The state herald., 1898-07-22
OFF FOR PORTO RICO.
GENERAL MILES HAS STARTED.
Forty Thousand Soldiers VIII He Hurried
Along M Fast as Fossibie-They Go
From Several Ports.

Washington. July 1S.-After three
| days consultation between Secretary
Alger and General Brooke. during
which there was frequent commAnica-
tion with General Miles Mt Siboney,
the details of the Porto Rican eXpedi-
tion We're perfected and the expedition
Itself was gotten under way, General
Miles. with some artillery and troops,
sailing to-day for Porto Rico on the
converted cruiser Yale. to be followed
quickly by an army of about 10000
men.
There are some notable differences
in the plans for this expedition and
for the stately naval pageant that
sailed away from Tampa under Gen
eral Skaters command, to attack
Santiago. First. there will be pract-
cally no naval conveys. The Navy
Department has declared that they
are unnecessary, that there is not Il
Spanish warship in the West Indies
that dare thrust its bow out of port
In the second place. the expedition
does not start from one point. but will
be divided among several ports, thus
preventing the tremendous congestion
that was encountered mt Tampa in the
effort to start the big fleet. Lately,
there will be no effort made to get the
ships away together. but the trans
ports will be allowed to find their own
way to their destination without con-
certed movements.
General Miles leads the way. He
has been promised by the President
that he should 20 to Porto Rico, and
the promise was redeemed when the
Yale headed to-day from Siboney to
Porto Rico, 800 miles distant. General
Brooke will be the senior officer in
General Miles command, and upon
him will fall the responsibility for the
execution of the details of his supe-
rlor's plans.
1t is estimated that General Miles
should arrive by Wednesday night at
the point selected for the landing.
and that he will hoist the American
flag at once over Porto Rican soil. The
point chosen for his landing is kept
secret. as the general will land be-
fore the full body of the expedition is
at hand. and it Is consequently not de
sirable that the enemy should be able
to assemble superior force to meet
him.
The distance from Charleston. where
the first body of troops for General
Miles expedition was to start to-day.
Is more than double the distance from
Santiago to Porto Rico. so that the
transports which sail from the former
city can scarcely reach General Miles
before the early part of next week.
The purpose of Secretary Alger Is
TO make the Porto Rican campaign n
short one. An overwhelming force will
he thrown upon the island. and II Is
possible that bloodless victory will
be achieved when the Spanish become
convinced that they have no reason
able chance to resist successfully. The
expedition Is TO comprise 10000 men
at the start. and 1t will he swelled
soon 10 10000 men. and II necessary TO
10000 men, the equipment of the vol
untccr forces having now progressed
so well MS 10 warrant the statement
that that number Of men can he ready
for service In Porto Rico within very
snort time. The entire body of troops
AT Tampa will he taken. numbering
about 1900 men. and including n lot
OF heavy and light artillery. under
command OF General Rodgers. The
expedition will he particularly strong
with artillery. ms some OF that nt san
tiago, commanded by General Ran
dolph. is TO be drawn upon. The
Tampa troops are known as the Fourth
corps, under command of Major Gcn.
cral Coppinger.
General Brooke will take with him
from Chickamauga Park most of the
First and Second briGldcs of his
army corps, the First.
The part which the navy Is To take
In the assault against Porto Rico has
been fully maturcd. The several trans.
port fleets VIII have with them one or
two auxiliary craft. carrying strong
secondary batteries Of six or eight
siN-poundcrs.
The movement of the ships from
Santiago TO their new fields OF action
Will begin at once, aud u Is probable
that some Of Admiral SIMPSONS ships
We're detached to-day and proceeded
with General Miles with the expedition
toward Porto Rico. They viii be need.
cd 10 cover the dcbarkatlon OF the
troops on Porto Rlcan soil. The others
VIII follow rs soon ms the full army
expedition is ready To make landing.
when the attack viii begin Slmul,an.
cutlsly from luu1 and sea