The herald., 1898-07-26

tary of state an engrossed and certl-
fed copyiof joint resolution of con-
gress, rendering the thanks Of con-
gress to you and the officers and men
of the squadron under your command,
for transmission to you, and herewith
encloses the same.
Accompanying the copy Of the
joint resolution, the department re-
ceived a letter from the secretary
of state requesting that there be
conveyed to you his high apprecia-
tion of your character as a naval
officer and of the judgment and pru-
dence you have shown in directing
affairs since the date of your great
achievement in destroying the Span
ish fleet. This take great pleasure
in doing, and join most heartily OH
behalf of the navy department as
we'll as personally, in the commenda.
tion of the secretary Of state.
Very respectfully,
JOHN D. LONG, Secretary.
Rear Admiral George Dewey, U. s.
Navy, Commander-in-Chief Asiat-
ic Station.
REINFORCEMENTs FOR MILES.
The war department was busy to-
day hurrying the dispatch of the re-
mainder of Miles expedition against
Porto Rico. Such progress has been
made that it is hoped that all of the
troops will be on Porto Rico soil
within week at the least. General
Miles is not expected to defer his
landing until that time, but presuma-
bly, will pick out suitable place for
cncamping his troops and establish
himself ashore awaiting the arrival
of the other detachments now on
their way.
Officials believe that the first Of
the news from General Miles will
come through the press dispatches, as
the General has not with him, so far
as known, any dispatch boats. It
will at least be Saturday before direct
cable communication can be estab.
lished with him, and in the meantime
reliance must be had on the dispatch
boats running across to St. Thomas,
distant about four hours run. It
was expected in the department that
General Brooke and General Haines
will sail today from Newport News
to Join Miles and that most of Gen
eral Brooke's command would be en-
barked by Wednesday morning. The
work of embarkation at Hampton
Roads is being conducted with much
less difficulty and delay than was
expected.
A NEW PORT SELECTED.
Colonel Hecker, in charge of the
transportation division Of the war
department, who has just returned
from that place. has reported to Sec
retary Alger that it is well suited to
the shipment of the troops. Conse-
quently the secretary today ordered
all of General Grants brigade of
5000 men from Chickamauga to New
port News. It is not expected that
all the transports required for their
accommodation will have arrived
there by the time the soldiers get in,
but they will be encamped on suitable
ground there, and it is believed will
be benefited by the change from
Chickamauga.
Adjutant General Corbin, with his
faithful private secretary, Mr.. Cour-
sey, last night completed the hun
dredth consecutive days service at
the department, and there is still
little diminution in the number of
kilograms and letters and official
papers pouring in on this Office work.
THE MILITARY BALLOON.
The signal service has succeeded
in reclaiming from the battlefield of
Santiago the tubes which supplied
the military balloon with pure hy-
drogen gas, and they, with the bal
loon itself, have been brought over
to Tampa on the steamer Adria. The
tubes will be recharged Immediately
and the whole apparatus will be dis
patched at once to Porto Rico to assist
General Miles in his campaign there.
The balloon is said to have proved Of
great value in the Santiago campaign,
and from the character of the coun-
try in Porto Rico, where military
operations must be conducted, it is
believed that it also can be used to
advantage there.