The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-25


ht selected UnEuarded He May
Land Troops Without Wnittn~
ior the Remainder of the Expe-
difion-shafter Defends Bims.,s
Against the Charge That Much os
the Fighting Before santiayo
Was Without Definite Purnos.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-It was said
at the wal department. late TODAY thar
"o news was expected from any official
source as to Gen. Miles movements nm
I'll tomorrow at the earliest.
IL Is calculated that he arrived this
evening or tonight at the point on tha
coast or Porto Rico selected as the
rendezvous for all the vessels of tho
expedition. Whether or not he will nm
certake to make a landing in advance
OF the arrival Of the whole expedition
propably will depend upon conditions
as he finds them. Should there be M
spanish force or at least an inconsider-
able one on the coast, the troops will
De landed to relieve them from the dis
astrous effects of being confined closely
on shipboard under a tropical sun. The
genera! has with him sufficient artiI-
lery to hold any position he may choose
TO occupy. supplemented as this artiI-
Iery will be by the guns of the CONVOY.
meantime the department. is making
every effort to hurry along the remain
der Oh the expedition. Some troops are
now on their way from Tampa and
Charleston and should reach Porto Rico
by the middle of the week.
naval officials are assisting actively
In getting the troops off and were en-
gagged today in sending the necessary
orders to that end to the commanders
OF the naval auxiliary vessels
which Rave been placed at the service
OF the war department. In the course
or day or two the troops brought from
CAlckamauga by Gen. Brooke will sail
1fom Hampton Roads, where they have
Ceen arriving all day ard are ready for
the transports.
Ihere is probability that Gen. Milss
may be delayed for several DAYS in his
landing operations for lack of lighters
put several of these are now on their
way and others will be hurried for
ward as rapidly as possible.
REPORT FROM SHAFTER.
Gen. Shafter reported by cable todav
that the condition of the troops at San
tlago was rapidly improving. and said
he hoped In the course of a day or two
to have them all located in comfortable
camps, where they may rest and re-
cuperate, and where the sick may re-
cover. He is feeding II, 900 of the Span
lsh prisoners of war, and, although
ne has not yet been able to furnish
them tents, this deficiency is being
made good, and, meanwhile, their pres
ent condition is no worse in this re-
spect than was their condition before
the surrender. The general makes m
mention of the alleged letter from Gar
cia 10 himself, nor does he speak of any
friction between them, hence the de-
partment has come to doubt the au-
thenticity of published stories on these
subjects.
In his report to the war department
relative to conditions at Santiago. Gen.
Shafter has thrown some light upon
the difficulties in which certain of the
newspaper correspondents there have
involved themselves. From his report
1t would appear that, animated by an
ambition to take a prominent part in
the important events following each
other in rapid succession at Santiago.
after the initiation of the negotiations
FOR the surrender of the city, a few of
the correspondents. were guilty of grave
breaches of military law, necessItatinc,
prompt corrective action by Gen. Shat
ter. Thus, for instance, one corre-
spondent in his efforts to take part in
the flag raising over the city hall re-
sisted the military officers in the exc
cution OF their duty, and even attempt
ed personal assault on the command
ing general. This made him liable 10
summary and severe punishment even
death, yet Gen. Shafter probably real
izing that ignorance of military law
was the explanation of the action. con-
tented himself with expelling that cor
respondent from Cuba.
SERIOUS OFFENSE.
A more serious offense. from the fact
that 1t might have led to rioting and
disorders, was that of three other cor
respondents, who, it appears by Gen.
matory posters, stirred up the town.
They were likewise deported and as
evidence that he has no i'll feeling to-
wards the paper represented by them.
put desires only to exercise such con-
troll as is imperatively demanded in
the interest of safety of our troops and
protection of the people under their
care, Gen. Shafter has declared that
these correspondents may be immedi-
ateiy replaced by others from the same
newsper, who will observe the rules
OF prudence. No mention is made OF
any other cases requiring attention.
and 1t is indicated that the relations
between the newspaper men and the
army officers at Santiago are generally
amicable and satisfactory.
In an entirely different manner Gen.
Shafter takes notice of some severely
critical newspaper articles that have
appeared touching the condition of the
troops before Santiago, while they lay
In the trenches. He admits that there
was shortage of tobacco for a time.
but shows conclusively that there was
no lack Of the necessaries of life, and
that the troops were adequately sup
piled with hard bread, bacon, sugar
and coffee. Although this bill Of fare
Is not as extensive as that afforded
troops in garrison, 1t embodies the main
features of the army ration while on
field service and removed from a base
of supplies
As II has heen alleged In -o,,a ,,,,a~