The times., 1898-07-26
Camnra waits at Ceuta.
HOW MILES WILL REPORT.
Arrangements for Quick Communi-
catfon With Porto Rico

HOW MILES WILL REPORT.
Arrangements for Quick Communi-
cation With Porto Rico.
Gen. Greedy. chief of the signal service
Of tho War Department, is perfecting ar
rangements for through cable communi-
cation with the Porto Rican army OF in
vssion.
The matter Of quick and efficient serv-
ice in this respect Is an important essen
tial to a successful campaign and it is
extremely necessary that it shall be es-
tabIished at once.
The chief difficulty is not caused by
lack OF facilities nor Of wires, but from a
lack of harmony in the working of the
teIegraphic and cable companies over
whose lines the messages will have to be
sent
All the West Indian cables are owned
and managed by European companies and
the question of getting them to agree TO
the requirements laid down by the Ameri-
can Government without violating the
neutrality laws is a delicate task
This was experienced when Col. Allen
who was formerly press censor at Key
West, attempted 10 re-establish commu-
nication with Santiago after that city's
communication had been destroyed by
cutting the cables at Guantanamo. The
Government could not grapple for the
cable ends nor place them on the war
ships for the reason that the controlling
company was the French Cable Com
pany. The cable companies were per
mitted, however. to grapple for the cable
and connect the end with the shore sta
tion. At Playa del Este, the first cable
used IN the re-established communication
snd Siboney. the American Signal Corps
men under direction of Col. Allen took
up the work and stretched land wires to
the tent of Gen. Shafter at the front
The regular operators of the French Ca
BILE Company were placed in the Playa
and Siboney stations and commercial and
personal messages permitted to pass af-
ter they had been read by the American
CENSOR An arrangement was made where
by American messages were given prece-
oence over all other matter
Gen. Greeiy viii endeavor 10 make sim
har arrangements with the British COM
panies controlling the San Juan cable.
but there IS some doubt whether perfec.
service can be obtained
The nearest cable station to the eastern
end OF the island of Porto Rico. where
II is said that Gen. Miles is most likely 20
land. is St Thomas, one Of the islands
which the American Government thought
seriously Of purchasing from the king
dom Of Denmark. From that center lines
nadtate 10 San Juan, Porto Rico. Antigua.
st. Croix and Trinidad There Is a line
fnOm San Juan 20 Kingston, Jamaica and
one TO the same city from Ponce. the
chief port on the southern coast of Porto
Rioo.
Gen Miles cannot get at these lines un-
Ill he has captured San Juan or Ponce.
or grappled the cables. II he selects the
eastern end OF Porto Rico as basis OF
operations, it IS likely that he viii steam
20 St. Thomas. six hours run, and send
his messages from that point.
The San Juan-St- Thomas line is owned
10y English stockholders. but is subsidized
by the Spanish. 1t will have 10 be grap-
pied II used at all by the Americans.
Should Ponce be made a basis OF opera
tions this will not be necessary. The
French Cable Company. which controls
that cable, viii probably agree to the
plan which gave the present admirable
service with Santiago. This viii include
the cutting Of the cable and the running
OF connections to the shore, either to the
east or west of the city. from which
points the Signal Corps Will string land
wires 70 the headquarters of Gen. Miles
When the city has been taken. through
communication can be had from the local
cable Office to Kingston. from which The
messages will be relayed over the line Of
the Direct West Indies Cable Line by
way Of Turks Islands and Bermuda IA
Halifax. and from there to the War De-
partment in this city.