Evening star., 1898-07-22
Watchman Provided For.
MILES IS on HIS WAY,
Lett with 5000 Men Yesterday After
noon for Porto Rico

noon for Porto Rico.
General Miles, leading the military ex-
petition against P6rto Rico, started at :;
/ o'clock yesterday afternoon from Siboney,
/ Cuba, for the point on the Island of Porto
Rico where it is the4intention that the
troops shall land. General Miles will wait
at an appointed spot on the route for the
expeditions from Tampa, Newport News
and Charleston to fall into his column
These expeditions are already under way,
some Of them with two or three days
start Of General Miles, SO that 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 are
battle ship of the first class, the Mas
sachusetts, an effective protected cruiser,
the Cincinnati. speedy and well-armed
gunboat, the Annapolis and four vessels
of the auxiliary navy, which have already
proved by their performance in Cuban
waters tEat they are fully equal to the or
dinary gunboat in offensive power. These
are the Gloucester. the Wasp, the Dixie
and the Leyden Secretary Alger believes
that General Miles on the Yale will ar
rive at his destination Sunday morning
with 5000 men under his immediate com
mand. A day later will come 400 men on
transports and the day following that $500
more. Whether the landing win be de-
ferred until the arrival OF this 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 1t is the department 5 deter
| mination that he shall not lack Tor troops
or equipment, and this first expedition may
be followed by several others as fast as the
troops can be made ready until word comes
from the general that he needs no more.
General SphW2D'S brigade cnmnriSiup the
5th, the 11th and 10Th United States In
fantry, splendid body of trained soldiers,
sailed from Tampa yesterday to join Cen
eraI Miles.
The Navy Department has issued the
| following statement in regard to the Porto
Rico expedition:
Admiral Sampson telegraphs to the Sec
retary of the Navy that there has been
| no delay in furnishing ample convoy to
| General Miles. day two ago the Gin
| cinnati and New Orleans were both placed
| at his disposal. The Columbia and Yale,
| carry ing troops, are both powerfully
armed says the admiraPs telegram; and
| this is an ample convoy for his exped-
| ton and to effect his landing The An
napolis. Wasp and Leyden had been or
| dered from Nipe the Gloucester also added.
| and the three monitors ordered from Key
| West. Under these circumstances, there
| certainly has been mo lack of naval as
| sistance.5 If General Miles preferred to
! wait. the delay was his own. However,
in further answer to his request. the Mas
| sachusetts and Dixie were also added yes
terday morning, aiid inhe has probably
| started" .n
This statement Shows sfa 1 ss that General Miles
| will be backed in effecting his landing on
| Porto Rican SOIL by a. strong squadron of
the navy. In addAa6n nto the vessels named
in the statement. 4 Fl officialiy admitted
| tors. Terror. AmDhitrite and Puritan.
| which have been ut Key West. are under
| orders to proceed to- Porto Rico to assist
in the reduction tpe Spanish forces