The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-20

WASHINGTON. July 1O.-Because Of
a failure on the part of General Miles
to receive the orders the President pre-
pared late yesterday. to take command
OF the military expedition against Porto
Rico, that oficer did not depart as was
expected from slboney. The mistake
was soon corrected this morning, how
ever, and as a result OF some short tele-
graphic correspondence that followed
during che day it was gathered at the
department that the Yale would start
tonight
Contrary to the FIRST Intention, and
probably without General Miles SEEK
inG, the Yale Is to be conveyed by q
naval vessel that Admiral Sampson has
been instructed to select from among
the vessels In his feet. This may result
in delaying General Miles progress
somewhat, as none OF the vessels with
Sampson Is able to keep pace with the
Yale Nevertheless there ls no doubt
that the general viii reach Porto Rico
before the detachment OF troops from
Charleston.
The personnel OF the Porto Rico expe-
ditlon having been left In large meas.
ure in the hands OF General Brooke, It
Is not possible yet to give an accurate
roster Of the organizations that will en-
ter into II,
hTe President amounted privately to-
day that while no date OF departure OF
the troops to be sent from Chickamauga
10 Porto Rico had been fixed, he eX-
-, IL
from tomorrow. He is awaiting de-
tailed report from General Brooke re-
commencing what troops and supplies
should be sent from Chicknmaugn, The
present plan Is stated to- be to embark
nj Newport News or Norfolk and those
at Tampa either there or at Key West
The Nnvy's Part init
Admiral Sampson has received final
orders from the navy department as to
the part the American fleet Is to take
in the campaign against Porto Rico.
They are based on the view that the
campaign Is essentlaiIyan army move
ment, the duties OF the navy being to
lend every support and assistance 10 the
land operations. The admiral II in.
structed 10 aid the army movements by
dIspatchiuE conveys when required. and
by covering the landing OF troops. AS
there Is no Spanish fleet IN San Juan
harbor or other Porto Rican ports, the
navy has limited field OF operation.
The reduction OF the harbor fortlnca-
tons will be the main work. but this
and all other operations OF the fleet will
be supplementary to the main opera
tIons conducted by the army. The
strategists, military and naval nre
agreed in the view that the taking OF
Porto Rico Is primarily a military un-
dertakinK. and Admiral Simpsons ar-
ders are on these lines.
AaxIIarIcs or Bloelads.
The navy department IL rapidly NOV
ing the large fle0t Of auxiliary craft,
made up of merchant ships, large ocean
going yachts, tugs, ETC.. from Atlantic
coast points TO Cuban waters. where
they will he placed on blockade duty,
thus releasing the larger ships for more
active duty at Porto Rico and the coast
OF Spain. Three OF these smaller craft
were sent south to-day and most all OF
them will be on the way within week,
stopping only long enough ut Norfalk
% have their batteries strengthened.
When the war broke out large NUM-
Der uf these auxiliary craft were pur-
chased They have been distributed
along the coast from Maine to Florida
at come forty or more points, making
an effective coast patrol. There 70 felt
20 be no further need Of this patnh, 30
that with the exception Of a few import
ant points the auxiliary craft Will be
withdmwn for service in Cuba Cap
tain Bartlett has the work In charge
and Is rapIdiy hurrylng 1t to completion.
Bids will be opened Tomorrow In New
York in the presence OF Colonel Hecker,
chief Of the transportation bureau OF the
war department for the conveyance
home to Spain NJ the Spanish army cap
tured by Shafter Meanwhile In ad-
vance of the opening bid has come TO
tho department from one Of the big for
elgn ste1mshIp lines proposing TO carry
$1,000 mca from Santiago to Cadlz for
the lump sum OF $4,000 pounds sterling.
Any incransa or d!fninuhion IN the NUM-
ber will be charged for In the same pro-
UOFtlon