The herald., 1898-06-14
NOW FOR PORTO RICO
General Fitzhugh Lee Is Helping to
Hurry Things Along

Now that the santiago eXpeultlOHart
force under General Shafter is on its
way to cooperate with Admiral Sampson
in the reduction of that city and the cap
ture of the Spanish ships in its harbor, the
energies of the War Department are ex-
pected to be directed toward preparations
for the invasion of Porto Rico. While these
preparations will be pushed forward as
expeditious.y as possible, there is no rea-
son to believe that any extraordinary haste
will be resorted to. The volunteers Of jack
sonville and Tampa who are expected 10
form part of the army of invasion for
Porto Rico, are not in condition to be sent
to that island, and it will take a little time
to put them in shape.
1t is true that the progress made at jack
souville, where General Fitzhugh Lee is
in command, has been much more salts
factory than at some of the other camps.
Already clothing for 1900 men has been de-
l.vered there, and owing to the abundant
railway facilities, no such congestion and
confusion as occurred at Tampa in the dis
tribution of uniforms, etc, have been en-
couutered. This encourages the hope that
the volunteers there will be made ready
for the invading campaign in less time than
was required at Tampa and is being taken
at Chckamauga.
Regulars Will Go
No one supposes that the Porto Rican
army will be made UP entirely of volunteers,
and as General Shafter has taken to Cuba
practically all the regulars. it will be neces-
sary for the move on Porto Rico to be de-
ferred at least until Santiago has fallen
and some of the regular troops now with
hot I,o NTH dro ri
bined with a detail of volunteers for in
vestment of San Juan. The War Depart
ment preparations all point to the one oper-
alton following upon the other. That
this can be done speedily is not doubted.
The capture of Santiago is looked upon as
likely to require very few days, and after
the city has fallen, a comparatively small
force will be required. in cooperation with
the insurgents, to take possession of the
entire province. When that is done sew
eral regiments of the regulars can be
spared to lead the Porto Rican forces.
The same transports that are bearing
the Fifth Army Corps to Santiago will have
to be used for the movement against Porto
Rico, supplemented by the additional ships
that have been ordered to Fernandina.
There are seven of these: The Gate City,
City of Macon, Comanche, Kickerbocker,
Louisiana, Catania and Arkadia. These
ships. 1t is expected, will take on volun-
teers from General Lees Seventh Corps,
now at Jacksonville, while the transports
that are to take the regulars from Santiago
to San Juan may remain off the south
Cuban coast until their services are need
ed.
There Is no disposition on the part of the
administration to underestimate the
strength of the enemy in Porto Rico. in
spite of the assurances of the newspaper
strategists. that it is !nconsequential.
Lieut.. Whitney is said to have reported he
Spanish strength IN the island as small
but it is recognized by the War Board, If It's
general attitude may be taken as meaning
anything, that it will not do to take any
chances In the matter.
No Child's Play
1t is remembered that Admiral Sampson
found that the reduction of the forts and
batteries Of San Juan was no child's play
and that he succeeded in doing little damage
to them IN three hours Of bombardment
1t is reasoned, too, that there may be
more Spanish troops in the island than
Lieutenant Whitney saw. At any rate,
the War Department feels that while it has
the men, it would be wise to SEM enough
to Porto Rico to meet and defeat twice as
many Spaniards as are believed to be in the
island. The larger the force the quicker,
more decisive and possibly the less bloody
will be the work Of capturing the place
For these reasons, probably 10000 or IL, 1000
men will be sent to the island.
General Fitzhugh Lee is expected to
command part of the Porto Rican exped.-
ton, but this is not taken as eliminating
him from the main Cuban campaign. There
will be plenty of opportunity for him to
take the part he is anxious to take in the
real work of freeing Cuba when the cam
paign In the lesser island Is over. The
story that he Is to be made Governor Gen.
eral of Porto Rico is dscredited. because of
its appropriateness.
The Navy Department has been advised
of the movements and is busy in expecta-
ton of supplying the convoy for the fleet
to Porto Rico. This will be more form
liable force than that which goes with the
Santiago army. for the plans contemplate
joint attack upon the San Juan fortifica-
tons by the army and navy, and the forth
fications are so powerful that heavily arm
ored ships must be sent against them at the
beginning. Therefore. II is believed that
Admiral SIMPSONS battleship will head
his fleet.
SECOND MANILA EXPEDITION
The Fleet Will Probably Sail on Next