The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-25

"dSHlHSlOH, July Z4.-lL was SAID at
the war department that no news can
be expected from official sources as to
General Miles movements until to-
morrow. 1t is calculated that he ar
rives tonight or this evening on the
point at Porto Rico selected as the
rendezvous for all vessels of the expe-
dition. Whether or not he will under
take to make landing in advance of
the arrival of the whole expedition
probably will depend entirely upon
conditions as he finds them. Should
there be no Spanish force, or at least
an inconsiderable one, on the coast,
the troops will be landed to relieve
them from the disastrous effects of be-
ing confined closely on shipboard under
a tropical sun. The general has with
him sufficient artillery to hold any po-
sition he may choose to occupy. sup
plemented as this artillery will be by
the guns of his naval convoy.
Meanwhile the department is maxi
ing every effort to hurry along the re-
mainder of the expedition. Some troops
are now on their way from Tampa and
Charleston and should reach Porto
Rico by the middle of the week. Naval
officials are assisting actively in getting
the troops on and were engaged to-day
in sending the necessary orders to that
end to the commanders of the naval
auxiliary vessels which have been
placed at the service of the war de-
partment. In the course of a day Gr
two the troops brought from Chicka-
mauga by General Brooke will sail
from Hampton Roads, where they have
been arriving all day and are ready
for the transports. There is proba-
blity that General Miles may be de-
layed for several days in his landing
operations for lack of lighters, but
several of these are now on their way
and others will be hurried forward as
rapidly as possible. However, il will be
along toward the end of this week be-
fore the active land campaign can be-
gin in Porto Rico.
General Shafter reported by cable to-
day that the condition of the troops at
Santiago was rapidly improving and
said he hoped in the course of day CT
two to have them all located in COM
Portable camps, where they may rest
and recuperate and where the sick ma y
recover. He is feeding 11,000 of the
Spaniards. prisoners of war. and al
though he has not yet been able to fur
nish them tents, yet this deficiency is
being made good and their condition -
no worse in this respect than was their
condition before the surrender. Tie
general makes no mention of the al
legged letter from Garcia to himself,
nor does he speak of any friction be-
tween them, hence the department has
come to doubt the authenticity of the
published stories on these subjects.
In his report to the war department
relative TO conditions at Santiago Gen
eral Shafter has thrown some light up
on the difficulties in which certain of
the newspaper correspondents there
have involved themselves. From his
report 1t would appear that, animated
by an ambition to take a prominent
part in the important events following
each other in rapid succession at San
tiago after the initiation of the negotia-
tions for the surrender of the city, a
few of the correspondents were guilty
of grave breaches of military law,
necessitating prompt corrective ac-
tion of General Shafter. Thus, for in
stance, one correspondent in his efforts
to take part in the flag raising over the
city hall, resisted the military officers
in the execution of their duty. and even
attempted a personal assault upon the
commanding general This made him
subject to summary and severe pun
ishment. even death. yet General Shaf-
ter, probably realizing that ignorance
of military law was the explanation of
the action. contented himself with ex-
pelling that correspondent from Cuba.
A more serious offense, from the fact
that it might easily have led to rioting
and loss of life, was that of three 9TH
er correspondents, who, IL appears by
General Skaters report. by circulating
infiammatory posters stirred up the
town. They were likewise deported.
and as evidence that he has no ill-feel-
ing towards the paper represented by
them, but desires only to exercise such
control as is imperatively demanded in
the interest of safety to our troops and
protection OF the people under their
care, General Shafter has declared that
these correspondents may be immedi-
ately replaced by others from the same
paper who will observe the rules Of
prudence. No mention is made Of any
other cases requirpg attention, and II
is indicated that the relations between
the newspaper men and the army Off
GERS at Santiago are generally amicable
and satisfactory.