The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-22
MILES COMING HOME.
Great Rejoicing in Porto Rico
Over the Conclusion
of the War.
[By Cable to The Associated Press

PONCE, Island of Porto Rico, Aug. q,
S.-(Afternoon. .)-(Delayed in transmits
sion. )--Major General Miles has decided
to leave with his staff for Washington in
few days possibly tomorrow. He will
turn over his command to General Brooke
who is expected to reach here tomorrow
for conference.
General Miles has arranged matters
generally with Captain General Macias,
preparatory to the meeting OF the Peace
Commission at San Juan. General Macias,
while maintaining his outposts is stead
lily retiring his forces to the capital, pre-
paratory to their embarkation.
Mail communication between Ponce and
San Juan has been established and the
overland telegraph wires, which have
rbeen severed, will be connected immedi-
ately.
All that will remain for the commits
sion to do, General Miles says, will be to
secure an inventory of Government
property transferred to the Americans and
to give receipts to the Spanish authori-
ties.
| Captain General Macias in his various
communications with General Miles has
shown the best spirit. He is anxious
to- cooperate in bringing about an evac-
uation at the earliest moment possible
and is placing no obstacles in the way OF
the volunteers returning home.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramery, the highest
Spanish volunteer officer in the island,
reached here last night from Aibonlto-
Other officers have been coming through
our lines all day. Lieutenant Colonel
Ra1nery says that the Spanish forces at
Aibonito were short of ammunition and
water and entirely dependent for food
upon Cayey They must have succumbed,
he declares. as soon as General BROOKE
struck Ca.yey.
According to letter from San Juan the
Spanish residents there who had fed from
the city have returned, and there is
great rejoicing among them that the war
is ended, a feeling shared by the Spanish
soldiery.
Colonel San Martin, former Spanish
Commander at Ponce, who abandoned ihe
who, it was reported, had been shot for
forsaking the city, is in the hospital sick.
He has been stripped Of his rank The
at his course, because the hight OF his
command prevented the destruction of
their property, and they are raising a
General Miles will advise General
Brooke to embark the Spanish prisoners
here and send them Immediately to San
Juan. 1t is expected that Rear Admiral
Schley will be there in a few days.
Most of the troops in the island will re-
main stationary until the final details
have been settled: and they will then
march to San Juan where they will en-
bark General Miles will consult the
autgoritler at Washington as TO the force
that is to remain. The volunteers are
anxious to go home.
Today the Sabbath, the liquor saloons
were closed and. for the first time in the
history of the island, there was a public
Protestant religious service.
The officers and men on the monitors at
Guanica think it unnecessary to keep .he
ships there any longer. These vessels
are absolutely unsuited to tropical eli
mate like that here, and the Puritan Off
GERS have sent formal complaint to
Secretary Long.
At Aguada, North of Mayaguez, the
Spanish troops killed two natives last Fri
day.