People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-07-28
The Porto Rican Campaign.

The New York Herald's Washing
ton correspondent throws some light
upon Porto Rico, the island to be in
va1ed by American soldiers, and the
nature of the campaign ahead Of them:
While the details Of General Miles
plan of operations in Porto Rico are
not divulged, it is known that they
are wholly unlike those necessitated
by the peculiar conditions at Santiago
Instead of having single city as an
objective point, General Miles has to
secure control of an entire island and
occupy number Of cities, establish.
ing system of thorough and effective
government in all its districts. The
chief city of San Juan can be taken
only by the navy in cooperation with
a large force ashore, as it is practical.
ly impregnable on its land side except
by tedious siege with heavy artillery.
The island is, in round numbers, a
hundred miles long anC forty miles
wide, and even its unhealthiest coast
ports are seldom visited by yellow
fever. Most Of the Spanish troops in
Porto Rico are gathered at San Juan,
and it is General Miles intention to
land at least forty miles from that
stronghold and occupy other import
ant places, while the heavy double
turreted monitors and other armOred
vessels of the navy destroy San Juan'S
forts and compel its surrender by
bombardment if necessary. If the
navy part is completed as speedily as
scheduled in the program approved
by the war board and other authOri-
ties here, that city will be ready for
General Brooke'S occupation almost
by the time that he can reach there.
General Miles advance force con-
sists Of three regiments of volunteer
infantry Of General Garretson's bril-
gade. The Sixth Illinois, the Sixth
Massachusetts and Light batteries c
and M Of the Seventh artillery, which
started from Tampa several days ago,
are to meet him off Mole St. Nicholas.
THESE batteries are the first in the
American army to be equipped exclus-
lively with smOkeless powder and were
selected by the commanding general
on this account. General Miles does
not expect to be dependent upon SUBJ
sistence stores forwarded from this
country during bis campaign, as was
the case with the army before Santi-
ago. Porto Rico has not been devas-
tated by the Spaniards and it is be-
lieved that American gold will buy
all the food there that is needed fol
the troops. Fresh meat will probably
be found in as great abundance as il
Is In most states of the Union and al
together no difficulty is anticipated
In living on the country.
The towns to be captured outside Of
San Juan are small, with two excep
tions-POnCe and Mayagnez. Tht
former is the most modern and thor
oughly progressive Of the cities in thu
West Indies. 1t has $1,000 inhabi
tants, and is said to be the healthies
place in the island. 1t also contain
the only Protestant church in tn,
Spanish Antilles and In addition t,
its three frst-class hotels, a chambe
OF commerce, theater and a bank
possesses a perfectly equipped Amer
can fire department. The residenc
Of the military commander is ther
and its population is almost alt
gether occupied in mercantile pul
suits. Its harbor, two miles distan
admits vessels Of twenty-five fee
draught and its climate, thong
warm, Is never oppressive.
Yellow fever has never been know
there. MayagueI, the third city
Importance, faces Mona channel Q
the western side of Porto Rico.
has 10000 population, the majorit
white, and its exports are chiefly CO.
fee and sugar. Its climate is exec
lent, the temperature never eyceedir