Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-19
eral Torars report is dated Saturday even
ing. July 16, and its details accord with
the reports already published.
THERE NEED BE NO DELAY.
Plenty of Transports and Stores
Available for the Porto Rican
ExUeditiOn.

Expedition.
WASHINGTON, July 1S.-The question of
transports for the Porto Rico expedition
and that of providing subsistence for the
army which is to go there was the topic
which occupied the attention of the Off
cials of the quartermaster's and the sub
sistence departments of the army during
the entire afternoon. There are ample
transports available scattered all along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts and at Santiago,
and these will be concentrated as rapidly
as possible at the embarking points. SUBJ
sistence stores also are abundant at some
of the points from which the troops are to
start, and these will be supplemented by
additional supplies as fast as they are
needed. A vast quantity will be shipped
from Newport News, and orders have been
given for dispatching to that place 5000 900
pounds of these stores and 100000 pounds of
refrigerated beef.
The officials of the department were busy
studying the map of Porto Rico. with a
view, among other things, of determining
the most available port at which to send
not say, however, which one had been Sc
lected. 1t was suggested i'll some quarters
that the army might land on the southern
coast, near the city of Ponce, to the south
west of San Juan. Ponce is situated on a
plain about two miles from the seaboard, is
the residence of the military commander of
the district, and is commercially the second
city of Importance on the island. A fine
road leads to the port Playa), where is
situated the customs house. the office of
the captain of the port and all the consular
officers. The port is spacious and will hold
vessels at twenty-five feet draft, an i'm
portant consideration in the landing. The
city proper has no military deferses, but
in the hills to the north of the town a
series of earth intrenchments have lately
been constructed. West of Ponce, where
the railroad and military road touch the
shore, earthworks have been constructed to
guard this strategic point. There are about
thirty mountain howitZers in Ponce avail
able for the defense of the city and the
railroad. The army, if landed there, would
be compelled to travel fifty or sixty miles
across a mountainous country to reach
San Juan. There is, however main road.
irregular and circuitous, connecting Ponce
and San Juan. The northern coast of the
island extends in an almost straight line
from west to east and is high and rug
ged. The only harbors it has are the fol-
lowing: San Juan, surrounded by man
grove swamps and protected by the Cabras
and the Cabritas islands and some very
dangerous banks; the anchoring ground of
Arecibo, somewhat unprotected and which
has been mentioned as possible landing
place, and the coves of Cangrejos and Con-
dado. During the present season, the ports
on this coast are safe and commodious,
unless visited by hurricanes.
NEW YORK, July 1S.-The auxiliary cruis-
er st. Louis. which brought the Spanish
naval prisoners to Portsmouth, n. H. from
Santiago, and afterward landed Admiral
Ceryera and the officers of the destroyed
squadron at Annapolis, arrived here to-day.
She will take on coal. provisions. ammuni-
ton and ships stores. and will be ready
for sea by Friday. As yet Captain Good
rich has received no orders. but it is ex-
pected that the cruiser will go with the
expedition to San Juan, Porto Rico.