The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-19
WAR BOARD NOTES
The Campaign Will be Push
ed With Energy.
THE CADlZ FLEET
IT is STILL HEADING THIS
WAY.
HARMONIOUS CONFERENCE WITH MILES
An Army of One Hundred Thousand Men,
Thoroughly Drilled and Equipped
May Soon Be Hurled
A-.i.n4 Havana
Against Havana.

Against Havana.
Washington, d. c., June 1S.-The Or
iginal plans of campaign for the conduct
of the war against Spain Will be adhered
to and will be pushed with vigor and en-
ergy. That decision was reached at a
war council held at the White House to-
day at which were present President
Mckinley, Secretaries Alger and Long, |
General Miles, Assistant Secretary
Meikleiohn. Admiral Sicard and Captain
Mahan. OF course there will be some
slight notifications made necessary by
the changes that have occurred since
the beginning Of hostilities, but these,
after all. will not affect the general plans
of operations. General Miles returned
from Florida with information respect
ing the condition Of the troops, difficult
ties to be expected in the progress Of the
campaign, and needs in the matter of
transportation that viii aid materially n
the conGuct of the next expedition.
The conference was entirely harmOni-
Gus. The only reason that the command
ing general did not visit the White House
Yesterday was because of Il desire on
the PRESIDENTS part that his war council
lors should have the benefit Of General
Miles recital of his observations ut first
hand.
The stories that there has been fric-
ton between General Miles and his Of
fetal superiors are pronounced to be alb
surd by all concerned and today's pro-
ceedings gave ample evidence of the fact
that the utmost harmony characterizcs
the relations between the Chief EXecu-
tive and the military branch Of the gov
ernment. There were, of course, some
differences of opinion among the per-
sons present at the war council, but
there has been no disposition in any
quarter to resist for an instant any con-
clusion which has secured the approval
of the President.
The official declaration to the effect
that the campaign is to be pushed with
vigor does not necessarily mean an inn
mediate attack upon Havana, although
such advice has been rendered 1t does
mean that the very strongest efforts are
to he put forth to get the army in con-
dition where it can be used with over
whelming effect at any point or points ut
almost moments notice. To this end
the troops now in camp are to be thor
oughly trained and hardened. and when
they leave the United States their equip
ment will be the best Il soldier can have,
fit for any season, wet or dry, cold or
hot. With such an army at command,
numbering no less than 100000 the fate
of Havana cannot long remain in doubt |
when once this army is hurled upon it.
Meanwhile the smaller expeditionary
movements are to go forward uninter- |
ruptedly. When Santiago is captured, |
he rtained regulars who do the work |
there will be pushed on to Porto Rico |
If all or most of them are needed for |
this expedition then the provisional |
force" referred to by General Shafter in
his orders probably will be dispatched |
Immediately from the United States to |
garrison the town of Santiago and to |
relieve the regulars. Probably knowledge |
of some such intention has led to the |
rumor which found free currency today |
to the effect that 1000 men from General |
Graham's camp had been ordered to |
proceed Immediately to reinforce Shafter |
Mt Santiago making the passage on the |
ocean liners Harvard and Yale, late |
the New York and Paris, which are now
in Hampton Roads. As matter Of |
fact, Secretary Alger said this afternoon |
that he had not given orders for the |
sending of troops away from Camp ALL
ger, nor had he ordered any extensive |
movements elsewhere
The rooms of Secretary Alger were |
thronged today by friends of the many
candidates for appointment from civil |
life as second lieutenantS in the army. |
There are to be 200 of these appointed |
and it was announced this afternoon that |
they will be made public in the news
paners Monday morning.
Word came to the Navy Department
through the agency of the State De-
partment that the Spanish Cadiz fleet
was still headed eastward today. Phe
basis of the report is not known. but it
is probably from the skipper of some
merchant vessel which has passed the
squadron. for the ships of course have
long since escaped the range of observa-
ti0n of the lookout at Gibraltar. All re-
ports relative to the movements of this
mysterious squadron are received by the
naval officials subject to confirmation.
for experience has taught them that the
Spanish are freely availing themselves
of the rather puerile device of sending
out numerous false reports of naval
movements in the hope to mislead orr
campaign directors. Therefore i'm the
case of this last reports it may turn out
TO be unfounded and that the squadron
reversed its course after night fall. and
turned westward through the straits.
bound for the Canaries.
No confirmation has reached here of
the renort from Spanish sources that the
Spanish food-laden steamer Parisima
Conception has managed to slip into
ManzanilO, Cuba, and if this should
turn out to be the case there is a strong