The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-13
CAPTURf OF PORTO RICO
a. MOVE TO BE. MADE AS SOON AS
SANTIAGO FALLS
It Is Believed the Islanders Will We'll
come American fnvasion-WTl
Be Short Campaign

NEW YORK, July ia special to the
Times from washington says the move
ment of the American army on Porto Rico
may be said to have begun. No troops
have yet left these shores openly consigned
to the island, but the continued forward
ing of additional regiments to Santiago
when 1t is recognized that General. Shafter
has as large an army as he needs to take
that town, is in reality the laying of the
foundation of the Porto Rican expedition
airy forces and hurry orders that have been
sent to the southern concentration camps
for the making ready of large bodies for
early movement mark the preparation for
the superstructure.
The determination Of the War Depart
ment to send formidable force for the
capture of Porto Rico has been strengthen
ed by the resistance made by the Spaniards
in Santiago An effort will be made to
avoid the mistakes of the Santiago cam
paign. Although the force to be overcome
at San Juan Is smaller than at Santiago
and the harbor is by no means so mac
cessible, 1t is proposed to send a larger
army on the next expedition, and one that
will go fully equipped with the artillery
and cavalry 1t needs. There will be no dis
patching of an insufficient force half equip
when General Shafter was sent away from
Tampa.
The expedition to go against Porto Rico
will consist of between $1,000 and 1000
men. According to the Spanish army reg
lister for 1898, the total strength Of the
Spanish regular forces in the island of
Porto Rico is 1918. OF these 5124 are in
fantry, armed with Mauser rifles; 1872 are
q M
cavalry strength is ten officers and men.
The rest of the garrison is made up Of the
civil guard, which is sort Of custom house
guard, and the police force. There are in
the island, according to the information
through Lieut.. Whitney. some 1900 volun-
teers who are to be reckoned with, as well
as with the additional men the Spanish
commander might be able to impress from
the male population of the island. With a
total force for all arms of some 21,0Oo or
1900, 1t is not doubted that an American
force of $4,000 or 10000 with the help Of the
fleet will be ample to take the island.
To make up this force, Major General
Miles, who will organize It at Santiago after
the fall of that city. will draw heavily on
the nucleus of regulars who have borne
themselves so splendidly at Santiago. For
of the reserves at Tampa, including 1900
infantry $500 cavalry and 1000 artillery; of
the six regiments at Miami, the twelve
regiments under Lee at Jacksonville, Of the
great mass of volunteers at Chickamauga.
where more than forty regiments are await
ing orders to go to the front, and Of the big
force still stationed at Camp Alger. There
will be no lack of men and efforts are maxi
etc vSa dov ~ ,oyf IN
see that there shall be no lack of equipment.
Materials to complete the outfits for the
first corps under Major General Brooke.
which is expected to form the back bone of
the Porto Rico forces next to the regulars
are being forwarded to Chickamauga by
express.
This corps Is expected to be ready to move
within a week, and If Santiago falls as
soon ss 1t is expected to do, its moving or
ders will probably be given In that time.
1t is not believed that there has been any
change in the plan to have General Brooke
to lead the Porto Rico force, as Shafter did
that to Santiago. General Miles. as the
general commanding the army, is expected
to be In supreme command, however with
General Brooke next to him, who will be
made military governor of the island after
The officers who are to command in
Porto Rico are making exhaustive studies
Of the island and the army's bureau of in
formation, which has elaborate data con-
corning 1t on file, is being drawn upon heav-
lily. Detail maps of the islands and Of its
principal towns are being supplied to these
officers and the information which they are
most in need Of will be forwarded to them
as rapidly as practicable.
1t is thought to be not unlikely that the
army of invasion may have a harder time
landing on the coast of Porto Rico than 1t
had on the south coast Of Cuba. The Porto
Rico coast line has few inlets and indenta-
lions such as that at Baiquiri and there is
no harbor near San Juan like Guantanamo
to furnish a refuge and a coaling base for
the fleet.
The landing may be made at Ponce, where
the defenses are said to consist chiefly of
some very fine mountain howitzers on the
hills back of the town. The Smelling of San
Juan itself is expected to be comparatively
easy task If 1t becomes necessary, as the
town would be more easily reached by the
big guns of the fleet than Santiago.