The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-15
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS.
THE WAR SITUATION.
Events of the Past week-Gen Miles's Re-
turn.

turn.
Mai.-Gen. Miles returned from Porto
Rico with his staff, landing in New York
on Wednesday, the 7th, and issued a state
ment to the press reviewing the opera
tions at Santiago and Porto Rico. the
most of which has been published from
week to week in substance. In this
statement Gen. Miles outlines the cam
paign which he made up and submitted
in writing for the conduct of the war. 1t
seems from this that he favored arming
the insurgents in Cuba, in order that they
might haraSS the Spanish forces. He be-
lieved in encouraging the cry of "On to
Cubal' but when the transports were
loaded to sail straight to Porto Rico and
take possession of it as the key to the
situation.
Porto Rico having been seized and Oc-
cupied, the movement to Cuba was TO fol-
low by means OF Il strong cavalry force,
W hich was to be organized and equipped
by August or September; that 20, 900 cav
airy should be sent into the center of
| Cuba, cutting the Spanish forces in two,
| and move westward to Havana by the time
| the rainy season was over. He cOntem-
plated landing an army for the operation
| against Havana in the Fall to complete
the reduction of the city. The inclosure
| of Cervera'S feet in Santiago harbOr
|
necessary to move the military forces to-
| that point.
The General says he asked to be allow
| ed to accompany the expedition, or TO inn
mediateiy organize another to Join it, but
| the permission was not granted, so far as
| accompanying the expedition was con-
cerned; permission was. however. given
| to equip a second movement against the
enemy in Cuba and Porto Rico.
! This second expedition. however, was
1 toto Il
because on the Cd day of July Gen.
| Shafter teiegraphed from Santiago that
| his losses had been greatly under-eStl-
mated that he had met with stronger re-
| siStance than he had anticipated and
| that he seriously considered the advisable
ity of falling back to a position about five
miles to the rear, and that ne had been
unable to be up, owing to the heat, Tor
| four days.
| Under such circumstances Gen. Miles
| teleCra phed to Gen. ShafteT that he would
| be with him within week with strong re-
| Inducements; of course, taking the troops
prepared for the second expedition which
had been ordered to proceed to cooperate
against the enemy in Cuba, as well as IN
! Porto Rico. These TeinfOrcementS were
pushed rapidly forward and put in posi-
| ton in the trenches around Santiago.
| Under verbal instructions from the PreSi-
| dent Gen Miles stated he was instructed
| to go wherever he deemed his presence
such directions as in his opinion were
| best for the army and the Government.
| These were the instructions under which
he left Washington for Santiago and Porto
Rico.
| Gen. Miles reviews the Porto Rican ex-
petition. He says he changed his plans
at the last minute and decided TO land
on the south side of the island, instead of
| going to San Juan, because his facilities
| for discriminating had not arrived and he
could embark more easily at a point
where the SpaniardS were not expecting
him. He declares that the island of Porto
Rico was fairly won by right of conquest
and has become part of the United
States.
On the Sth of the month Secretary Aiger
made formal request TO the President
in writing to order "a thorough and search
inc investigation of the affairs of his De-
partment III the conduct of the war. The
President has ordered the investigation
and is making up the court of inquiry.
which will consist of nine members. When
completed il will be composed of men who
will command the entire confidence OF sc
country The President is determined to
have the operations of the Quartermaster,
Commissary and Medical Bureaus
thoroughly inquired into and the respon-
sibiiity for any neglect or misdoing located
and punished.