The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-18
THE WAR SITUATION.
As it Appears to the Officials at Wash
ington.

| tary Alger. consulting the chiefs of the
| staff department, and giving the depart
ment the benefit of his observations at
| Tampa. Secretary Alger said that he
was entirely satisfied with the condition
| of the troops as reported by General
| Miles, and wished that he had the
means to provide every one of the volun-
teer soldiers a daily surf bath, such as
was enjoyed by the men at Tampa.
General Miles is yet to have a CON
ference with the President. IN the
meantime the plans are moving forward
steadily for sending further expeditions,
both to Porto Rico and Cuba. There is
little likelihood that a second expedition
of 1000 men, to reinforce General
Shafter at Santiago, will leave within
the next few days, as has been reported.
The necessity of sending these addition
nj forces is questioned by the military
officials. and moreover the means of
transportation of such a force are not
available. The main consideration just
mt present is the equipment of an expedi-
ton of greater dimensions than any
heretofore discussed. with Porto Rico,
as the objective point. A month ago the
military authorities were satisfied that
small force would be sufficient to oc-
cupy Porto Rico. MS the Spanish force
there did not exceed 5000 or 5000 men.
Now. however. the Spanish garrisons
have been so reinforced and the defenses
strengthened. that it is believed a much
larger invading army will be required
Moreover. the officials were satisfied on
learning to-day that the Cadiz fleet had
sailed. that the ships would go to Port
r. Al, N,,l,. 4,
crossed to this side. Ii was pointed out
that this move would be the natural
strategic one for the Spanish command
ers to take. as there was still something
left for them to save in Porto Rico.
GENERAL MILES RETICENT.
General Miles would speak only in the
most general way as to prospective army
movements. When asked as to recent
reports that large bodies of troops were
about to be concentrated at Florida
points with 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 the general plan of
right to say that the troops are about
to be forwarded. and that expeditions
will be equipped and sent. That almost
goes without saying, for when we en-
tered upon war. an aggressive campaign
was formulated and approved which con
templated the sending of expeditions and
their cooperation toward the successful
prosecution of the war. Just when
these expeditions will move, and how
many men will accompany them, il is
not desirable to say now, but it is enough
to state that the campaign now entered
upon is to be prosecuted with the ut
most vigor until the end of the war"
The naval officials are somewhat pnZ-
zled at the failure of the effort to eX
change Hobson and his crew just an
nounced from Havana. OF course, this
is not permanent, but simply means
that the Havana authorities as yet have
not been authorized to exchange pris-
oners. The report that came from Ma
drid was that the exchange had been
authorized so ii is surmised that the
Spanish government had not vet found
means Of communicating its decision to
General Blanco at Havana. Some of
the naval officers are pulling long faces
over the projected promotion 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 have been found to do
this without practically injuring the $50
officers whom he will jump.
MANILA PROBABLY FALLEN.
Dewey's report of June 10Th, from Ca
vite, was food for good deal of dis
cIIssion today at the Navy Department.
Taken in connection with the press re-
ports it would seem to Indicate that
Manila probably has fallen by this time.
One phrase used by the admiral, that
they do not intend to take the city at
the present time" warrants the belief
that he has reached a perfect under
standing with the insurgent leaders, and
that the town is not TO be attacked until
his own troops arrive. For some reasons
it is extremely desirable that such should
be the case and that Dewey should re-
ceive tlaeysurrender Of the town in per-
son rather than force the Spaniards 10
surrender TO the Insurgents and thereby
afford n possible preteXt for the inter
ference of some Of the European powers.
whose ships are gathering in suspciously
large numbers in Manila bay.
The Cadiz fleet is being narrowly
watched. although the naval view is not
similar to that taken by the army off
GERS. The former do not attach as much
Importance to this fleet as the latter, and
few Of the officers can be found to be.
lieve that the ships will ever venture
far from the Spanish coast much less
attempt to cross the Atlantic or go 10
the Philippines. The list of vessels in
this fleet is rather formidable in sound.
but as a matter Of fact, it includes not
more than two up-to-date modern war
vessels, excepting the small torpedo gun
boats. Tt is certainly the opinion of the
naval officers here that if Dewey had the
Monterey with him he would have no
difficulty in repulsing the whole Span
ish force. while the Cadiz fleet would
only afford pastime for SIMPSONS bull
dogs.
Y. w. C. A. MEET AT ASHEVILLE