The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-19
INSURGENTS MAY GIVE TROUBLE
Sad Scenes in Santiago--Ships Steam
Up the Bay--sanitary
Precautions.
WASHINGTON. July 1s. lSss.-The Navy

WASHINGTON, July 49, 1S9S.-The Navy
department is actively at work on the
Preparations for the Porto Rico campaign
and for Watsons attack on the coast of
Spain. but the work is mainly preliminary
and there is a lack of actual development.
Secretary Long said before the Cabinet
meeting that no new phases in the situa-
ton were presented today save in the ac-
tive work of organizing prospective
moves. He will not discuss prospective
events and does not want his subordinates
to anticipate the departments plans. It
is said the Oregon has not started for
Mole St Nicholas, but the officials will not
be drawn into an admission or denial as
to whether this is to be the rendezvous
for the fleet sailing against Spain.
Secretary Alger said today, just before
entering the Cabinet session, that If the
vessels of the navy were in readiness to
set sail General Miles probably had al
ready left port and is en- route to Porto
Rico. He said he had not been informed
of his departure however.
At the Cabinet meeting today a cable
gram was read from General Miles dated
last night regarding the Porto Rico expe-
dition. Secretary Alger. who left consid-
Cabinet, said General Miles wired he
doubtless would get off today. The secre-
tary announced to the Cabinet that the
landing Of the first foce would be effected
under cover of the big guns of the navy,
and that reinforcements would follow the
first landing and make up fully adequate
force for the assault.
General Shafter has asked the War De-
partment to hurry forward the regiments
of immunes for service at Santiago City
and vicinity in order that there may be
minimum of danger of further Infection
Of our troops from the fever which pre-
walls at Santiago
Secretary Alger said this afternoon that
it is probable that the total number of
Spanish soldiers who vii have to be trans
ported to Spain will reach $4,000 estimated
by General Shafter as General Toral's re-
ports did not cover quite all the soldiers
who would be turned over The Secretary
says the Military Governor of Santiago
had not yet been definitely selected. Our
army took ten million rounds of ammu-
milton at Santiago, so that it will not
need such supplies for some time
The Secretary would not go into details
concerning the Porto Rican expedition
but said he fully expected it would start
on its mission.
Secretary Long announced that he had
no important dispatches but that General
instructions had been issued to the fleet
to render the fullest cooperation with
the army in attacking Porto Rico.
Secretary Alger said that the plans for
the departure of the Porto Rican expe-
dition were being executed today with
out the slightest hitch. General Miles
failure to get away on the Yale last night
was. brought about through some con-
fusion in the telegraphic orders which
authorized his departure
AS soon as the attention of the Depart
nent was drawn to the. matter by the
receipt of d telegram from General Miles
he was very promptly furnished the
permission he desired and it is expected
that he has already sailed from Siboney
for Porto Rico. He has with him Cap
tain Fred Alger. son of the Secretary,
who has been transferred to General
Miles staff from the staff of General
Duffield
Secretary Alger declined today to pub
lsh the list of troops that comprise the
Porto Rican expedition. He said that it
was still subject to change and that this
Information win be withheld for few
days
Some apprehension is expressed here
that the assumption by the United
States government Of the control Of af-
fairs al Santiago may lead to trouble
with the Cubans. A few days before
the surrender Of the city General Garcia
sent committee to General shafter in
forming him that the Cubans had se-