The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-21
CAPTURE OF PORTO RICO
A Different Proposition From
That Presented by Santiago.
WHAT MILES WAS TO Do
The Navy VIII Probably Compel San
Juan's Surrender by the Time Brooke
Is Ready to Occupy It-Batteries
With smokkeless Powder.

New York, July 2o.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says: While
the details of General Miles plan of
vulged, II is known that they are Who'll
ly unlike those necessitated by the pc
culiar conditions at Santiago. Instead
Of having a single city as an objective
point, General Miles has got to secure
control of an entire island and occupy
a humble of cities, establishing a sys-
tenn of thorough and effective govern
ment in all its districts. The chief city
of San Juan can be only taken by the
navy in cooperation with a large force
ashore, as II is practically impregna-
BILE on it's and side, except by tedious
siege.
The island Is, in round numbers, 100
miles long and 40 miles wide, and even
It's u~nhealthful coast ports are seldom
visited by yellow fever. Most of the
Spanish troops i'm Porto Rico are gath
cred at San Juan, and IL is General
Miles intention to land at least 3S miles
from that stronghold and occupy their
important places while the heavy
double turreted monitors and other
armored vessels of the navy destroy
San Juan's forts and compel it's sur
render by bombardment, If necessary.
If the navy part is completed as speed
lily as scheduled in the programme APP
proved by the war board n other au-
thorities here, hat city will be ready
for General Brooke's occupation al
most by the time that he a reach
that place.
General Miles advance force consists
of three regiments of volunteer in
fantry of General Garretson's brigade.
The 9th Illinois. the 9th Massachusetts,
and light Batteries c and NJ of the 9TH
artillery which started from Tampa
several days ago, are to meet him OFF
Mole st. Nicholas. These batteries are
about tie first in the American army to
be equipped with smokeless powder and
were selected by the commanding gen.
eral on this account.
General Miles does not expect to be
dependent upon subsistence stores for
warded from this country during his
campaign. as vas the case with the
army in Santiago. Porto Rico has not
been devastated by the Spaniards, and
1t is believed that American gold will
buy all the food that is necessary for
the troops.
The own to be captured, outside of
San Juan, are small, with two excep-
tions-Ponce and Mayaguez. The for
mer is the most modern and thoroughly
- III Nit tSN ihNAAtFs ~
has 5000 inhabitants and Is said to be
the healthfulest place in the island. 1t
also contains the only Protestant
church in the Spanish Antilles, and in
addition to its three irst-class hotels, a
chamber of commerce. a theater and a
bank, possesses a perfect American
fire department. Its harbor, two miles
distant, admits vessels of 25 feet
draught and its climate, though warm.
is never oppressive.
Yellow fever has never been known
there. Mayaguez, the third city of i'm
portance, faces Mena hanne on the
western side of Porto Rico. 1t has
10000 population, the majority white.
and it's exports are chiefly coffee and
sugar. Its climate is excellent, the
temperature never exceeding 30 de-
grees. The city is connected by rail-
way from Aguadillo. in the northwest
ern part of the island, and another
railroad runs to Lares. half way to-
ward Aceibo. which is on the north
coast, so miles west of San Juan. with
which IL is connected by rail. Maya
gue will probably be the first town oc-
cupied by General Miles.