The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-07-27
ON TO PORTO RICO.
General Miles Forces Move Under
a Strong Convoy.
NO TIME TO BE LOST.
The President Orders Sampson TO
Convoy the Expedition at
Once. The Army of In
Vasion a Large One.

President Mckinley is thoroughly
aroused over the delay in the starting
Of Gen. Miles and the expedition for
Porto Rico. For several days Gen
Miles and the troops have been aboard
the transports at Playa awaiting the
naval convoy which is to be furnished
by Admiral Sampson. The troops are
sweltering in the crowded ships, under
the broiling tropical sun, while Gen.
Miles has been chaing under what he
believes an inexcusable delay, and has
been bombarding the war department
with dispatches urging that the navy be
hurried in its preparations for the ex-
pedition.
Instructions of most positive ma
ture were eabled Sampson to supply the
necessary conveys, but, notwithstand-
ing these instructions, Admiral Samp-
son proceeded with the preparations for
the expedition with deliberation that
is exasperating. The President IS
much concerned lest that part Of the
Porto Rico expedition already sailed
from this country should arrive at a
point Of rendezvous in advance Of Miles
and the navy.
1t is feared that if Gen. Wilson's
command which sailed Wednesday from
Charleston should arrive in advance OF
Gen. Miles and the navy conveys, Sc
rious danger and possibly disaster might
result, as Gen. Wilson's ships are abso-
luteiy without any protection. The
President Wednesday morning issued 4
personal order to Admiral Sampson
that he should proceed Immediately to
Porto Rico with Gen. Miles.
THE EXPEDITION SAILS.
Gen. Mics, leading the military ex-
petition against Porto Rico, started at
3 O'Clock Thursday afternoon from
Siboney, Cuba, for the point on the
island of Porto Rico, where it is the
intention that the troops shall land.
1t is expected that Gen. Miles will wait
at some appointed spot on the route or
the expedition from Tampa, Newport
News and New York, TO fall into his
column. These expeditions are already
under way, some Of them with two or
three days start of Gen Miles, so that
the delays should not be very great.
After all the difficulty about the naval
convoy, and the first conclusion of the
naval authorities that none was neces-
sary, the strength of that now furnish
ed is surprising. There is q battleship
Of the first class, the Massachusetts,,
and effective protected cruiser, the Gin
cinnati; speedy and vel! armored gun
boat, the Annapolis, and four vessels
of the auxiliary navy which have al
ready proved by their performances in
Cuban waters that they are fully equal
to the ordinary gunboat in offensive
power These are the Gloucester.
which distinguished herself in the des-
truction Of Cervera's squadron; the
Wasp, which has attained an enviable
netoriety as a diSturber OF Spanish
blockhouses; the Leyden, which for q
time was the sole representative Of
United States power in Habana harbor.
and the Dixie. Secretary Alger be-
ieves that Gen. Miles on the Yale will
arrive at his destination Sunday morn
ing with 5000 men under his immedi-
ate command. A day later will come
1900 men on transports and the day
following that $500 more. Whether
the landing will be deferred until the
arrival of this entire force or whether
Gen. Miles will take the initiative and
hoist the flag himself on Porto Rican
soil is left to the discretion Of that Of
fcer. 1t is the departments determi-
nation that he shall not lack for troops
or equipment, and this first expedition
may be followed by several others as
fast as the troops can be gotten ready
until word comes from the general that
he needs no more.
Gen. Schwan's brigade, comprising
the Fifth, Eleventh and Nineteenth
United States infantry, a splendid body
of trained soldiers, sailed from Tampa
Thursday to join Gen. Miles and if the
Porto Rican expedition is not an imme
diate success it will not be for lack Of
disposition in the war department to
supply every requisite.