New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
TO TAKE SANTIAGO FIRST.
THEN THE EXPEDITION TO PORTO RICO
WILL BE STARTED.
fBY rrLrGn ,pH TO THE TRIRuNE.1

Is to be accomplished before the expedition TO
Porto Rico is started. and to that end the efforts
of the Army and Navy to be exclusively
concentrated for the time being. This deter
mnation has been reached after exhaustive
consideration by the authorities Of the whole
military situation, resulting in complete agree
ment to the plan Of campaign.
There has never been any material divergenco
Of opinion between the military and civil au-
thorities regarding the desirabity Of occupying
Porto Rico before undertaking general CAM
paign in midsummer against yellow fever ana
Captain General Blanco's intrenched troops In
Eastern Cuba, but that project was matured
before Admiral Cervera sought refuge at SAN
tiago and before the great difficulties involved
in the destruction of his fleet were fully real
zed General Merritts demands on the Army
for Regulars to accompany the Philippine ex-
pedition took some of the force which was in
tended as a nucleus Of the Porto Rcan forcs.
and General Skaters preference for Regular
rather than unseasoned volunteers exhausted
the remainder. until to-day. If Porto Rico is to
he taken. the movement would have 10 be made
with volunteers alone. poorly equipped and In
experienced as they
HARD FIGHTING AHEAD.
IT has also come to the knowledge Of the au-
thorlties that the Spaniards in Porto Rico have
American invasion. and that hard fighting
against fortified positions will be imperative at
every step Of the advance. The vast illiterate
majority Of the island poulaton Is also known
to be inimical to Americans. and the campaign
would undoubtedly compel the landing OF an
army OF 250O0 men at the least estimate. and
perhaps 10000 renforcements would be re-
quired before the island could be fully con-
trolled
The War Department has found It altogether
impossible To secure transports for more than
half this force The transports utilized by Gen.
eral Shafter will be available within ten days.
but as ii is essential to carry more stores to
San Juan than TO Santiago. the thirty-two ships
that carried his troops could not be safely
loaded with more than 10000 men for the lon"
ger voyage. especially as a portion II the course
lies in the open sea, where tropical storms at
this might prove disastrous 20 several
Of the older vessels now under charter.
REINFORCEMENTS FOR GEN. SHAFTER-
There IS no disposition to question the neces-
sity for promptly sending additional cavalry and
artillery to General Shafter He was compelled
to leave most Of his horses and siege guns be-
hind him for lack OF transport facilities, and OF
his force OF twenty-five thousand men orgi-
nally contemplated ten thousand were compelled
70 remain behind.
This deficiency. however, Is in part made good
through the arrangement General Miles made
with the nsurgent General Garcia. who now has
a. least eight thousand skilled fighters. well
,luppcd wlrh new Springfield rifles and ans
munition. Garcia's men. however, have no foodsi
and the necessity Of sending rations to them 10
recognized as extremely urgent IL good hghting
Is expected OF them. General Shafter took thirty
days supplies for his forces but these will be,
reduced fully one -balf when he undertakes 10
feed the insurgents cooperating with him, taxi
ing into consideration the amount which will be,
spoiled lost IN transportation, and II Is al,
ready deemed essential TO start additional con~
signments TO him by the speed!est vessels OBJ
talnable. II Is cor this purpose that the swife
auxiliary cruisers Harvard and Yale have been
secured temporarily from the Navy to take one
thousand tons of subsistence stores from Nor
folk 10 Santiago next week. II is understood
that they will each take fifteen hundred men as
well ana in all probability several siege guns
from Fort Monroe addition 70 the large
amount or reserve naval ammunition they are to
take 20 Admiral SampsOn's squadron.
VOLUNTEERS GOING TO SANTIAGO.
Within the next two weeks at least ten thou
sand volunteers will be the way to Santiago
10 occupy that city permanently after General
Shaeicr captures ii. whether his achievement ia
speedy or IS delayed for month. They Will
land at his established base OF supplies. reliev-
ing his reserves and will gradually push FOR
ward 10 MS support until the city is in the pos
session Of the United States. This volunteer
force Will free the splendid army OF Regulars
for other aggressive operations which may then
be begun in Porto Rico or elsewhere.
General Shafter's entire hotilla Of forty-six
vessels Is expected To each Guantanamo py
Monday unless il has been delayed by accidents
on the voyage and II II was able TO maintain
eight knots after leaving Dry Tortugas Thurs
cav morning Possibly General Shafter divided
his force on reaching ortugas into two d.
visions putting the ten-knot ships in one ana
the slower transports in TIE other In that case
the faster division could reach the point or de-
barkation by noon tomorrow. II the whole
corps Is not ashore until Wednesday. however.
Washinston officials will be satisfied General
Greolv is confident that by that time cable COM
ruunication viii be opened with Fisherman's
Point in Guantanamo Bay. and General Shafter
will he able to keep the President and General
Miles fully informed Of his progress
SUAFTER'S PLANS FOR LANDING.
WASHINGTON June ls.-Some Of the officers
,..- Inc. ,orna from TamDa and arc "a.