Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-22
THE WAR SITUATION.

washington, July 0e' MA1C0s
leading the military expedition against
Furto Rico, started at 2 o'clock this
afternoon from Sinoney, Cuba, TO- the
roint on the island Of Porto Rico where
IT is the intention that the troops sha!
land. It is expected tina: 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 expedi-
lions 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 diff
Guilty about the naval convoy, and the
first conclusion of the naval authOri-
ties that none was necessary, the
strength of that now furnished is sur
prising There is ba.tleship Of the
first class, the Massachusetts,, an eff
fective protected cruiser, the Cincin-
natl, the speedy and well armed gun
boat, the Annapolis, and four vessels
of the auxiliary navy, which have al
ready proved by their performance in
Cuban waters that they are fully equal
to the ordinary gunboat in offensive
power. These are the Gloucester,
which distinguished herself in the de-
struction of Cerveras squadron; the
Wasp, which has obtained an enviable
notoriety as disturber Of Spanish
blockhouses, the Leyden which for
time was the sole representative of
United States power in Havana harbor,
and the Dixie. Secretary Alger be-
lieves that Gen. Miles on the Yale will
arrive at his destination Sunday morn
ing with 5000 men under his immediate
command. A day later will come 1000
men on transports, and the day follow
ing that $500 mole. Whether the
landing will be deferred until the ar
rival Of this entire force or whether
Gen. Miles will take the initiative and
raise the flag himslf on Porto Rican
soil, is left TO the discretion of that
officer. 1t is the departments deter
mination that he shall not lack for
troops Or equipment, and this first ex-
petition may be followed by several
others as fast as the troops can be got
ten ready until word comes from the
General that he needs no more. Gen.
Schwan's brigade comprising the Fifth,
the Eleventh and the Nineteenth
United States infantry, a splendid body
OF trained soldiers, sailed from Tampa
to-day to join Gen. Miles, and if the
Porto Rican expedition is not an imme-
Niate success it will not be for lack Of
disposition in the War Department to
supply every requisite.
That Admiral Dewey has the situa-
ton in the Philippines we'll in hand
Is exhibited by his kilograms, the lat
est OF which was received to-day, which
without boasting, simply reports like
the others that have gone before that
affairs are quiet and satisfactory. The
fully as great a sense Of appreciation
of Dewey's diplomatic abilities as the
country has for his naval skill and
courage, and the best evidence of this
Is that it has not found it necessary
up to this point to interfere in any
way either to protect OR to amend his
works. The navy department has now
discovered that the big double tur-
reted monitor Monterey will not arrive
at Cavite until August 5; that being
the advice received at the department
from the captain of the vessel when
she touched at Honolulu. The Admi-
rails announcement of the arrival of
the second detachment Of United
States troops at Cavite has given great
comfort to the war department, which
was not altogether at ease concerning
the safety Of the first small eXpedi-
ton, lying near Manila, between Span
1ards' and the in~urgents' lines, and
without being able to depend very
largely upon either. With these ad-
deG troops, it will be possible to
demand the surrender OF Manila. but it
is gathered here that our purpose is to
defer such movement until all the
United States troops now affoat have
arrived in Manila bay, unless theAatti-
tude OF the insurgents forces prompt
action on the part Of the American
commanders, military and naval.
Secretary Long said tonight that
the preparations for dispatching the
Watson squadron to European waters
were going on uninterrupted, but that
the departure would necessarily would
await the movement Of the warships
at Porto Rico, the Massachusetts, and
other ships being required for convoy
Ing the troops to Porto Rico This dis
posed of report circulated during the
day that the expedition had been aban-
doned. 1t was felt that the report was
the more mischievous at this time as
1t indicated purpose to yield to the
implied threats from European sources
that European coalition would result
If TIE American warships attacked the
coast of Spain. Neither the State nor
navy department looks for any embar-
rassment from European quarters out
side Of Spain as q result of the naval
movement against the peninsula. Dur
ing the day orders were sent to Norfolk
to hurry forward work on the GOLFERS
which are to occupy a place in the
Watson expedition.
Had the army troop ships been able
to go to Porto Rico without a naval
convoy, the Watson squadron could
have got away within the next few