The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-07-26
MILES ON THE WAY.
Massachusetts, Dixie, Gloucester, Gin.
cinnati and Others as COnvOys.
The Presidents Orders Were Susceptible
of No MIscOnceptiOn, and Were Imper-
4. ative to a Degree Seldom Employed
Except in Extreme Emergency.

WASHINGTON, July 22.-Gen. Miles,
leading the military expedition against
Porto Rico, started at 3 o'clock Thurs
day afternoon from Saboney, Cuba,
for the point on the island of Porto
Rico where it is the intention that
the troops shall land. 1t is expected
that Gen. Miles will wait at some
appointed spot on the route
for the expeditions from Tampa,
Newport News and New York to fall
into his column. These expeditions
are already under way, some of them
with two or three days start of Gen.
Miles, so that the delay should not be
very great. After all the difficulty
about the naval convoy, and the first
conclusion of the naval authori-
ties that none was necessary, the
surprising. There is a battle ship of
the first-class, the Massachusetts, an
effective protected cruiser, the Cincin-
natl, speedy and well armed gun
the auxiliary navy which have already
proved by their performance in Cuban
waters that they are fully equal to the
ordinary gunboat in offensive power.
These are the Gloucester, which dis
tinguiShed herself in the deStruc-
trion of Cervera's squadron, the
Wasp, which has attained an enviable
notoriety as a disturber of Spanish
blockhouses and the Leyden, which
for a time was the sole representative
of the United States power in Havana
harbor. Secretary Alger believes that
Gen. Miles on the Yale will arrive
at his destination Sunday morning
with 5000 men under his imme-
diate command. A day later will come
1000 men on transports and the day
following that $500 more. Whether
the landing will be deferred until the
arrival of this entire force or whether
Gen. Miles will take the initiative and
hoist the flag himself on Porto Rican
soil is left to the discretion of that Of
fcer.
WASHINGTON, July 22.-At 2:45 p. m.
Thursday Secretary Alger received
dispatch from Gen. Miles saying that
he will sail for Porto Rico at 9 o. m.
The warships accompanying him are
the Massachusetts, Dixie, Gloucester,
Cincinnati, Annapolis, Linden and
Wasp.
WASHINGTON, July %. - President
Mckinley is thoroughly aroused over
the delay which has occurred in the
starting of Gen. Miles and the expedi-
ton under his command for Porto Rico
For several days Gen. Miles and his
troops have been aboard their trans
ports at Playa del Este awaiting the
naval convoy which is to be fur
nished by Adm. Sampson. The troops
have been sweltering in the crowded
ships under the broiling heat of
tropical sun, while Gen. Miles
has been chatting under what he
believes to be ineXcusable delay and is
bonn harding the war department with
dispatches urging in the strongest
terms that the navy bury in its prepa-
ratiOns for the expedition. Instruc-
tiOns of the most positive nature have
been cabled to Adm. Sampson to sup
ply the necessary conveys for Gen.
Miles, transports but Notwithstanding
these instructions Adm Sampson has
proceeded with his preparations for
the expedition with a deliberation
that is eXasperating officials here.
The president, who has been giving
the Porto Rican expedition his person.
al attentiOn-as he has given, indeed,
all phases of the war-fnally became
deeply concerned lest the part of the
Porto Rican expedition that has al
ready sailed from this country should
arrive at the point of rendezvous in
advance of Gen. Miles and the navy.
1t is feared that if Gen. Wilson's
command, which sailed Wednesday
from Charleston, should arrive in ad-
vance of Gen. Miles and the naval
conveys, serious danger and possibly
disaster might result, as Gen. Wilson's
ships are absolutely without protec.
ton. The distance from Charleston to
Porto Rico is a trife over 1900 miles,
while from Playa del Este to Porto
Rico is about 700 miles. The compar-
! ative distances which Gen. Wilson and
Gen. Miles have to travel to reach the
point OF rendezvous are rendered the
more nearly equal, however, by reason
of the fact that the former has more
than full days start
Wake Island Seized