Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-30
CUBA AND PORTO RICO
Commission to Leave for the
Islands This Week.
ADMIRAL sCHLEYs FLAG
1t Will Fly from the Cruiser Now Drlonaa
Until lie Returns to the United
States. Instructions to- the
Comm Issioners.
Comm lssioners.
{ By TeleEranhl


WASHINGTON. Aug. 2s.-An order
was issued at the Navy Department to-
day detaching Rear Admiral w. s.
Schissf1iDm command of the second
squadron Of the North Atlantic fleet
and "rdereing him to Porto Rico as g.
member of the evacuation commission,
during which time he is authorized to
lily his Nag on the cruiser New Orleans.
which Will remain in those waters until
the commission is ready to return to
The United states. Admiral Schley will
be accompanied To Porto Rico by the
following members OF his staff, now at
tachcd to the cruiser Brooklyn at New
York: Lieutenant j. B. Sears, Lieuten-
ant b. w. Wells, Jv., and Ensign Ed
ward Mct'auley. Jr The order for
Admiral Schley to fly his flag an the
New Orleans is made in order to keep
him constructively on sea duty while
serving on the evacuation commission.
thus emitting him to the highest pay OF
his rank, viz: $4,000 per annunl. 1t was
for the same reason that the Navy De-
partment decided to keep Admiral w.
1T. Sampson in nominal command Of the
North Atlantic fleet while he is in Ha-
vana as a member of the Cuban evac-
uation commission. His flag will be
displaced on the auxiliary cruiser Res
dilute, which will take the members Of
the commission to Havana.
General Butler one of the members
of the Cuban commission, was at the
War Department today in conference
With the authorities regarding the au-
ties of the commission. The Cuban
commission will sail from New York
next Saturday on the cruiser Resolute.
which will proceed direct to Havana.
General Wade will act as president OF
the commission.
The Porto Rico commission will sail
from New York next Wednesday ON
the army transport Seneca.
General Gordon arrived here today
! from Huntsville, Ala, and received his
instructions from Acting Secretary
| Moore. of the State Department.. and
! Secretary Alger, of the War Depart
| ment.
COMMISSIONS INSTRUCTIONS.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.-The in-.
structions to the Cuban and Porto Ri-
can military commissions were drawn
| up and approved by the President be-
| foe he left Washington The tnstruc-.
i tons l1ets not be made public, but III
as the insts..tlons sent to General
| Shafter regarding the government of
Santiago and to General Merritt regard
| ing the Philippines. This will mean that
| the military commission will take cons
troll Of Cuba and Porto Rico, the same
as the military governor now controls
| that portion of Cuba surrendered to
the United States after the Santiago
campaign. The many minor details rel
ative to the evacuation Of the islands
| are left to the commissions, who will
report any difficult or disputed points
| to Washington. There never has been
doubt that the United States would
| take full control OF Porto Rico, but the
instructions to the Cuban military COM
| mission settles any question regarding
| that island and means for the present.
| at least, the United States Will assume
the government and control of the re-
mainder of the island as has been the
case in Santiago.