St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-07-27
Expeditions Against Porto Rico.

Guanica it will go to Jauco. which is a
large village with healthy climate,
where the troops can establish strong
hold Thence troops will go to Ponce
by rail, and from Ponce, 73+ klometers,
to San Juan on very good road, which
is easily traversable in either the rainy
or the dry season. This expedition is
commanded BIZ Gen. Miles, who will
await in Guanica the Porto Rican troops
under command OF Gen. Antonio Mattel
Leuveras. The second expedition willard
at Fajaydo, a south port OF San Juan. and
the third will land in one of the small
playas on the north side. where there is
no port, but from which it will besiege
and cut off the retreat of the Spanish
forces. # the three expeditions land on
the three sides of the shore they will
make circle around Porto Rico, and
within fifteen days Gen. Miles will con-
troll the entire country In Guanica
there are telegraph facilities, but no
cable. The cable starts from Ponce and
leads directly to Santomas, II Gen.
Miles gets control Of the cables in Ponce
he can communicate with the United
States by way of Galveston.
The first detachment of the combined
military and naval expedition passed
Mole st. Nicholas about noon Friday.
Washington, July 26.-Such progress
has been made that 1t is hoped all of the
troops will be on Porto Rican soil within
a week at the latest General Miles Is
not expected to defer his landing until
that time, but presumably will pick out
a suitable place for encamping his troops
and establishing himself ashore, wait
ing the arrival of the other attachments
now on their way. 1t will be at least
| Saturday before direct communication
can be established with him, and in the
meantime reliance must be had on the
dispatch boats running across to st.
| Thomas, distant about four hours run.
| The work Of embarkation at Hamp-
| ton roads is being conducted with much
| less difficulty and delay than was ex-
| pected. Colonel Hecker has reported to
Secretary Alger that it Is eminently
suited to the shipment of the troops.
Consequently the secretary has ordered
all Of General Grants brigade, 5000 men,
|
1t is not expected that all of the trans
ports required for their accommodation
will have arrived there by the time the
soldiers get in, but they will encamp on
suitable ground there, and it is believed
they will be benefited by the change
from Chickamauga.
The signal service has succeeded in
retaining from the battlefield of San
tiago the tubes which supplied the mill
tary balloon with pure hydrogen gas,
and they, with the balloon itself, have
been brought to Tampa. The tubes will
be recharged and the whole apparatus
will be dispatched at once to Porto Rico
to assist General Miles in his campaign
there. The balloon Is said to have proved
of great value in the Santiago cam
paign, and from the character of the
country In Porto Rico 1t Is believed that
it also can be used to advantage there.
Secretary Long has forwarded to Ad-
miral Dewey the joint resolution ex-
tending the thanks of the congress for
the victory achieved at Cavite. The
resolution was beautifully engrossed
and prefaced by formal attestation Of
its authenticity by Secretary of State
Day, the whole being enclosed in richly
ornamented Russia covers. Secretary
Long, in his letter of transmittal, makes
reference to letter from the secretary
of state complimenting Admiral Dewey
upon his direction of affairs since the
great victory, formal evidence that the
department is thoroughly well satisfied
with the diplomatic qualities the ad-
miral has exhibited.
Rumors of various kinds have been
In circulation as to the disposition of
General Skaters army, but the war
department has not come to any con-
clusion as yet in the matter A suf-
ficient force Is to be kept at Santiago to
maintain the position the United States
has taken and preserve order While
there Is yellow fever In the army, no at
tempt will be made to bring the troops
to the United States The department
1t may be stated, Is now bending every
effort to secure an ample supply of
nutritious food, and also will see that the
soldiers have a rest and careful atten-
ton so that they may get into the very
best condition. The medical corps is
making careful examination of the
army with view of advising the de.
partment as to the best methods of re-
storing the sick to health and prevent
ing further spread of the disease. 1t is
not believed that large number OF
troops will be necessary at Santiago
after the Spanish prisoners have beer
deported, but the department awaits
further developments before decidine
upon course.
AS heretofore indicated by Genera
Shafter and the medical officers of his
corps, the cases of fever in Santiago are
of mild type. The patients are i'll from
three days to week, and then return
to duty quite as well as ever The medi.
cal officers concur in the opinion tina
this fever renders the men immune, fo
the time at least, to yellow fever. The
{ question of returning large part of thu
, command to this country for rest ant
, recuperatlon was under consideration
by the war officials yesterday, but tn
idea practically has been abandoned
at least for the present. Those who ar
, i'll now or have been exposed to the in
, fiction are isolated in detention camps
and are not permitted to return to tn
main body of the troops until all dan
{ ger has been averted. Through tn
} adoption Of sanitary precautions ant
t careful attention to those who fall i'll
e 1t Is expected that the fever will run 1t
| N q