The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-15
PORTO RICO NEXT.
And Then, If Need Be, Cuba's
Capital, Havana. >,r.
GEN. BROOKE TO BE IN COMMAND.

The Size of the Expedition Will In.
cllde About Twenty-Five Thousand
Troops-Immune Regiments VIII BE
Ordered to Santiago.
Washington, July 15.-The first chap.
ter in the land campaign of the United
States against Spain closed yesterday
when the Spanish colors gave place
over Santiago to the American flag.
Next will follow the transportation OF
the Spanish troops back to their native
land and the capture of the Island of
Porto Rico unless peace soon inter-
venes. The siege of Santiago had lasted
two weeks and was remarkable in
many respects and in none more than
the heavy percentage of loss through
death. wounds or sickness of the SOL
diers and sailors engaged on both sides.
Looking back over the record of these
two weeks it is seen that great iron
clad squadron has been destroyed, that
nearly thousand Spanish sailors have
been drowned or killed by shell and
flame and that an untold number of
Spanish soldiers have died in the
trenches of Santiago. On the other
hand about 250 American soldiers have
been killed and in round numbers 1900
more have been sent to the hospitals
from wounds. fevers and other all
ments. Our fleet had a remarkable ex-
emption from disaster in the many en-
gagements it has had with the forts
at the entrance of the harbor and with
the Spanish squadron
Next is Porto Rico" said Secretary
Alger. after receiving news of Santi-
ago's formal surrender, land then, il
need be, Havana" The secretary was
in excellent spirits. He has been more
anxious than he dared show as to the
condition of our sick soldiers and look
ed with apprehension upon the pos
sibility Of a prolongation of the strug-
gle in the unhealthy valley of Santiago.
The secretary said that the Porto
Rican expedition would go forward i'm
mediately. 1t will comprise new men
entirely. The warriors in the trenches
before Santiago have distinguished
themselves and it is not deemed pru-
dent to bring them in unnecessary con-
tact with new troops in view of the
danger of spreading contagion The
sick soldiers will be nursed back to
health and brought to the United States
as soon as they can be safely removed.
Immune regiments will be ordered to
Santiago to garrison the town. and as
stated In these dispatches yesterday.
two of these regiments are already
under orders to proceed.
The Porto Rican expedition will be
commanded by General Miles In per-
son, though General Brooke, now in
command at Camp Thomas, is ex-
pected to be his main dependence. The
size of the expedition will depend upon
General Miles wishes, although 1t is
believed that 25.oOO men will be suf-
flcient for the purpose. At San Juan
the navy will be of greater assistance
than 1t was at Santiago, owing to the
possibility of approaching the town
more closely without risking contact
with mines. General Brooke is now on
his way to Washington by direction of
Secretary Alger so that he will be in
position to make his views known to
the department. The experience gained
III ulSJdlCllII6 OlldLlCI ShpeultoI, IL
Is expected, will aid the officials in their
determination to make short work of
the Porto Rican affair. There will be
plenty of troops available for the ex-
pedition, as the government has de-
vised other means of removing the
Spaniards captured at Santiago to
Spain than by carrying them on these
transports.
The navy department has not been
affected by peace rumOrs to the extent
of relaxing any of its precautions or
abandoning any of its plans, for Sec
retary Long stated unequvocally yes
terday that Commodore Watson's east
tern squadron would certainly go to
Spain as soon as 1t could sail.
The territory surrendered to US by
General Toral makes about 5000
square miles. The Spanish soldiers to
be sent to Spain is estimated at $1,000 |
men,
The line of the surrendered zone y
gins at Ascerraderos, about Is miles
west of Santiago harbor and then runs i
due north about 25 miles to Palmo !
Soriana. Had the line continued due |
north it would have passed west of |
Holguin. thus taking the Spanish gar
rison at that point. Evidently General |
Toral wished to avoid the inclusion of |
Holguin, so the line turns abruptly to |
the northeast at Palmo and runs to the !
coast town of Boca del Sagua on the !
coast. The extreme length of this sur
rendered tract Is about 10 miles and /
the extreme width about so miles. 1t |
Is a rugged mountainous country with |
very few towns Of any size. Santiago. |
with its fine harbor, is the main point.
while Guantanamo is second in import
ance.
With Santiago in our hands the way
will be clear for Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet to enter the harbor and proceed
up to the wharves as soon as the tor
pedoes and mines at the harbor en-
trance are removed. The fortiiications
of Moro Castle, Socapa, Cayo Smith
and others are included in the sur
rendered zone. The possession of these
fine fortresses. particularly Moro
Castle, will afford valuable garrison
points for large number of men.
Great attention will now be given to I
the care of our sick and fever stricken
soldiers on the island. In the opinion
of the army surgeons the sick can be
best treated by removal to the high
ground back of the southern coast
where the heat is less severe and where
recovery could proceed without the fear
Of communicating disease to the rest
Of the army.
In the matter of transports the de-
partment is fully prepared for the next
move. The acquisition recently of a
number of transatlantic liners cap
eble of carrying several times as many
men as the smaller transports, has put
It on an excellent footing and it was
that no more ships were be-
ing bought for the Atlantic coast. The
ships available by the department are
about as follows: Twenty
five at Santiago, IL at Tampa. three at
Charleston, four at New York, four at
Key West and others en- route to and
from different ports.