The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-17
THE PoRTo RICO EXPEDITION.
Efforts Will BE Made to Secure Thir.
fY-EiYR Transnnrfa


ty-Five Transports.
WASHINGTON June 16--The War De-
partment expects TO utilize approximately
thirty-five transports in the expedition for
the invasion of Porto Rico. This statement
was made officially at the department to-
day. 1t seems to indicate that the Porto
Rico army will equal, if not exceed, in
numbers that which left for Santiago The
estimate is made that the thirty-five vessels
will carry between 5000 and 10000 men with
their equipments and subsistence. Army
officials say that reports which have been
received from reliable sources show that the
number of Spanish soldiers in that country
is probably 10000 men, although other state
ments indicate that there is considerably
less than that number 1t is fair to assume.
they say. that when the United States
army commences active operations against
the city of San Juan every available man
in that place will be impressed into the
military service and given a gun Hence
they feel that the army of invasion should
be of such proportions as to leave no doubt
of it's ability and capacity to cope success
fully with the enemy.
1t is stated positively that the embarka-
ton point.for the troops for Porto Rico has
not yet been finally determined and will
not be until Secretary Alger and the Presi-
dent have had an oppC rtunity to confer with
Major General Miles, who will return to
the city tomorrow. There is no doubt, how
eves, that this embarkation will take place
from some point on the Atlantic coast,
with a probability in favor of Fernandina,
Fla, or Savannah, Ga. The merits OF the
first named place have been fully set out,
and as to the latter place, favorable COM
ment was made upon 1t by the board of
army officers which recently conducted the
examination of various points in the South.
Jacksonville also is considered by the board
good place for the assembling of troops,
although it is not believed that the water
in the st. Johns river is of satisfactory
depth TO permit of the easy movement of a
large number Of vessels to and from the
harbor. Miami, Fla, was examined by the
board, but its conclusion is that it is not
big enough for the accommodation of any
great number of men who might be brought
there prior to embarkation. Charleston and
Columbia, S. c., were examined, but for
good reasons Secretary Alger says they will
not be used as localities for the rendezvous
of troops.
For the purposes of the Porto Rican ex-
pedition Assistant Secretary Meikeljohn
able eleven transports, some of which are
already at Southern points, and these will
carry about six thousand men with their
equipments. The War Department is now
in communication with the various coast
wise steamship companies on the Atlantic
and gulf with a view to securing the ad-
ditional vessels needed. A large number
aggregating probably seventy-fve, have
been submitted for the inspection of the
officers of the quartermaster's department
from which they hope to obtain the needed
ships. Assistant Secretary Meikeljohn ex-
pressed the hope that the steamship COM
panies would make a point to favor the
War Department with their transportation
facilities. He appreciated what they had al
ready done in this line. but in view of the
extra demands that have been made he
hoped they would give the department an
opportunity to charter other ships, as the
government preferred to use American ves-
sells in the work about to be undertaken
rather than to ask Congress to grant Ameri-
can registers to foreign ships. which, after
the war was over, would prove a strong
competitor for the coastwise trade. Mr..
Meikeljohn said it had not yet been de-
terrnined whether any of the vessels soon to
reach Santiago would be utilized in the
Porto Rican expedition. That was a matter
entirely contingent upon the military aspect
of affairs as they might develop in eastern
Cuba.
1t is stated not to be the intention of the
government at this time to abandon Tampa
as base of military operations as has been
reported. The War Department has a vast
quantity of rations besides large number
of men at that place While it is possible
that future large military movements may
not be embarked from that point, yet it is
believed that it will continue to be used as
reserve base for such work as may be
more conveniently done from there.