Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-28
CUBA INVASION PUTOFF
lust When il Will Come is Very Uncertain
Matter.
PORTO RICO is TO BE TAKEN FIRST
When the Movement WIN Begin There No
One Knows Governncnt Keeping
Qniet--No Move. Made.


Times from Washington says:
Though today has been devoid oil
definite developments of military
nature, 1t has been marked by
strengthening OF the conviction, now
general, that Porto Rico and not CUBA
is to be the first object OF invasion
by the combined land and naVai
forces of the United states.
The administration is not making
It's plans known, nor Is the war de-
partment taking the pubic into It's
confidence, but there are othei WaSs
In which coming events make theT
way known, even in war times'
A significant indication OF the atti-
tude of the military arm of the gov
eminent toward the Porto Rican IN
vasion is afforded by the earnestness
with which high members OF General
Miles's stan urge the measure. Ihe
commanding general of the army is
not talking for publication, but II ~
understood that the members OF MS
staff who declare unreservediy III InVof
of taking Porto Rico without delay
reflect his Views on that subject.
The announcement that Gen. Miles
may leave Washington in day or
two on a tour of inspection of the army
camps In the South Is regarded as
confiImatury of the understanding that
there is to an Invasion of cuba at
once. 1t has been taken for granted
that General Miles will 60 to Cuba
with the army II the invasion is to
be put on and f'osto Rico taken instead
his present tour of inspection Is easily
explained
The strongest argument used for
the a tack on Porto Rico now is that
1t is the easiest thing the army can
do just at present and, in fact, about
the only thing II can do The de-
cislon was reached long ago that no
less than $4,000, preferably 5000 men.
will be needed for the first army that
is sent to Cuba. Not more than $4,000
men are now in shape for foreign
campaign. There are the regulars
and the equipped volunteers at Tampa.
The rest of the volunteers army is I'M
trained, and 1t may be accepted once
for all that 1t is not going to be sent
to Cuba until 1t is fully equipped, and
| to some extent. at least, instructed in
| and Injured to the practices of war.
with the $1,000 men already at
| yampa, 1t urged that Porto Rico could
| be taken and subdued while the rest
of the army is being put in shape at
| Chickamauga and the other camps.
Then. when all has been made ready
| for the grand move on Cuba. the regu-
lars could be withdrawn from Porto
Rico and used to lead the army
against Blanco. The facts that while
giving needed training to the regulars
themselves and delivering them from
the facilitating inaction at Tam.a
this move would strike deadly blow
at Spain In vital part of her colonial
structure and rob the reserve Spanish
fleet of its only base OF supplies on this
side OF the Atlantic. are urged as
reasons In Its favor which are be-
| In off 90 In
termining the powers that be to I'M
dertake 1t.
There does not sAem to be, It Is point
ed out, anything to prevent the prompt
execution of the plan since the troops,
the supplies and the transports, are
all at Tampa, and all, according to the
reports received here, are ready to move
on short notice, The fact that General
Shafter has been authorized to send a
portion of his command at Tampa to
Jacksonville. so as to make them more
comfortable In camp, Is taken here to
indicate that there Is no intention IL
send them to Cuba at once. II General
Shafter knew that his entire force
would be called upon to go to Cuba
next week, or the week following, It ia
urged that he would not go to the trou-
bic of having them break camp and
move over to Jacksonville.
The plan, as II ls construed here, Is
for General Shafter to send the least
available of his volunteers to Jackson
vile, while holding the regulars and tn.
pick of the new troops to the number
of $4,000 or 10000 ready for the expedi-
ton to Porto Rico. Private letters re-
ceived here say that all the indications
at Tampa point to an early departure
of the military force masscd at that
point, with much anxiety as to where
the expedition Is bound.
! Assuming correctness of the report
that the Spanish fleet is shut up In
Santiago, II Is claimed that there would
be no difficulty in Admiral Sampson
supplying enough ships to convey the
transports to Porto Rico without weak
ening the blockade off Havana, still,
holding in reserve enough ships to at
: tend to the Cadiz squadron, should 4,
appear suddenly in these waters.
One suggestion made to account fol-
Admiral SIMPSONS last appearance in
the neighborhood of the old Bahama.
channel is that he Is acquainting him
self with the route about to be taken
by the ships that are to carry the ex-
petition to Porto Rico-not necessarily
TO San Juan. for II Is more than guessed
that the landing in Porto Rico will be-
at some point where infantry and per.
; haps cavalry can he put on shore 10
attack the dcfenses Of San Juan in the
! | rear
So much attention is being given tc
the Porto Rico occupation by the mill.
tary authorities that 1t IL assumed by
| officers that the army and navy plans
have gone along the ground. When tho
, moment of the attack arrives IL may
be expected that Sampson will be out.
: side the harbor prepared to attack tn,
batteries he has already tested while
I the land forces are trying the ability o,
Spanish troops to defend land positions