Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-07-29
GENERAL NILES OFF At LAST
COyvOYS FINALLY ARRANGED TO
PRESIDENTS SATISFACTION.
MOVE WAS TEMPORARILY STOPPED
warships Accompanying the Expedition
Are Massachusetts,, Dixie, Gloucester,
Cincinnati, Annapolis, and Linden.

A Washington special says: General
Miles, leading the military expedition
against Porto Rico, started at 8 o'clock
Thursday afternoon from Siboney,
Cuba, for the point on the island Of
Porto Rice, where IL is the intention
that the troops shall land. II is ex-
pected that General Miles will wait ct
some appointed spot on the ronte for
the expeditions from Tampa, Newport
News and New York to fall into his
column.
The expeditions are already under
way, some Of them with two or three
days start OF General Miles, and the
delay should not be very great.
After all the difficulty about the
naval convoy, and the first conclusion
of the naval authorities that none was
necessary, the strength of that now
furnished is surprising.
There is battleship Of the first
class, the Massachusetts,; an effective
cruiser, the Cincinnati; a speedy and
well-armed gunboat, the Annapolis,
and four vessels Of the auxiliary navy
which have already proved by their
performance in Cuban waters that
they are fully equal to the ordinary
gunboat in offensive power. These are
the Gloucester, who distinguished her.
self in the destruction of Cervera's
squadron; the Wasp, which has at
tanned an enviable notoriety as dis
turber of Spanish block. houses; the
Dixie and the Leyden, which were for
time the sole representatives Of the
United States power in Havana har-
Dor.
Whether the landing will be defer
red until the arrival of the entire
force or whether General Miles will
take the initiative and hoist the flag
himself on Porto Rican soil, is left to
the discretion OF that officer. It is
the departments determination that
he shall not lack for troops or equip
ment, and this first expedition maybe
followed by several others as fast as
the troops can be got ready until
word comes from the general that he
needs no more.
Dewey Ia q Diplomat.
That Admiral Dewey has the situa-
ton in the Philippines we'll in hand is
exhibited by his kilograms, the latest
OF which was received Thursday, which
without Boosting simply reports like
the others that have gone before that
affairs are quiet and satisfactory. The
state department has come to have
fully as great sense of appreciation
Of Dewey's diplomatic abilities as the
country has for his naval skill and
courage, and the best evidence of this
is that it has not found it necessary
up to this point to interfere in any
way either to protect or to amend his
works.
The admiral's announcement Of the
arrival Of the second detachment OF
United States troops at Cavite has
given great comfort to the war de.
partment, which was not altogether at
ease concerning the first small expe-
dition lying between Spaniards and
the insurgents and being unable to de-
pend very largely upon either. With
these added troops it will now be pos.
sible to demand the surrender Of Ma.
Mia, but it is gathered at Washington
that it is our purpose to defer such q
movement until all the United States
troops now afoat have arrived in Ma
Mia bay.
Watson's Trip.
Secretary Long said Thursday night
that the preparations for dispatching
the Watsons squadron for European
waters was going on uninterruptedly,. =
but departure would necessarily de-
pend upon the arrival Of the war
ships at Porto Rico, the Massachusetts,
and other ships being necessary for
conveying the troops to Porto Rico.
This disposes of a report circulated
that the expedition had been abandon.
ed.
The report was most mischievous ut
this time, as ii indicated purpose TO
yield to the implied threats from Eu.
ropean sources that European coali-
ton would result if the American ships
H. All