“The following troops will he put in readiness for early departure for station in Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands: 

“Twenty-fourth Infantry, one field officer and four companies; one company from Fort Douglas, Utah, and three companies from Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming.

“The department commanders are charged with the preparation of their commands for these movements.  The Quartermaster-General will make timely arrangements for the transportation of the various commands.  The Commissary-General of Subsistence and the Surgeon-General will make necessary provision for proper subsistence and medical supplies and attendance.”

This means that our army at Manila will he re-enforced by 6,000 regulars.  Recent advices show that Aniceto Lanson, President of Negros Island, called on General Otis with his fellow-delegates, Pose De Luzuriago, President of Negros Congress; Gosebio Luzuriago, Secretary of Finance, and Deputy Andries Azcoule.  They assured General Otis of the hearty support of the Visayas except those few who have been stirred into revolt by the agents of Aguinaldo on the Island of Panay.

The government of Negros, they declared, was in favor of American rule, and there was no adverse sentiment whatever among the natives.  The stars and stripes are now floating over all the official buildings on the island.  The commission offered to raise an army of 100,000 Visayans to fight the Tagalos on the Island of Luzon.  The commissioners represent large sugar-interests in Negros.

The Negros Island deputation was greatly pleased with its reception.

Admiral Dewey’s flag as a full American Admiral was saluted becomingly by all the warships of foreign nations at Manila, even including the Germans, who had not until then showed the Americans any significant courtesy.  The English led the function with an Admiral’s salute.  There was no novelty in this, for they long ago in every friendly way recognized Manila as an American port.  The Germans have given signal manifestation of their desire to promote the most cordial relations between Germany and the United States by ordering the withdrawal of all vessels of their navy from Philippine waters and placing the lives and property of their subjects there under the protection of the United States Government.

A Hongkong dispatch of February 28 contained this information: 

“Professors Schurman and Worcester to-day, after a long consultation with Wildman, who is looked upon as one of the best-posted men in the Orient in regard to Philippine affairs, expressed themselves as satisfied with the outlook.

“They are especially pleased with the action of President McKinley in restoring to the wealthy Cortes family the great estates illegally confiscated by the Spaniards.

“‘It is good politics,’ said a leading member of the Hongkong colonial cabinet to-day.  ’It will seal to America every Filipino who possesses property.  It is the hardest blow Aguinaldo has suffered.’”