Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-07-30
PORTO RICO NEXT.
General Miles Advance Guard
Landed Near Ponce.
RUSHING REINF0RCEMENTS,
The War Department Busily En-
gagged in the Work.
WAR BALLOON FOR PORTO RICO.

WAR BALLOON FOR PORTO RICO.
The Airship Used by General Shafter in
Cuba Will Be Brought Into Service to
Aid General Miles Campaign-General
shafter Reports Five Hundred New Cases
of Fever in His Army-Sampson's Re
port of the Fight With Cervera's Fleet.
The Thanks of Congress Forwarded to
Admiral Dewey.
Washington, July 26.-The war de-
partment was busted yesterday hur-
ryins the dispatch of the remainder OF
Miles expedition against Porto Rico.
Such progress has been made that II IS
hoped ali OF the troops will be on Porto
Rican soil within a week at latest. Cen
sral Miles, according TO press ais
match from st. Thomas, D. w. l., began
landing his troops yesterday near
Ponce, on the the south coast of Porto
Riro. where Il is believed he will await
Tho detachments now on the way. War
department officials accept the press
DISPATCH as reliable. The general has
not with him. so far as is known. any
dispatch boats. 1t will be at least Sat
urday before direct cable communica-
ton can be established with him, ana
in the meantime reliance must be had
on the dispatch boats running across 10
ST. Thomas. distant about four hours
run.
The work CT embarkatlon at Hamp-
ton Roads Is being conducted WIN
much less difficulty and delay than was
expected. Colonial Hecker. in charge
of the transportation division Of the
war department, who has just returned
from that place. has reported to Score
tary Alger that it Is eminently suited
to the shipment Of the troops. Conse-
cuently the secrstary yesterday or
dered all of General Grants brigade
5000 men, from Chickamauga TO New
port News. It is now expected that all
OF the transports required for their ac-
comodation will have arrived there by
the time the soldiers get in. but they
will encamp or suitable ground and it
Is believed will be benefited by the
change from Chickamauga.
The signal service has succeeded in
retaining from the battlefield of San
tiago the tubes which supplied the
military balloon with pure hydrogen
gas. and they. with the balloon itself.
have been brought over to Tampa on
the steamer Adria. The tubes will be
recharged Immediately and the whole
apparatus will be dispatched at once
to Porto Rico to assist General Miles
in his campaign there. The balloon is
said 10 have proved Of great value IN
the Santiago campaign, and from the
character OF the country in Porto Ri9o
where military operations must be con-
Quoted it is believed that it also can be
used to advantage there.
In q dispatch 10 the war department
last night, General Shafter reports tina.
about 600 new cases of fever developed
In his corps at Santiago Sunday. This
number, OF course. includes all classes
OF fever, probably some cases of gen
ulne yellow fever. Only one death Is re-
ported. that one being from yellow fe-
yer. The cheering intelligence is con-
veyed that the situation is improving
and that about 40 men who have been
III have returned 20 duty.
AS heretofore indicated by General
Shafter and the medical officers of his
corps. the cases of fever are Of a no.
tably mild type. The patients are i'll
from three days TO a week. and then
return to duty quite as well as ever.
The medical officers concur in the
opinion that this fever renders the men
immune, for the time at least. to yell
low fever.
The question of returning large part
of General Skaters command to this
country for rest and recuperation was
under consideration by the war Of
hcials, but the idea practically has been
abandoned at least for the present.
Those who are III now or have been ex-
posed to the Infection are isolated in
detention camps, and are not permit
ted to return to the main body of the
troops until all danger has been
averted. Through the adoption of rigid
sanitary precautions and careful at
tention to those who fall i'll it is ex-
pccted that the fever will run its course
In a comparatively brief time.
1t was announced yesterday at the
navy department that the long ex-
pected report from Admiral Sampson
upon the destruction OF Cervera's fleet.
with the accompanying reports of the
commodore and captains of his squad
ron has reached the department 1t is
supposed to have beer brought by Cap
tain sigsbee on the st. Paul. which ar
rived at New York last Friday and to
have been sent by mail by Captain
Sigsbee. 1t is the intention Of the Sec
rotary of the navy to give these re-
ports to the public in their entirety.
Secretary Long yesterday forwarded
TO Admiral Dewey the joint resolution
Of congress extending TIE thanks of
congress for the victory achieved at
Cavite The resolution was beautifully
and pcef&ced by formal
Sf rs authenticity by Sec
rotary Of STATE Day the whole being
enclosed III richly gilt and ornamented