The age-herald., 1898-07-26
HURTING TROOPS
 ID PORTO RICO Miles Was Not Expected to De-
 fer His Landing. WILL PICK OUT Z k-AcE And Encamp His MepaS spahore Until R'i''''''npys pss Tire
 -l oS- GENERAL FREl SAINTS BRIGADE Ordered to Proceed at Once From Chickamauga to Newport News. NO DIRECT CABLE COMMUNICATION Has Not Yet Been Established Between Miles and Washington Departments,
 and News of His Arrival Will be
 tcnt Via St. Thomas.
Ordered to Proceed at Once From
 Chickamauga to Newport News.
NO DIRECT CABLE COMMUNICATION

Washington, July 25.-The war depart. ment was busy today hurrying the dis patch of the remainder of Miles expedition against Porto Rico. Such progress has been made that 1t is hoped all the troops will be on Porto Rican soil within a week at the latest. General Miles is not expect ed to defer his landing until that time, but presumably will pick out a suitable place for encamping his troops and establish himself ashore awaiting the arrival of the other attachments now on their way. War department officials expect that the first news received from General Miles will come through the press dispatches, as the general has not with him, so far as is known, any dispatch boats.
 It will be at least Saturday before direct cable communication can be. established with him, and in the meantime reliance must be had on the dispatch boats running across to St. Thomas, distant about four hours run. It was expected at the de- partment that General Brooke and General Haines would sail today from Newport News to join General Miles, and that most of General Brooke's command would be embarked by Wednesday. The work of em! barkation at Hampton Roads is being con- ducted with much less difficulty and delay than was expected. Co., .onel Hecker, in charge of the transportation division of the war department who has just returned from that place, has reported to Secretary Alger that it is eminently suited to the shipmo mt of the troops.
 Consequently the secretary today ordered all of General Grants brigade, 3,OJO men, from Chickamauga to Newport News IL is not expected that all the transports re- uuired for their accomm odation will have arrived there by the time the soldiers get in, but they will be encamped on suitable grounds there and it is believed will be benefited by the change.
 Tubes for War Balloon
 The signal service has succeeded in re- claiming for the battlefield of Santiago the tubes which supplied the military )bsl- loon with pure hydrogen gas, and they, with the balloon itself have been brought over to Tampa. The tubes are to be re- charged immediately and the whole ap- paratus will be dispatched to Porto Rico to assit General Miles in his campaign there. The balloon is said to have proved of great value in the Santiago campaign, and from the character of the country Tn Porto Rico where military operations must be conducted it is believed that 1t also can be used to advantage there.
 It was announced today at the navy de- partment that the long expected report from Admiral Sampson rpon the des,ruc- tion of Cervera's fleet, with the accompany- ing reports of the commodore and captains of his squadron, had reached the depart- ment It is supposed to have been brought by Captain Sigsbee on the St. Paul. which arrived at New York last Friday, and to have been sent by mail by Captain Sigsbee- It is the intention of the secretary of Inc navy to give these reports to the public in their entirety.
 lad fn A f- miral Dewey the jeint resolution of con- gress, extending the thanks of congress for the victory achieved at Cavite. The reso- luton was beautifully engrossed and pre- faced by formal attestation of its au- thenticity by Secretary of State Day. the whole being enclosed In richly gifted and or- namented Russia leather covers. It is to be remarked that Secretary Long in his let ter of transmittal, makes reference to let ter from the secretary of state compliment ing Admiral Dewey upon his direction ot affairs since the gerat naval victory, for maj evidence that the state department is thoroughly well satisfied with the diplo- matic qualities he has exhibited. The let ter of Secretary Long is us follows:
 Long's Letter to Dewey
 Navy Department. Washington, July g.
 "Sir-rhe department has received from the secretary of state an engrossed and certified copy of a joint resolution of gress, rendering the thanks of congress 10 you and the officers and men of the squad- ron under your command. for transmission to you and herewith encoses the same.
 Accompanying the copy of the joint res olution the department received a letter from the secretary of state requesting that there be conveyed to you his high apprccia- ton of your character a naval officer and of the good judgment ana prudence you have shown in directing affairs since the date of your great achievement In destrny- ing the Spanish fleet. This take grea. pleasure in doing and join most heartily on behalf of navy department. as well as personally in the commendation of the of state.
 "Vcry respectfully.
 (Signed) "JOIlN D. LONG. "serrtary