The Portland daily press., 1898-07-22
Miles Expected to Land Sunday Morning
HE Will Have Strong Convoy---
The President Anxious.
TIRED OF WAITING.
The President Impatient Over Miles
Delay.

Washington, July 21.-President Nc
Kinley is thoroughly aroused over the
delay which has occurred in the starting
of General Miles and the expedition under
his command for Porto Rico.
For several days General Miles and his
troops have been aboard their transports
at Playa del Este, awaiting the naval
| convoy which is to be furnished by Ad-
miral Sampson. The troops have been
sweltering in the crowded ships under the
broiling sun while Miles has been
chatting under what he belives to be
inexcusable delay and is bonn harding the
war department with dispatches urging
in the strongest terms that the navy be
hurried in its preparations for the ex-
pedition.
Instructions Of the most positive nature
have been cabled to Admiral Sampson to
supply the necessary conveys for Gen.
Miles's transports, but notwithstandin
these instructions Admiral Sampson has
proceeded with his preparations for the
transportation with deliberation that is
exasperating to the officials here.
The President, who has been giving the
Porto Rican expedition his personal at
! tention, as he has given, indeed, all
phases of the war, finally became deeply
concerned lest the part of the Porto Rican
expedition that had already sailed from
this country should arrive at the point of
rendezvous in advance of Gen. Miles
and the navy.
1t is feared that if Gen. Wilson's COM
mand that sailed from Charleston, should
arrive in advance of Gen. Miles and the
naval conveys, serious danger and possible
disaster might result as Gen. Wilson's
ships are absolutely without protection
The distance from Charleston to Porto
Rico is a trifle over 1860 miles, while
tromsPlaya del Este to Porto Rico is
| about 700 miles. The comparative dis
tances which Gen. Wilson and Gen. Miles
| have to travel to reach the point Of
rendezvous are more nearly equal, how
ever, by reason Of the fast that the former
has more than a full days start.
Fully appreciating these facts and real
| jzing the necessity for prompt action in
getting Gen. Miles and his Cuban ex-
pedition started, President Mckinley this
morning issued personal orders through
the secretary of the navy to Admiral
Sampson that he proceed Immediately to
| Porto Rico with Gen. lilies. The Presi-
dents orders are susceptible of no mis-.
| construction. They are imperative to
degree seldom employed except in cases
| eyfrnml f,11E3 how Of
the sort that will brook no delay in their
execution. Admiral Sampson must start
at once Or the President himself will
know the reason why.
| While no official infol nation that the
fleet has sailed had been received this
morning at the war department up to g. 30
O'Clock, it is believed that Gen. Miles and
his troops under convoy OF the navy have
departed from Cuba. Admiral Sampson
having been instructed at very early
hour this morning to furnish p convoy
for Gen. Miles's expedition to Porto Rico,
it Is gain assumed by the war depart
ment that start will be made today.
The navy was disposed to regard it as
unnecessary to send q special convoy on
the ground that the Columbia and Yale
were both armed sufficiently to serve as
protection for the fleet, as according to
the information in possession of the navy
department there are no Spanish warships
anywhere III the neighborhood of the
West Indies that might be expected to
molest the expedition. However, acting
on the Presidents resolve to run no un-
necessary risk of disaster to this expedi-
tion, the decision was reached last night
to send the convoy required by the war
depar tment.
1t is said at the war department that
some of the soldiers, including Garrett
sons brigade have been IS days aboard
ship since they EN- barked at Newport
News, most of the time lying off Santiago
in sight of the shore but unable to land
They were in just before the surrender of
Santiago and it having been decided to
use them in the Porto Rioan expedition
the troops were kept aboard ship to pre-
vent exposure to yellow fever.