The Elk Mountain pilot., 1902-07-08
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

Lieutenant General Miles, command
ing the army, has issued a general Or
der naming the members of the war
college board. The order directs the
board to convene in Washington on the
21st instant and states that the board
will be governed by the provisions of
the general order for the tablishment
of the college issued November 9th
last, and such other instructions as
may be communicated to it by the sec
retary of war from time to time. An
other order bearing on the same gen
eral scheme of advanced military in
struction provides that the general SER
vice and staff college at Fort Leaven-
worth, Kansas. will be opened Septem-
ber 1st next and details Brigadier Cen
eral j. Franklin Bell as president of
that institution.
The navy department has its plans
practically complete for the four big
warships just authorized by the new
naval law, and to bear the names of
Louisiana, Connecticut, Tennessee and
Washington. The distinctive features
of the new ships are the strength and
arrangement of their batteries, and
greater thickness in armor. The bat
tleships are to have n displacement of
10000 tons, and will be built for n
speed of eighteen knots. Their batter
les will consist of four twelve-inch
guns, eight eight-inch guns. twelve
seven-inch and twenty three-inch guns,
and n large number of smaller weap-
ons, scattered over the ship. The ar
mored cruisers are to have displace-
ment of 14,50o tons, and a speed of
twenty-five knots. Their batteries will
consist of four ten-inch guns, sixteen
siN-inch and twenty-five three-inch
guns, and a large number of smaller
ones.
In his testimony before the Senate
committee ON the Philippines. Admiral
Dewey contributed an important ad-
dition to the history of the surrender
of the city of Manila. This consisted
of n positive statement by the admiral
to the effect that the city had not been
surrendered to him at the time that
the Spanish fleet was sunk and that
when the city did surrender it was in
pursuance to definite understanding
between himself and the Spanish gov
crnor general. Admiral Dewey said
the Spanish governor wanted to sur
rendersthe city to him after the de-
struction of the fleet and that he
Dewey would have accepted the
formal surrender if he had had 5000
troops to garrison the city. He told
about Aguinaldo's arrival. saying that
he put him ashore and told him to or
ganize his people. Aguinaldo came
back discouraged and wanted TO 90 to
Japan. but the admiral told him to
continue his efforts. The admiral said
he paid no attention to Aguinaldo's
first proclamation of independence of
the Filipinos. Speaking of Aguinaldo's
military operations, he said he did
wonderfully in whipping the Spanish.
Admiral Dewey said empratically that
lie never recognized Aguinaldo's flag:
he never called Aguinaldo general"
but addressed his as Don Emilio. The
admiral said he had never given the
Philippine republic the slightest recog
milton; that he had no authority to do
so and did not consider it an organized
government. He said the Spaniards
We're fearful of the Filipinos entering
Manila and therefore surrendered to
him i'll advance. He said there was no
need for the loss of man in the cap
ture of the city.