The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-06-15
THE MOVE on SAN JUAN
VIII Not Be Attempted without the
Aid of Some Regulars.
INVASION OF PORTO RICO
WIN probably Not Be Undertaken Until
General shafter Can Spare Some
OF the Trained Forces In
the Cuban Campaign

Washington, June 1s.-Now that the
Santiago expeditionary force under
General Shafter is on its way to CO.
operate with Admiral Sampson in the
reduction of that city and the capture
OF the Spanish ships in its harbor, the
energies of the war department are ex-
pected to be directed toward prepare
tions for the invasion of Porto Rico.
While these preparations will be
pushed forward as expedItiousIy IS
possible, there is no reason to believe
that any extraordinary haste will be
resorted to.
The volunteers at Jacksonville and
Tampa, who are expected to form part
OF the army of invasion for Porto Rico,
are not in condition to be sent to that
island, and 1t will take little time to
put them in shape.
1t is true that the progress made at
Jacksonville, where General Fitzhugh
Lee is in command. has been much
more satisfactory than at some of the
other camps.
Already clothing for $500 men has
been delivered there, and owing to the
abundant railroad facilities no such
congestion and confusion as occurred
at Tampa in the distribution of uni
forms, equipments and supplies have
been encountered.
This encourages the hope that the
volunteers there will be made ready
for the invading campaign in less time
than was required at Tampa and is
being taken at Chickamauga.
No one supposes that this Porto
Ricon army will be made up entirely
Of Ghaffar
has taken with him to Cuba practically
all the regulars, it will be necessary
for the move on Porto Rico to be de-
and some of the regular troops now
with that expedition can be withdrawn
and combined with a detail of volun-
teers for investment of San Juan
The war department preparations all
point to the one operation following
upon the other That this can be done
speedily is not doubted.
The capture of Santiago is looked
upon as likely to require very few days.
and after tie city has fallen a compar-
atively small force will be required, in
cooperation with the insurgents, to
take possession of the entire province.
When that is done several regiments
the Porto Rican force.
The same transports that are bear
ing the Fifth army corps to Santiago
will have to be used for the movement
against Porto Rico, supplemented by
the additional ships that have been or
dered to Fernandina. There are seven
of these-the Gate City. City of Macan,
Comanche, Knickerbocker, Louisiana,
Catania and Arkadia. These ships, it
is expected, will take on volunteers
from General Lees Seventh corps, now
at Jacksonville, while the transports
that are to take the regulars from San
tiago to San Juan may remain OFF the
south Cuban coast until their services
are needed.
There is no disposition on the part
of the administration to under estimate
the strength of the enemy in Porto
Rico, in spite of the assurances of the
newspaper strategists that it is incon-
senuential. Lieutenant Whitney is
said to have reported the Spanish
strength In the island as small, but it
is recognized by the war board, if its
general attitude can be taken as mean
ing anything, that it will not do to
take any chances in the matter.
1t is remembered that Admiral
Sampson found that the reduction of
the forts and batteries of San Juan was
no child's play. and that he succeeded
in doing little damage to them in three
hours of bombarding. 1t is reasoned,
also, that there may be more Spanish
troops in the island than Lieutenant
Whitney saw.