Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-07-22

| Now on Their Way to Porto Rico VIII
Get There Before the Commanding OF
| fcer and His Men Arrive-May BE Lef'
In a Perilous Position-Expected That
Landing VIII he Effected on tho Is
land EARLY Next Week-Whatever Hap.
pens to Other Conquered Territory II
Is Authoritativelys Announced Porto
| Rico VIII BE Held-The Philippine
Policy a Matter Yet to BE Settled-No
! Reports of Fever Situation Received.
! Washington, July 22.-President Nc
| Kinley is thoroughly aroused over the
| delay which has occurred in the start
ing of General Miles and the expedition
| under his command for Porto Rico. For
several days General Miles and his
| troops have been aboard their trans
ports at Playa del Este awaiting the
naval convoy which is to be furnished
by Admiral Sampson.
The troops have been sweltering IN
| the crowded ships under the broiling
| heat of a tropical sun, while General
Miles has been chatting under what ne
| believes to be inexcusable delay and is
| bombarding the war department with
| dispatches urging in the strongest
terms that the navy be hurried in Its
| preparations for the expedition.
Instructions of the most positive ma
ture have been cabled to Admiral
Sampson to supply the necessary con-
voy for General Miles transports, but
Notwithstanding these instructions Ad-
| miral Sampson has proceeded with his
preparations for the expedition with
deliberation that is exasperating to oHl-
Gals here.
The president, who has been giving
the Porto Rican expedition his personal
attention-as he has given, indeed, all
phases of the war-fnally became deep
ly concerned lest the part of the Porto
Rican expedition that has already sail
ed from this country should arrive at
the point of rendezvous in advance OF
General Miles and the navy.
1t is feared that if General Wilson'S
command, which has already sailed
from Charleston, should arrive in adj
vance of General Miles and the naval
conveys serious danger and possibly
disaster might result as General Will
sons ships are absolutely without pro-
lection.
The distance from Charleston to Porto
Rico is a trif1e over 1900 miles. while
from Playa del Este to Porto Rico 1t Is
about 700 miles. The comparative dis
tances which General Wilson and Cen
eral Miles have to travel to reach the
point of rendezvous are rendered the
more nearly equal, however, by reason
of the fact that the former has more
than a full days start.
Peremptory Orders.
Fully approaching these facts and re-
alizng the necessity for prompt action
in getting General Miles and his Cuban
expedition started, President Mckinley
has finally issued personal orders
through the secretary of the navy to
Admiral Sampson that he should pro-
coed Immediately to Porto Rico with
General Miles.
The presidents orders are susceptible
to no misconstruction. They are inn
perative to a degree seldom employed
except in cases Of extreme emergency.
They are of the sort that will brook no
delay in their execution. Admiral
Sampson must start at once or the pres
ident himself will know the reason why.
be accepted by the president for fur
Their delay.
The navy has been disposed to regard
it as unnecessary to send special con-
voy on tls ground that the Columbia
and the Yale We're both armed suff1-
GENTLY to serve as protection for the
fleet of transports, for, according to the
information in possession Of the navy
;1l
ships anywhere in the neighborhood Of
the West Indies that might be expected
to modest the expedition.
1t is said at the war department that
some of the soldiers, including Garrett
sons brigade. have been Is days aboard
ship since they embarked at Newport
News, most of the time lying off Santi-
ago in sight of shore, but unable to
land They arrived just before the sur
render of Santiago, and it having been
decided to use them in the Porto Rican
expedition the troops were kept aboard
ship to prevent exposure to yellow fe-
ver
Unless unforeseen obstacles occur it
is regarded by the war department Off
Gals as probable that by the early part
Of next week landing will have been
made on Porto Rican soil and the inva-
sion of that island begun. 1t Is not con-
templated that the navy shall initiate
the attack on the island further than
may be necessary to protect the land
ing Of the United States troops. Its
part will begin when the American
forces draw near the town of San Juan
from the rear.
VIII Hold the Island.
The authoritative declaration is made
held as permanent possession of this
country as the price of the war. The
subjoined practically official statement
was made to correspondent:
Porto Rico will be kept by the Unit
ed States. That is settled and has been
the plan from the first. Once taken, it
will never be released. 1t will pass for
ever into the hands Of the United States,
and there never has been any other
thought. Its possession will go toward
making up the heavy expense of war to
the United States. Our flag once run
up there, will float over the island per-
manently."
The same authority says the future of
the Philippines Is a matter of develop
ment and that so far there is no certain
policy finally adopted regarding these
islands They are subject to develop
ment in the war situation in the Pacific.
1t was intended, however, though not
definitely asserted, that the Ladrone is
lands might follow the fate of Porto Ri
co and become our permanent possess
sion. being valuable as a coaling and
supply station for our ships when en-
route to eastern Asia.
No official reports were obtainable at