, 1898-07-22
THE WAR SITUATION
AS FOUND BY THE WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT OF THE AS
SOCIATED PRESS.
Miles Undoubtedly Now OF His Way
to Porto ~Rico-Dewey Has Matters
Well in Hand at Manila-Watson's
Expedition Has Not Been Aban-
doned. as Reported Yesterday.

Playa del Este, July 21.-tReceived
in Washington, 2:3S p. m, July 2l.)-
The Secretary of War, Washington. D.
c.: The Massachusetts. Dixie. Glouces-
ter, Cincinnati. Leyhen and Wasp go
with the Yale and Columbia. We ex-
pect to sail at 5 p. m. MILES
General Miles. leading the military
expedition against Porto Rico, started
at 3 o'clock this afternoon from Sibo-
ney. Cuba. for a point on the island Of
Porto Rico. where it is the intention
that the troops shall land. 1t is ex-
pected that Genera Miles will wait at
some appointed spot en- route, for the
expeditions 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 General Miles, so
that the delay should not be very
great.
After all the difficulty about the ma
val convoy and the first conclusion OF
the naval authorities that non was
necessary. the strength of that now
furnished is surprising. There is a
chusetts. an effective protected cruiser,
the Cincinnati. a speedy and well arm
ed gunbOat, the Annapolis, and four
vessels of the auxiliary navy which
have already proved by their perform
ance in Cuban waters that they are
fully equal to the ordinary gunboat in
offensive operations. These are the
Gloucester, which distinguished her
self in the destruction of Cervera's
squadron; the Wasp, which has attain
ed an enviable nOtority as a disturber
of Spanish block houses. and the Ley
den. which for a time was the sole rep
resentative of the United States power
in Havana harbor, and the Dixie.
Secretary Alger believes that Gener-
destination on Sunday morning with
1900 men under his command. A day
later will come 1000 men on transports
and the day following that 5000 more.
Whether the landing Will be deferred
until the arrival of The entire force or
whether General Miles will take the
initiative and moist the flag himself on
Porto Rican soil is left to the discre-
ton of that officer.
1t is the departments intention that
he shall not lack for troops or food
and his expedition may be followed by
several others as fast as the troops can
be gotten ready until word from Gen.
eral Miles says that he needs no more.
General Schwan's brigade, comprising
the Fifth, Eleventh and Nineteenth
United States infantry, a splendid body
of trained soldiers, sailed from Tampa
today to join General Miles and il the
Porto Rican expedition is not an i'm
mediate success it will not be for lack
Of disposition in the war department
to supply every requisite.
That Admiral Dewey has the situa-
ton in the Philippines we'll in hand
is exhibited by his kilograms, the la
test of which was received today, which
without boasting, simply reports, like
the others that have gone before, that
affairs are quiet and satisfactory. The
state department has come to have full
ly as great a sense of appreciation Of
Admiral Dewey's diplomatic ability as
tho r,pp,ry no., f,, At. 1890 .t.,, --,
courage, and the best evidence OF this
is that it has not found it necessary.
up to this point. to Interfere in any
way with his work.
The navy department has now dis
covered that the big double-turreted
monitor Monterey will not arrive at
Cavite until August 5th, that being the
advice received from the captain of the
vessel at the department when she
touched Honolulu. The admiral's an
nouncement of the arrival of the Sec
ond detachment of United States troops
at Cavite has given great comfort to
the war department, which was O
altogether at ease concerning the first
small expedition lying between the
Spaniards and insurgents and without
being able to depend verify largely on
either. With these added troops it will
now be possible to demand the surren-
der of Manila. but it is gathered here
that our purpose is to defer such move.
ment until all the United States troops
now afloat have arrived at Manila bay,
unless the attitude of the insurgent
forces prompt earlier action on the
part of American commanders, mill
tary and naval.
Secretary Long said tonight that
preparations for dispatching Watson's
squadron o European waters were 60
ing on uninterruptedly, but that de-
parture would necessarily await the
movement Of warships at Porto Rico,
the Massachusetts, and other ships be-
ing required for the conveying of the
troops to Porto Rico.
This disposed Of the report circulated