The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-08
Three Armies go Together.
Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Philippines to be Occupied.

time since the beginning ofhostilities,
there appears to be something in the
nature Of an eficial statement of the
plan of campaign of the United States
government. This is contained in
Iester of Secretary Aiger to the
Speaker of the House, transmitting
certain recommendations and state
ments Of General Ludlow which dis.
closed the purpose of the war depart
|meDt TO send 70. 900 men to Cuba,
28, 600 to start at once and the re-
mainderjust as soon as they can be
made ready for departure Then
there was an estimate for establishing
electrical communications in connec-
ton with the army ssin Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines" show
ing for the frst time officially an i'm
piled intention on the part of the
government to land troops in Porto
Rico 0fcourse all these movements
have been anticipated by the press.
but nevertheless atrong element of
doubt existed, and therefore the ofhciai
statement Of the governments pur-
pose, made even in tbis indirect
fashion. created profound sensation
here The three are to go togetl er,
Gnba, Porto Rico and the Philippines,
and pass into the.military occupation
Eof the United States troops
Inasmuch as the secretary says that
the second contingent Of troops is to
go forward ss soon az they can be
prepared, a good deal of interest
attaches to an order that was made
to-day st sheswar department provid
ing for the organization of the 5000
additional volunteers called for. The.
order officially established the state-
ment heretofore made in these dis
patches that large proportion of the
new men are to be used TO fili up the
existing regiments of volunteers,
which are in most cases deficient in
numbers. Its to be presumed from
to-day's order that the volunteer regi.
ments collected under the irst call
viii be detained until they are filled
up 10 this fashion, so that the order
has some bearing upon the plan Of
campaign.
The war department received a dis
patch to-day from General Brooke, in
command of the forces at Chieka.
mauga. setting at rest the reports as
to inadequate food aud water supply
there When these reports were
circulated recently, Secretary Alger
teIegraphed an inquiry to Geaeral
Brooke, whose reply is as follows:
There is no reason whatever for
complaint as to the quality and kind
of food furnished the troops in this
camp. Some regulars arrived here
with food rations only, bat defects Of
this kind are quickly remedied and
the vegetable component Immediately
provided The water question is be-
ing solved as to quantity, and it has
always been good as to quality
NO WORD FROM SCHLEY.
The naval officials have been con.
siderably mysti6ed throughout the
day by the reports Of an engagement
off Santiago At the outset there
was complete scepticism and DIS
position to treat the reported action
as myth. Gradually, as the day
advanced. the corroborative evidence
coming from many quarters, includ-
ing tie official announcements from
Havana aud Madrid. led the officials
to concede that some engagement
had taken place, although they did
not regard it SO a serious one No
bulletins were issued by the depart
ment during the day, and at the close
Of Office hours it was stated that no
dispatches from Commodore Schley
had been received during the day
There is reason to believe, however,
that the department received indirect
advices through the State department.
possibly not bearing out the detailed