Evening star., 1898-06-21
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Matters Discussed at the Cabinet
Meeting Today.
ALGER'S TELEGRAM
Reinforcements to Be Sent to
Santiago Very Soon.
PORTO RICAN EXPEDITION

| Secretary Alger officially informed the
| of Gen. Skaters expedition at Santiago
| The Secretary said he had received a tele-
gram about midnight last night announc
| ing the safe arrival of the expedition and
| the fact that Gen. Shafter and Admiral
| Sampson were in consultation
Up to the time the cabinet adjourned no
news had been received of a landing being
| made or attempted, and there was no in
formation beyond the arrival of the fleet.
The cabinet does not expect that Gen. Shaf-
ter will hurry the Decentralization of mis-
! expedition. He will put everything in read
mess before this is done, and will use no
haste which may endanger his soldiers.
No News From the Philippines.
1t is stated that no official news was
received today from the Philippines. The
cabinet shares the general belief that the
Charleston and the first expedition arrived
at Manila yesterday and that Manila may
now have succumbed to the inevitable. 1t
is believed that had the Spaniards given an
intimation of their Willingness to surrender,
Admiral Dewey would have advised them
to postpone this until the arrival of the
first expedition. The American commander
will then be able to help the sick and
wounded out of supplies which the Charles
ton and other ships carried.
1t is said by d cabinet member that there
is no indication that Germany or any other
country intends 10 make trouble in the
Philippines. All the information received
by this government is to the contrary.
There is more to fear from the insurgents
than from Interference of Europe. The ad-
ministration is glad, however, that Aguin-
aldo aIgpedrS he willing n
American authority and is not disposed to
make trouble of any Kind. If he assumes
different attitude after this it will be a
surprise. as all the official and public in
formation In the hands of the administra-
tion Is that Aguinaldo will interpose no
objection to American occupation, hoping
that everything will turn out all right for
him later.
Reinforcements for Santiago.
No mention was made in the cabinet
meeting of the expedition to Porto Rico or
OF additional troops to Santiago War De-
nartment officials admit, however, that rs-
endorsements Will be sent to Gen. Shafter.
portion of the force, three regiments,
VIII be sent from Camp Alger.- That has
De9n decided on. They will be sent to New
port News and put on board transports
there. They will be taken direct to Santi-
ago. Secretary Alger of course declines to
give the number of these reinforcements,
but there will probably be eight or ten
thousand. By the time they get there Gen.
Shafter Will probably have captured Santi-
ago. 1t Will thus be seen that they can
not be used in the actual fighting which
Will take place around that section of the
island. 1t is apparently the purpose it is
SAID, to use them in the expedition against
Porto Rico. 1t is now probable that the ex-
pedition to Porto Rico will go largely from
Santiago, as first mentioned in The Star.
After the capture of Santiago only a small
force of Americans will be left 10 hold
what has been captured. These, with the
Cubans, will BE- able to do the work.
Some to Go to Porto Rico.
If 10000 new troops are dispatched to
santiago the number there will be about
2o,Veo- 1t is easy to understand that this
number will not be needed when the city
and Cervera have been captured AT least
1900 of them Can be withdrawn and sent
10 Porto Rico, which is not far away. This
1900 will have had experience and Will
nave become acclimated. With Santiago
as a base of supplies Porto Rico can be op-
Grated against with much mora ease than
from any point in Florida.
Wants to BE Il Brfgadfcr
Senator Pettus and Representative In
derWood, In behalf of the Alabama dele
gallon in Congress, saw the President to-
day and urged the appointment of Gen l..
v Clarke Of Alabama a brigadier gen.
eral General Clarke has for many years
commanded the Alabama state troops. The
president is said to think favorably of Cen