The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-18
COUNCILS OF WAR.
Speculation as to Skaters
Landing = Perhaps An
other Call for Vol
unteers Soon.
unteerS Soon.

President Mckinley. Secretaries Long
and Alger, General Miles, Admiral Sicard
and Captain Mahan are present consider
ing future plans. The council is secret
of course.
For the moment the landing of Gen.
Skaters army of invasion on Cuban
soil is the chief subject of interest in
army and naval circles. Despite con-
fiicting reports it is stated with definite
ness by high officials that the big trans
port procession has moved eastward
around Cape Maysi. and not by the west
ern route, around Point Antonio. The
route taken is expected to bring the
troops to the place of debarkation by to-
morrow unless some unforeseen delay has
occurred, and the arrival may be before
that.
How the troops will land, whether un-
der fire from the Spaniards or uninter-
ruptedly, is a chief topic of speculation
among military men. Some of the Off
GERS who have just come from Tampa
and are familiar with General Skaters
plans, say that preparations have been
made to meet either contingency,
peaceful landing or one under fire.
In case of a landing under fire, con-
siderable dependence will be placed upon
Generals Garcia and Rabi. The specific
instructions sent by General Miles to
Garcia covered in detail the landing OF
the American forces. Garcia was to ha-
rass and engage the Spanish bands and
see that reinforcements We're not sent TO
Santiago and the points where the Amer
lean troops will land.
Another important point in General
Miles orders are to gain possession G*
suitable points around the landing, on
which artillery may be placed. The
ordnance will be debarked soon after the
landing, in order to give adequate pro-
lection to the troops if such a necessity
should arise. The landing proper, it is
calculated. will take at least ten or
twelve hours after the first debarkation
takes place.
Secretary Alger, accompanied by Ma
jor General Miles. went over to the White
House this morning to interview the Pres
ident The Secretary wa. indignant at
the published reports that the President
and himself were dissatisfied win the
course adopted by General Miles and had
decided to relieve himS Sof the command OF
the army.
The Secretary said in the presence Of
General Miles to a representative OF the
press. "There is not word OF truth in
it, meaning the statement to which his
attention had been attracted.
AS mater of fact the purpose of tne
administration in recalling General Miles
to Washington at this time is to consult
with him as to the future conduct of the
campaign.
1t is plain that the campaign itself has
grown far away from the original lines
on which it was drawn and recent de-
velopments have led to belief on the
part of the President that the plans
might be amended somewhat with benefit.
The War Department is profiting by the
experience gained in the organization and
despatch of General Skaters expedition
by the concentration of troops in the great
camps; by the development of weak places
in the staff systems, and It is desired that
future operations be conducted with a
view to avoiding friction, improving the
methods of equipping the volunteers and
generally facilitating the organization of
an effective army.
1t has been suggested that owing to the
heavy demands for troops, which have
far exceeded the number originally be-
lieved to be sufficient, there will be occa-
sion to issue another call for volunteers.
Having in mind the length of time re-
quired to develop raw material into sea-
soned soldiers, as revealed by the expert
ences at Chickamauga, Tampa and Camp
Alger. there is no doubt the President will
be forehanded In this matter, and that
upon the existence of a reasonable doubt
as to the sufficiency of the present mill
tary force he will take steps to increase
1t.
But before any effort is made to raise
more troops, the War Department will
see to it that the amplest camp facilities
are provided and that the equipment will
be ready for the men. The material Sc
cured under another call would not only
be absolutely green, but would be wholly
without military equipment of any kind.
The preparations being made by the War
Department to meet any possible demands
in the future, as revealed in the very
thorough report of the board headed by
Major Hopkins, appointed to look after
suitable camping sites. undoubtedly has
given rise to the reports that additional
military camps are to be established.
The department has put things in trim
to establish at short notice several addi-
tional camps, but SO far it has not order
ed any troops to them and is not likely
to unless there should be further call
for volunteers.
The projected despatch Of the relief ex-
petitions with food and supplies to the
suffering Cubans is no new feature of the
campaign, as it seems to have been sup
posed in some quarters. From the first
the President has had in mind the prob
able sufferings of the reconcentrados,
whose lot was likely to be made doubly
hard by the war unless our people came
to their relief. 1t was his purpose to
lose no opportunity in sending supplies
to these people and the reported prepara-
ton of expeditions in Florida to carry
these are nothing more than the natural
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