The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-07-13
Now for Porto Rico.

WASHINGTON, July With Ger
vera 8 fleet disposed Of, and the fall Of
, Santiago matter Of few days, pos
| sibly hours only. the attention Of the
military administration ia directed
anew to the invasion of Puerto Rico,
as the next logical step in the aggres-
sive movement against Spain.
The destruction of the enemy'e
squadron in the harbor of Santiago,
which took everybody by surprise
yesterday, was not in itself an unex-
pected event. 1t had been counted
on as the inevitable outcome Of the
Santiago campaign. Only in the
methods of its accomplishment was it
q surprise.
Likewise, the capture of the city
has been one of the features Of all
p nding military calculations. Now
that it is imminent, no change in those
plans is contemplated. A change
would be necessary if General Shafter
should fail to take the town. Other
wise, the program laid out when the
Santiago campaign was begun will be
carried out. Only u cry Of "Hold,
enough" from Spain can serve to in
terrupt it.
The program calls for the fitting out
for the invasion and occupation of
Puerto Rico of the most formidable
expedition this country has yet sent
against Spain. For the purpose of
this expedition all the transports used
for the first Santiago force, as we'll as
all those secured since, will be availa-
BILE. Inste-d of having only enough
ships to carry Is, 900 men, the war de-
partment will by that time be prepar-
ed to transport at one trip fully 30, 900
men, Including full compliments Of
cavalry and artillery. With no Span
ish sh;ps worth mentioning on the
seas, there will be no difficulty about
conveys, and the entire armored feet
will be ready to cooperate in the at
tack on the Notifications.
With the whole volunteer army to
pick from, there will be no scarcity Of
men to make up the expeditionary
force. Tampa will, it is expected, be
the main point of embarkation. San
tiago will be the halfway station be-
tween the Florida port and San Juan.
The regulars, who have won fame and
glory in the fighting before Santiago,
will be withdrawn from there after the
surrender Of the city, and made the
backbone of the army which goes to
Puerto Rico.
A force of volunteers, it is expect
ed, will be left in Santiago to hold the
place and attend to what Spanish
forces may remain in the province.
The hurrying Of more troops to Gene
raj Shafter is in reality. therefore, the
beginning Of tb move on San Juan.
The war department says that General
Shafter, with the Spanish feet out Of
the way, and the improved condition
of his own lines, is likely not to need
the new regiments they are sending
him. Nevertheless, the dispatching
of the additional troops to Santiago as
reinforcements will make it possible
to organize the Puerto Rico force al
most without the enemy knowing it.
| This work, it is expected, will be
done largely at Santiago. Major ZEN.
Miles, who has arranged to go to San
Sisgo as soon as news OF General Shat
ters illness was received yesterday
morning. found his plans somewhat
altered by the sudden change in the
situation there, and to-day he said
that he would leave in few days "for
Spanish territory" Whether Santa
go or San Juan is his destination, the
general commanding the army would
not cay. The expedition in army cir
cles, however, is that General Niles
will go to Santiago, not to take the
command of the forces there out Of
the hands of General Shafter, but GO
superintend the dispatching frem that
point Of the army intended for Puerto
Rico. This army, as has been before
stated in these dispatches, will be un-
der the direct command Of General
Brooke, whose First corps will in part
compose it.
Talk Of the immediate invasion and
bombardment Of Havana is dismissed
as out Of the question by the war ad.
ministration. 1t is pointed out that
fully 100, 600 men will be needed for
an effective land attack on Havana,
and that the government no more has
that many men ready now than it had
q month ago. Besides, it is doubted
If sn attack on Havana would do as
much toward convincing Spain Of the
necessity of suing for peace as the
capture Of Puerto Rico. 1t is pointed
out that the Spaniards have, 1ost of
them, counted on losing Cuba from
the outset Of the war, 80 that the cap
ture of the island would not necessa-
rily bring them to terms.
On the other hand, it is urged that
the seizure Of another rich possession
which they had not dreamed Of losing
might have the desired effect. More
over, it is recognized by the President
and his advisers that the question that
produced the present war will never
be settled until Spain is driven, not
only out of the island Of Cuba, where
her chief misdeeds have been done,
but out of the West Indies. This, it
is believed, can be done most easily
and effectually by driving her out Of