The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-26

leading the military expedition against
Porto Rico, started at 3 o'clock this
afternoon from Siboney, Cuba, for the
point on the island of Porto Rico, where
it is the intention that the troops shall
land. 1t is expected that General 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 expe-
ditions are already under way, some
of them being two or three days start
of Miles, so that the delay should not
be very great. After all the difficulty
about the a convoy and the first
conclusion of the naval authorities that
none was necessary, the strength of
that now furnished is surprising.
There is a battleship of the first-class,
the Massachusetts, and a protected
cruiser, the CINCINNATI; a speedy and
weIl-armed gunboat, the Annapolis,
and four vessels of the auxiliary navy
which have already proved by their
performance in Cuban waters that they
are fully equal to the ordinary gunboat
in offensive power; these are the Glou-
cester, which distinguished herself in
the destruction of CerVera's fleet; the
Wasp, which has attained an enviable
notoriety as a disturber Of Spanish
blockhouses; the Leyden, which for a
time was the sole representative of the
United States power in Havana har-
Dor the Dixie. Secretary Alger
believes that Genera Miles on the
Yale will arrive at his destination Sun
day morning with 5000 men under his
immediate command. A day later will
come 1000 men on transports and the
day following that $500 more. Wheth-
er the landing will be deferred until
the arrival of this entire force, or
whether General Miles will taxi the
initiative and hoist the flag himself
on Porto Rican soil is left to the dis
erection of that official. 1t is the de-
partment's determination that he shall
not lack troops and equipment and this
first expedition may be followed by
several others as fast as the troops
can be gotten ready, until word comes
from the general that he needs no
more.
General Schwann's brigade, compris-
ing the Fifth, Eleventh and Nine
teenth United States infantry, a splen-
did body of trained soldiers, sailed
from Tampa. today to join General
Miles. and if the Porto Rican expedi-
tion is not an immediate success it will
not be for lack of disposition in the
war department to supply every requ1-
site.
DEWEY MASTER OF THE SITUA-
That Admiral Dewey has the situa-
ton in the Philippines we'll in hand is
exhibited by his kilograms, the latest
of which was received today which,
without boasting, simply reports, ike
the others that have gone before, that
affairs are quiet and satisfactory. Inc
state department has come to nave
fully as great a sense Of appreciation
of Dewey's diplomatic abilities as the
country has for his naval skill ana
courage and the best evidence OF this
is that il has not found it necessary up
to this point to interfere in any way
either to protect or to amend MS
works.
The navy department has now dis
covered that the big double-turreted
monito Monterey will not arrive at
Cavite until August 5th, that being the
advice received at the navy Depart
ment from the captain of the VesseI
when she touched at Honolulu.
The admiraps announcement of the
arrival of the second detachment Of
United States troops at Cavite has
given great comfort to the war depart
ment, which was not altogether at ease
concerning the first small expedition
living between Spaniards and the insur-
gents and without being able to de
pend very largely upon either. With
these added troops, it will now be pos
sible to demand the surrender of Ma
Mia, but it is gathered here that our
purpose is to defer such a movement
until all the United States troops now
af1oat have arrived in Manila bay,
unless the attitude of the insurgents
forces prompter action on the part of
American commanders.
WATSON'S SQUADRON.
Secretary Long said tonight that the
preparations for dispatching the Wat
son squadron to European waters were
going on un~interruptedly, but that the
department necessarily would await
the movement of the warships at Por-