The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-14
HAVANA IS IMPROBABLE
That Is To Say. It Can Be Taken
Only by an Immense Porce.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
After the Fall of Santiago. an Expedition
in Command of Miles Will Proceed
to Porto Rico-watson to Sail
Within q Few Days.

New York, July IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: The
actual departure Of Commodore Wat
sons raiding squadron for the coast Of
Spain. which naval authorities expect
will occur about the end Of the present
week, indicates sufficiently the complete
abandonment of any intention to be-
siege Havana in the text three or four
months. M confirms the impression
that no extended military operations
win be prosecuted on the Cuban island
after the capitulation OF Santiago.
The remarkable difficulties which
have attended the investment of San
tiago and the resulting tedious delays
have served to convince military and
naval authorities that Havana cannot
be attacked successfully with less than
100, 900 men n the entire naval force
of the Atlantic. The city, ordinarily
one OF the best fortified ports in the
world. has been made more i~mpregnable
in the last W months through the
ceaseless activity of General Blanco,
who has 1t with several
chains of strong entertainments and
Notifications, in addition to the new
batteries ne has mounted along the
coast. Without the strong vessels at
tached to the raiding squadron the
navy would be powerless to render ef-
fective assistance to the army against
Havana, and IT Is deemed impossible
that the land forces alone could secure
the surrender of the city with less than
several months campaign, which would
be out of the question before winter on
account of the horrible climatic condi-
ions.
Promptly upon the fall OF Santiago, 1t
is announced, the expedition to Porto
Rico Is to be undertaken, With General
Miles In command of three divisions,
having more than 10000 men. He will
have the cooperation OF Admiral Samp-
sons heavier ships In the assault on
San Juan. 1t is his intention to clear
the entire island of Spanish troops with
every energy at his command. His
force will include practically all the
regular and volunteer troops now at
Santiago, the Cubans and immunes be-
ing left TO hold that province. In adj
dition TO the fleet OF 48 transports al
ready secured to carry troops to Porto
Rico, including the 80 that formed Gen
eral Skaters main expedition, the navy
has consented to the temporary use OF
the auxiliary cruisers. the st. Paul, the
St. Louis, the Yale and the Harvard.
to carry the regiments, and a number
OF other vessels will be available for the
service next week.
The medical corps of the army expects
yellow fever to appear among the troops
at Santiago at any time. The light
fevers which are now invading the
men may at any moment assume maiig-
nant types. For his reaso urgent
recommendations have been made that
the troops be taken out of the n
as soon as possible. The surgeons de-
clare that the horrors of a long conttn-
ued siege will be incalculable, and. in
their opinion, Il will be found better to
lose hundreds of men in an aggressive
assault than to expose the entire army
and this country as well. to the deVas-
tating endemic of yellow fever.