent capital, Malolos and
with Its broad and deep river is a sort
OF gateway to the capital
BULACAN BRIDGE GONE.
Only the small towns of Pueblas. Bo-
cave and Taal, lie between our troops
and the river. There Is no doubt the
pridge over the Bulacan is destroyed and
. TINS probably is the bridge to which Gen
otis refers. 1t Is felt that some delay
may be occasioned In overcoming so inn.
portant natural obstacle as this deem
wide river. Once across 1t, the city OF
Bulacan lies to the left. The railroad
skirts around It SO that our forces NAV