The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
MILES DUE THIS MORNING.
p1ACE OF LANDING KEPT SECRET
BY GOVERNMENT.

,,rf1l FSfabIfsh Direct Cable COmmu-
rt.ation as soon as He Gets Ashore.
car. schyyan's Start From Tampa
ne,oyed Until Yesterday-War De-
,.artment Inclined to Doubt the
ueuorts of Friction Between Gems.
Sbufter and Garcia.
washington, July 2S.-Gen. Miles expe-
af-ion is now in all probability in the
Mona passage between Hayti and Porto
pioo and will be in sight of the landing
point in the morning.
While this is the expectation Of Secre-
t,rv Alger, for prudential reasons, the
v.ar department declines to make any
comment as to the accuracy of the va
,ious guesses that have been made in
fbe effort to ascertain just what point has
been selected for the landing place.
There is likely to be a lapse of a day
or two between the arrival of the expe-
ditjon and the notification of the fact to
tba department, unless some merchant
vessel crossing to st. Thomas should
sight the American tlotilla.
After that, however, the department will
be In the closest communication with Gen.
Miles for 1t will possess itself of cable
connecting Gen. Miles headquarters di-
recty with the department.
Some part of the Porto Rico expedition
has been delayed for a few days beyond
the dates fixed for their departure, but in
view of the difficulties of handling large
bodies Of men, and the supplies for them,
this is not surprising. Thus Gen. Schwan's
troops got away only to-day from Tam
pa though it was believed they started
Yesterday, while the most numerous de-
tachment of the whole expedition, the
First division under Gen. Brooke, will not
be able to clear from Newport News be-
fore Monday. Still it is believed they will
arrive in Porto Rico in good season and
It will certainly facilitate an orderly and
comfortable landing of the troops to have
them land in detachments instead of in
one vast army, as In the case of Gen.
Skaters army at Santiago.
Doubt Is cast upon reports of recent ex-
citing events among the Cubans at or
near Santiago, owing to the failure Of
Cen Shafter to make any report upon
them, and inasmuch as he has made less
important subjects matter for dispatches,
1t is hard to understand why he should
fail 70 mention an event of such import
ance as the reported attack by Gen. Gar
cia upon Spanish troops on their way to
surrender to Gen. Shafter.
There was no health report received
from Gen. Shafter to-day, but so far from
being dlscouragiug this is believed TO In
dicate the continuance of the favorable
conditions of the day before as to the
health Of the camp.
The war department is now, while keep
Ing a close eye upon Gen. Miles expe-
dition looking with interest for detailed
mail reports from Gen. Shafter telling of
the engag cement preceding and leading up
to the surrender of Santiago.
1t was reported to-day that Col ]. J.
Astor of Gen. Skaters staff, was due In
Washington, bringing with him the full
capiulation signed by commissioners, and
1t was expected that Gen. Skaters pre-
cedlng reports would accompany them.
However, UP to the close of office hours
to-day which, to the relief of the hard
worked clerks, was o'clock for the first
time in months the officer had not ap-
peared and the war department does not
know where he is.
Some official papers have come from
Admiral Sampson, but to the great disap-
pointment of navy department officials the
reports closed on the day before the
famous naval battle Some points of in
terest contained in them will be given to
lQe DlbIip in the nf a 69V two.
out they will relate only to several fights
between the squadron and the shore bat
teries
1t is the purpose of the war department
TO begin at once the execution of the plans
ueEised by Secretary Alger for the crea-
uon Of reserve companies and boards of
stan officers are now engaged in various
Iosdlues looking after suitable camp sites
ana making the preliminary arrangements
Ior acquiring the right to use these places
anu arranging for water supplies.
Inc intention is not to be caught through
any contingency with large numbers of
troops at central points in The midst of an
epaemlc of any kind. with no place to
move them. II was for this reason that
IefNandina was selected some time ago
1o' one OF these reserve camps, and with
IN the last two days the value Of this pol
,yy mas been amply justified, as otherwise
mere would have been no suitable place
~ ~ which 70 remove the troops from
one of the reserve camps is likely to be
.eo.dled IN the valley of the Potomac, about
- mics above Washington, and will
~ very convenient for the reception of
to1ps from Camp Alger, in case 1t is
S,,,ueo necessary for the health of the
eVNi-fS to remove them
'e state department to-day completed
eAercssment OF the Joint resolution
a. s.P'ea by Congress extending the thanks
llal branch Of the government 10 Ad-
i, n, DSWey Tor his notable achievements
III The Philippines. These were transmit
10 me navy department. which will
49, "aId them to the admiral, along with
t ,.Sree of Ii. d. conferred on him by
'"e University Of Pennsylvania.