The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18
Which VIII Probably Make for Porto
Enough to Cross the Ocean.
NO MORE TROOPS FOR SHAFTER
LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF SECOND
EXPEDITION TO SANTIAGO.
News of Arrival of the Transports Not
Expected Before Sunday-HObsOn
and Crew Not Yet Exchanged.

WAOIllNdIOIN, June 1i-Ine return OF
General Miles to Washington from Tampa
to-day had an inspiring effect on the war
preparations. The general had a busy day,
calling on Secretary Alger, consulting the
chiefs of the staff departments and giving
the department the benefit of his observa-
tions at Tampa. Secretary Alger said that
he was entirely satisfied with the condition
of troops as reported by General Miles, and
wished that he had the means to provide
every one of the volunteer soldiers q daily
surf bath such as was enjoyed by the men
at Tampa General Miles is yet to have a
conference with the President.
In the meantime the plans are moving
steadily for sending further expeditions
both to Porto Rico and Cuba. There is
little likelihood that a second expedition of
five thousand men to reinforce General
Shafter at Santiago will leave within the
next few days, as has been reported. The
necessity of sending these additional forces
is questioned by high military officials, and
moreover, the means of transporting such
force are not available. The main consid-
Grafton just at present is the equipment OF
an expedition of greater dimensions than
any heretofore discussed, with Porto Rico
as the objective point. A month ago the
military authorities were satisfied that a
small force would be sufficient to occupy
Porto Rico as the Spanish force did not
exceed 5000 or 5000 men. Now, however,
the Spanish garrisons have been so rein
forced and the defenses strengthened that
/. is believed a much larger invading army
will be required. Moreover, the officials
were satisfied on learning to-day that the
Cadz fleet had sailed, that the ships would
go to Porto Rico rather than to Cuba, if
20 do nj
out that this move would be the natural
strategic one for the Spanish commanders
to take, as there was still something left
for them to save in Porto Rico.
MORE EXPEDITIONS WILL GO.
General Miles would speak only in the
most general way as to the prospective
army movements. When asked as to the
recent reports that large bodies of troops
were about to be concentrated at Florida
points with a view to starting further
armies of invasion to Cuba, Porto Rico and
elsewhere, he said: THE military campaign
is proceeding steadily toward it's complete
execution. The sending of one expedition
or another is but a detail, single part of
a general plan of campaign. OF course, 1t
is more or less right to say that troops
are about to be forwarded and that expedi-
tions will be equipped and sent. That al
most goes without saying, for when we en-
tered upon war an aggressive campaign was
formulated and approved, which contem-
plated the sending of expeditions and their
cooperation toward the successful prose-
cution of the war. Just when these expedi-
tions> will move and how many men will
accompany them 1t is not desirable to say
now, but it is enough to state that the
campaign now entered upon is to be prose-
cuted with the utmost vigor until the end
of the war;
The naval officers are somewhat puzzled
at the failure of the effort to exchange
Hobson and his crew, just announced from
Havana. OF course this is not permanent
but simply means that the Havana author
tiles as yet have not been authorized to
exchange prisoners. The report that came
from Madrid was that the exchange had
been authorized, so it is surmised that the
Spanish government has not yet found
means of communicating it's decision to
Havana. Some of the naval officers are pull
ing long faces over the projected promo
tion of Hobson to the rank of lieutenant
commander. Not that they object to his
reward, but they feel that it is hard that
some means could not be found to do this
without practically injuring the $50 officers
whom he will jump.
No news is expected from the fleet at
Santiago before Sunday That statement
was made at the Navy Department to-day
and was based on an accurate knowledge of
the course adopted by the troop transports
and the rate of speed at which the vessels
are travelling. The naval officials are still
confident the vessels have taken the easter
ly course via Cape Maysi. They should
have rounded the point by this time The
fixing of Sunday on which news might be
expected is supposed to have been brought
about by the belief that it will take some
time, as much as two days, to land the
troops and their heavy equipment Seeing
that several days were required to effect
the embarkation of troops at Tampa, it is
not to be expected that much better time
can be made in getting them ashore on a
hostile coast without any of the facilities
afforded at Tampa for the work
CABLE COMMUNICATION.
The War Department has been working
strenuously to establish cable communica
tion over the French cable between Haiti
and the point near Santiago where the
marines ere now camped General Greely.
chief signal officer. is directly in charge of
this work and is acting through Lieutenant
Colonel Allen, of the signal corps, who is
aboard the steamer Mancel. which has been
chartered by the War Department for the
purpose of making and breaking cable con-
nections to suit naval and military necessi-
ties. The navy is not concerned in this
work. and all the operations looking to the
renewal of broken circuits are in charge
of the army. The Mancel was yesterday at
Cape Haitien with everything prepared for
the start when trouble was found with her