The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-18
MILES TALKS OF ARMY MOVES.
ZIG EXPEDITION sUItE- TO Go TO
PORTO RICO.

There If 1t Crosses the Atlantic.
! Additional Force Not Likely to BE
Sent to Santiago ut Present.
Washington June 1.-THE return of
Gen. Miles to Washington from Tampa to-
day had an inspiring effect upon the war
preparations.
The general had busy day calling upon
Secretary Alger, consulting the chiefs of
the various departments, and giving the
department the benefit Of his observations
at Tampa.
Secretary Alger said he was entirely sat-
isied with the condition of the troops re-
ported by Gen. Miles and wished he had
means to provide every one of the volun-
teer soldiers a daily surf bath such as the
men enjoyed at Tampa.
Gen. Miles is yet to have a conference
with the President. In the meantime the
plans are moving forward steadily for
sending further expeditions both to Porto
Rico and Cuba.
There is little likelihood that a second
expedition of 5000 men to reinforce Gen.
Shafter at Santiago will leave within the
| next few days, as has been reported.
The necessity of sending these additional
forces is questioned by high military Off
cials, and moreover the means of trans
porting such a force are not available.
The main question just at present is the
equipment of an expedition of greater di-
mensions than any heretofore discussed,
with Porto Rico as the objective point.
month ago. the military authorities
were satisfied that small force would be
sufficient TO occupy Porto Rico, as the
! Spanish force there did not exceed 5000
or 5000 men.
Now, however, the Spanish garrlsons
have been so reinforced and the defenses
strengthened, that it is believed a much
| larger invading army will be required
Moreover, the officials were satisfied to-
day on learning that the Cadz feet had
sailed that the ships would go to Porto
Rico rather than to Cuba, if they crossed
| to this side. It was pointed out that this
move would be the natural strategic one
for the Spanish commander to take. as
there will still be something left for them
! to save in Porto Rico
Gen. Miles would speak only in the most
! general way as TO prospective army move
ments. When asked as to recent reports
that large bodies of troops were about to
! be concentrated at Florida points with a
view to starting further armies of invasion
TO Cuba, Porto Rico and elsewhere. he
! SAID; The military campaign Is proceed
! ing steadily toward it's complete execution
The sending of one expedition or another
is but detail, single part of the general
! plan of campaign.
"Of course it is more or less riqbt m CIV,
that troops are about to be forwarded, and
that expeditions will be equipped and sent,
| mat almost goes without saving for
"hen we entered upon the war, an aggrcs-
slVe campaign was formulated and approv-
ed which contemplated the sending Of ex-
! petitions and their cooperation toward
the successful prosecution of the war,
Just when these expeditions viii move
| ana how many men will accompany them
| 1t is not desirable to say now. but If Is
| enough to state that the campaign now
| entered upon Is TO be prosecuted with the
utmost vigor until the end of the war"
| Inc naval officials are somewhat plIz-
zled at the failure of the efforts to ex-
| change Lieut.. Hobson and his crew. lust
| announced from Havana OF course this
| Is not permanent, but simply means that
| the Havana authorities as yet have not
! been authorized to exchange prisoners
| The report that came from Madrid was
| that the exchange had been authorized. so
! 1t is surmsed that the Spanish government
| had not yet found means of communicat-
ing it's decision to Gen. Blanco at Ha-
! Vana
Some of the naval officers are pulling
! long faces over the projected promotion Of
, Lieut. Hobsou to the rank of lieutenant
! commander. Not that they object to his
/ reward but they feel that it Is hard that
some means could not be found to do this
( without injuring the chances Of the 25O
regular line officers.
The dispatches received to-day from Ad-
Dewey al hox
officials food for thought. Taken in con-
nection with the press reports it would
seem to indicate that Manila. probably has
fallen by this time. One phrase used by
the admiral that they do not intend to
take the city at the present time warrants
the belief that he has reached a perfect
understanding with the insurgent leader.
and that the town Is not to be attacked
until his own. troops arrive. For some
reasons 1t is extremely desirable that such
should be the case, and that Admiral
Dewey should receive the surrender of
the town in person rather than force the
Spanards to surrender to the insurgents.
end thereby afford possible pretext for
the interference Of some OF the Euro
pean Powers, whose ships are gathering
in suspiciously large numbers in Manila
bay.
The CGdz feet Is being narrowly watch
ed although the naval view is not similar
TO that taken by the army officers The
former do not attack as much Importance
to this feet as the latter and few Of the
officers can be found who believe that the
ships will ever venture far from the Span
ish coast much less than 20 cross the
Atlantic or go TO the Philippines The list
of the vessels is rather formidable in
sound, but as a matter Of fact II includes
not more than two up-to-date modern war
vessels, excepting the small torpedo gun
boats Il is certainly the opinion of tbe
naval officers here that if Admiral Dewey
had the Monterey with him he would
have no difficulty in repulsing the whole
Spanish force, while the Cadiz fleet will
only afford pasume for Admiral SanD-
sons steel bulldogs.
ENGLAND TO FOIL GERMANY.