The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29
TO INVADE PORTO RICO.
Refteration of Reports that Cuba
VIII Re Let Alone for Awhile.


NEW YORK, May ga special to the
Times from Washington says: Though to-
day has been devoid of definite develop
ments of military nature, it has been
marked by a Strengthening of the convic-
tion now general, that Porto Rico and not
Cuba is to be the first object of invasion
by the combined land and naval forces of
the United States. The administration is
not making it's plans known. nor is the war
board taking the public into it's confidence,
but there are other ways in which coming
events make themselves known even in
war time.
A significant indication Of the attitude of
the military arm of the government towards
the Porto Rcan invasion is afforded by the
earnestness with which high members of
General Miles's staff urged the measure.
The commanding general of the army is
not talking for publication, but 1t is under
stood that the members of his staff, who
declare unreservedly in favor of taking
Porto Rico without delay reflect his views
on that subject.
The announcement that General Miles
may leave Washington in day or two on
a tour of inspection of the army camps in
the South is regarded as confirmatory of
the understanding that there is to be no in
vasion of Cuba at once 1t has been taken
for granted that General Miles will go 10
Cuba with the army. If the invasion is to
be put off and Porto Rico taken instead, his
present tour of inspection is easily ex-
planned.
The strongest argument used in favor of
the attack on Porto Rico now is that it is
the easiest thing the army can do just az
present and, in fact, about the only thing
it can do. The decision was reached long
ago that not less than 80 000-preferably
y5 OO0-men will be needed for the first army
that is sent to Cuba. Not more than 25,00O
men are now in shape for a foreign cam
paign. These are the regulars and the
equipped volunteers at Tampa The rest of
the volunteer army is unframed and UNI
equipped and it may be accepted once and
for all that it is not going to be sent to Cuba
until it is both equipped and to some extent
at least, instructed in and Injured to the
practices of war.
With the twenty-five thousand men al
ready at Tampa, it is urged, Porto Rico
could be taken and subdued while the rest
of the army is being put in shape at Chick
amauga Washington and the other camps.
Then, when all has been made ready for
the grand move on Cuba, the regulars could
be withdrawn from Porto Rico and used to
lead the army against Blanco. The fact
that, while giving needed training to the
regulars themselves and delivering them
from the facilitating inaction at Tampa,
this move would strike a deadly blow at
Spain in a vital part of her colonial struc-
ture and rob the reserve Spanish fleet of
it's only base of supplies on this side of
the Atlantic, are urged as reasons in it's
favor, which are believed to have had the
effect of determining the powers that be
TO undertake il. There does not seem to
be, it is pointed out, anything to prevent
the prompt execution of the plan, since the
troops, the supplies and the transports are
all at Tampa, and all, according to the re-
ports received here, are ready to move on
short notice.
The fact that General Shafter has been
mand at Tampa TO Jacksonville, so as to
make them more comfortable in camp, is
taken here to indicate that there is no in
tention to send them to Cuba at once. If
General Shafter knew that his entire force
would be called on to go to Cuba next week
it ID urged that he would not go TO the
trouble of having them break camp and
move over to Jacksonville. The plan, as it
Is construed here, is for General Shafter to
send the least available of his volunteers
to Jacksonville, while holding the regulars
and the pick of the new troops, to the num-
Der of $4,000 or 5000, ready for the expedi-
ton TO Porto Rico. Private letters received
here say that all the indications at Tampa
point TO an early departure of the military
force massed at that point, with much un-
certainty as to whittier the expedition Is
appointed if Porto Rico Is rot its destina-