The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-06-23
PORTO RICO NEXT.


WAsHfxorox, June s-.The return
of Gen. Miles 10 Washington from
lamps Friday hsd IN inspiring effect
upon che war preparations. The gen.
eral had . busy day, calling upon Sec.
retary Alger, consulting the chiefs Of
the stan departm nts and giving the
the benefit OF his observa-
tions at Tampa. Secretary Alger said
that he was entirely satisfied with the
condition Of the troops is reported BY
lsn. Miles and wished that he had the
means 70 provide every one Of the vol
untser soldiers . daily surf bath such
ss was enjoyed BY the men at Tampa
Cen. Miles Il yet to have . conference
with the president ioe .
In the mean time the plans are NOV
ing forward stsadily for sending fur
thsr expeditions, both to Porto Rico
and Cuba. There is little likelihood
that second expedition Of 5000 men
70 reinforcs Gsn. Shafter at Santiago
will leave within the next few days -
has been reported. The necessity OF
sending these additional forces 10
questioned By high military ofaoiais
and mQreoysr ths mssRs Of tIanspert-
ing such : force Are hot available. The
ma n consideration Just At present Is
the equipment Of On sxpeditiop of
greatef dimsnSionS than any herel
tofore discussed with Porto Rico
as the objective point A month aas
the military authorities were satisfied
that Q small force would be sufficient
to occupy Porto Rico, as the Spanish
force there did not exceed 5000 or 9, 900
men. Now, however, the Spanish gar
risons have been so reinforced and the
defenses strengthened that It is be.
lieved q much larger invading army
will be required. Moreover, the Off.
cials were satisfied on learning Friday
that the Cadiz feet had sailed, that
the ships would 60 to Porto Rico
rather than to Cuba, If they crossed
to this side II was pointed out that
this move would be the natural
strategic one for the Spanish com.
manders to take, as there was still
something left for them to save in
Porto Rico.
Gen. Miles would speak only in tho
most general way as to the prospective
army movements When asked as to
the recent reports that large bodies Of
troops were about to be. concentrated
at Florida points with view to start.
ing further armies Of invasion to Cuba
Porto Rico and elsewhere, said: 'The
military campaign is proceeding stesd-
lily toward its complete execution.
The sending Of one expedition or an
other 10 but detail, . single part, Of
q general plan OF campaign. OF course
it is more Or less right to say that
troops are about to be forwarded, and
that expeditions will be equipped and
sent. .~-.-a.s,-.... .,
4 'Just when these expeditions will
move, and how many men will accom-.
pany them, II is not desirable to say
now, but it is enough to state that the
campaign now entered upon is to be
prosecuted with the utmost vigor until
the end of the war;"
The naval officials are somewhat
puzzled at the failure of the effort to
exchange Hobson and his crew, just
announced from Havana. Of course
this is not permanent, but simply
means that the Havana authorities as
yet have not been authorized TO ex.
change prisoners. The report that came
from Madrid was that the exchange
had been authorized, SO it is surmised
that the Spanish government has not
yet found means of communicating it's
decision to Gen. Blanco at Havana.
Some of the naval officers are pulling
long faces over the projected promo
tion of Hobson to the rank of lieuten ,
ant commander. Not that they object
to his reward but they feel that it is
hard that some means could not be
found to do this without practically i'm
juring the $50 officers whom he will
jump.
The Cadiz feet is being narrowly
watched, although the naval view Is
not similar to that taken by the army
officers The former do not attach as
much Importance to this heet as the
latter and few of the officers can be
found to believe that the ships will
ever venture far from the Spanish
coast, much less attempt to
cross the Atlantic or 60
to the Philippines. The list
of vessels in this feet is rather formid.
able in sound, but as a matter of fact
it includes not more than two up to
date modern war vessels, excepting
the small torpedo gunbo It is GER.
tainly the opinion of the naval officers
here that If Dewey had the Monterey
with him he would have no difficulty
in repulsing the whole Spanish force.