The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-18
NOW FOR PORTO RICO!
Cabinet Discusses Plans For the
Next Invasion. =
STRIKE WHILE THE IRONS HOT"

This Is the Presidents Policy. and 1t I.
Probable That Before the End of tho
Present Week Our Military Forces
WIN Land Near San Juan. r.,
Washington, July 1S.-An importan.
conference was held at the !, White
House last night, the. participants be-
ing. besides President Mckinley Seere-
tary Long. Admiral Sicard and Cap.
tain Mahan, of the war board. Ad-
jutant General Corbin was present dur
ing part of the deliberations. .
The happy conclusion Of the cam
paign against Santiago affords the
president and his advisers intense sat
isfaction. but no disposition is mani
tested TO let the war rest for mo-
ment. Even before the details of the
Santiago campaign have been cleared
away the expedition against Porto Rico
absorbs the attention of the president.
He fully realizes that the war can be
prosecuted to a speedy and successful
end only by pressing the advantages
already gained, and. as one of the Of
ficials expressed it. "the president pro-
poses to strike while the iron Is hot"
Arrangements for the Porto Rico ex-
pedition were under discussion by the
president and the war board. 1t may be
two or three days before the details of
the new invasion are worked out, but
1t is probable that before the end of the
the present week the military forces Of
the expedition will, have effected a
60 T,,o
to the, landing naval demonstration
probably will be made against the San
Juan Notifications The vessels taking
part in the bombardnient will be q part
Of the fleet of Admiral Sampson. but
= WHAT vessels have been ordered to
Porto Rico could not be ascertained.
No definite decision has been reached
yet as to the strength and personnel Of
the land forces to be sent to Porto Rico.
For time it was supposed that few If
any of the troops now under General
Skaters command at Santiago would
be sent to Porto Rico, but 1t Is known
now that at least part of Skaters
command will be In the new expedition.
General Brooke. who is scheduled to go
to Porto Rico, desired to take with
him the troops which constitute his
corps at Chickamauga. but 1t has been
determined not. to send that corps in
its entirety. 1t is believed by the war
officials that not so many men will be
needed, in addition to the number to be
sent from Cuba, and only part of
General Brooke's corps will form that
part of the Porto RiCan expedition which
is to be sent directly from the United
States.
1t is understood that General Miles,
who is to have command of the general
operations in Porto Rico. will not re-
turn to the United States. but will pro-
coed directly to a point near San Juan
with such of the military forces now
at Santiago as are to form part Of
the expedition against Porto Rico.
These and other details of the new eX-
pedition were discussed by the presi-
dent and his advisers last night.
General Miles Is in constant COM
with the administration and
much reliance is being placed upon him
in the matter of the selection Of the
land forces for the Porto Rican expedi-
tion.
1t is expected that two or three days.
and perhaps longer time, will be re-
quired to complete the turning over to
the United States forces of the arms
and equipments of 'ha Spanish troops
at Santiago.
Direct communication with Santiago
via Playa Del Este and IIaSti has been
established, but it is likely, in the
opinion of General Greedy the chief
will have been established
in a fla " or two