The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-29
Signs Point to Invasion of That
Island.
PLAN OF THE CAMPAIGN
SAN JUAN TO BE ATTACHED IN
THE REAR.
Land Force Will Consist of $4,000 to
10000 Regulars-Some Censidera-
tions In Favor of the Early occu-
patton of the Island-Force Insult
hcient For Cuban Invasion.

New York, May ga special to the
Times from washington says: Though
today has been devoid of definite de-
velopments of military nature, it has
been marked by strengthening of the
conviction, now general, that Porto
Rico and not Cuba is to be the first
field of invasion by the combined land
and naval forces of the United States.
The administration is not making Its
plans known, nor is the war depart
ment taking the public into its con-
fidence, but there are other ways IN
which coming events make their way
known. even in war times.
A significant indication of the atti-
tude of the military arm of the govern
ment toward the Porto Rlcan INVASION
is afforded by the earneStness with
which high members of General Miles
staff urge the measure. The command
ing general of the army is not talking
for publication, but it is understood
that the members of his staff, who de-
clare unreservedly in favor of taking
Porto Rico without delay, reflect his
views on that subject.
The announcement that General
Niles may leave Washington in day
or two on a tour of inspection of the
army camps in the south is regarded as
there is to be no invasion of Cuba at
once. It has been taken for granted
that General Miles will go to Cuba with
the army If the invasion is to be put
off and Porto Rico taken instead, his
present tour of inspection is easily eX-
planned.
The strongest argument used for the
attack on Porto Rico now is that it is
the easiest thing the army can do just
at present, and, in fact, about the only
thing it can do. The decision was
reached long ago that not less than
$4,000, preferably $4,000 men will be
needed for the first army that is sent
to Cuba. Not more than $4,000 men are
now in shape for a foreign campaign.
These are the regulars and the equipped
volunteers at Tampa. The rest of the
volunteer army is unframed and I'M
equipped and 1t may be accepted
once for all that it is not going TO be
sent to Cuba until it is fully equipped,
and to some extent, at least, instructed
in and Injured to the practice of war.
With the $1,000 men already at
Tampa, it is urged Porto Rico could
be taken and subdued while the rest
of the army is being put in shape at
Chickamauga and the other camps.
Then, when all has been made ready
for the grand move on Cuba, the
regulars could be withdrawn from
Porto Rico and used to lead the army
against Blanco. The fact is that, while
giving needed training to the regulars
themselves and delivering them from
the facilitating inaction at Tampa, this
move would strike a deadly blow at
Spain in a vital part of her colonial
structure and rob the reserve Spanish
fleet of its only base of supplies on this
side of the Atlantic, are urged as rea-
sons in its favor which are believed to
have had the effect of determining the
powers that be to undertake il.
There does not seem to be, it is point
ed out, anything to prevent the prompt
execution of the plan, since the troops.
the supplies and the transports are all
at Tampa, and all, according to the re-
ports received here, are ready to move
on short notice. The fact that General
Shafter has been authorized to send a
portion of his command at Tampa to
Jacksonville, so as to make them more
in camp. is taken here to
indicate that there is no intention to
send them to Cuba at once. If General ;
Shafter knew that his entire force
would be called on to go to Cuba next
week, or the week following, 1t is
urged that he could not go to the I
trouble of having them break camp and 1
move over to Jacksonville.
The plan, as IL is construed here, is !
for General Shafter to send the least f.
available of his volunteers to Jackson /
vile, while holding the regulars and /
the pick of the new troops to the num- /
Der of $4,000 or 10000 ready for the ex- /
petition to Porto Rico. Private letters |
received here say that all the indica-
tons at Tampa point to an early de-
oarture of the military force massed |
1t that point, with much uncertainty as /
10 where the expedition is bound. The
here viii be disappointed if
Porto Rico is not its destination
Assuming the correctness of the re-
port that the Spanish feet is shut up
n Santiago. it is concluded that there
would be no difficulty in Admiral Samp-
son supplying enough ships to convoy
he transports to Porto Rico without
weakening the blockade off Havana,
still holding in reserve enough ships to
attend to the Cadiz squadron, should it
appear suddenly in these waters.
one suggestion made TO account for
Admiral SIMPSONS last appearance in
he neighborhood of the old Bahama
channel is that he is acquainting him
,elf with the route about to be taken
~ the ships that are to carry the ex-
,edition to Porto Rico-not necessarily
% San Juan, for it is more than guessed
hat the landing in Porto Rico will be
1t some point where infantry and ar
illery, and perhaps cavalry can be
,ut on shore to attack the defenses of
san Juan in the rear.
So much attention is being given to
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