The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-26
Sent to Admiral Dewey.

Washington, ID. c., July 25.-The War
the dispatch of the remainder of Miles
expedition against Poro Rico. Such
progress has been made that it is hoped
all the troops will be on Porto Rican
soil within a week at the latest. General
Miles is not expected to defer his landing
until that time, but presumably will
pick out a suitable place for encamping
his troops and establish himself ashore
awaiting the arrival of the other de-
tachments now on their way. War De
partment officials expect that the first
news received from General Miles will
come through the press dispatches, as the
General has not with him, so far as is
known, any dispatch boats. 1t will be
at least Saturday before direct cable
communication can be established with
him. and in the meantime reliance must
be had on the dispatch boats running
across to st. Thomas, distant about
four hours run. 1t was expected ut
the Department that General Brooke
and General Haines would sail from
Newport News to join Miles and that
most of General Brooke's command
would be embarked by Wednesday.
The work Of embarkaton at Newport
News is being conducted with much less
difficulty than was expected. Colonel
Hecker, in charge of the transportation
division of the War Department. who
has just returned from that place has re-
ported to Secretary Alger that it is emf
nently suited to the shipment of the
troops. Consequently the Secretary to-
day ordered all of General Grants bri-
gade. 5000, from Chickamauga to New
port News. 1t is not expected that all
of the transports required for their ac-
commodation will have arrived here by
the time the soldiers get i'll. but fhey
will encamp ON suitable ground there
and it is believed will be benefited by
the change from Chickamauga.
The signal service has succeeded in
reclaiming from the battlefield of San
tiago the tubes which supplied the mill
tary balloon with pure hydrogen gas,
and they. with the balloon itself, have
been brough over to Tampa on the
steamer Adria. The tubes will be re-
charged Immediately. and the whole APP
paratus will be dispatched at once to
Porto Rico to assist General Miles i'll
his campaign there. The balloon is said
to have proved of great value in the
Santiago campaign and from the char
acter of the country in Porto Rico, where
military operations must be conducted, it
is believed that it can also be used to
advantage there. 1t was announced to-
day at the Navy Department that the
long expected report from Admiral
Sampson upon the destruction of Ger
yera's feet, with the accompanying re-
ports of the Commodore and the cap
tains of his squadron, had reached the
Department. 1t is supposed to have
been brought by Captain Sigsbee on the
St Paul, which arrived at New York
last Friday, and to have been sent by
mail by Captain Sigsbee. 1t is the in
tention Of the Secretary of the Navy
to give these reports TO the public in
their entirety. They will be given out
for publication Wednesday morning
Secretary Long today forwarded to
Admiral Dewey the joint resolution of
Congress extending the thanks of Con
gress for the victory achieved at Cavite.
i ne resolution was beautifully en-
crossed and prefaced by formal attes-
tation of its authenticity by Secretary of
State Day. the whole being enclosed in
leather covers. 1t is to be remarked that
Secretary Long, in his letter of trans
initial, makes reference to a letter from
the Secretary of State complimentlng
Admiral Dewey upon his direction of af-
fairs since the great naval victory, Il for
NAL evidence that the State Department
is thorougly well satisfied with the dipio- |
matte qualities he has exhibited. The let |
ter Of Secretary Long is as follows:
Navy Department,
Washington. y. c.
July %. 1898
OF: The Department has received
from the Secretary of State IN engrossed |
and certified copy Of the joint resolution
of Congress, rendering the thanks of
Congress to YOU and the officers and men
of the squadron under your command, for
transmission TO you. and herewith en-
closes the same.
Accompanying the copy of the joint
resolution the Department received a
letter from the Secretary Of State re-
questing that there be conveyed to you