The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-06-04
A TRIPLE BLOW.
Plan of Campaign includes Invasion
ofPuerto Rico as Well m Of Cuba
aud the Philippines.

time since the beginning of hostilities
there appears 10 be something in the
nature of an Official statement of the
plan of campaign of the United States
government. This Is contained in let
ter Of Secretary Alges to the speaker
of the house. transmitting certain rec
concentrations and statements OF Gen.
Ludlow, which disclosed the purpose or
the war department to send 10000 men.
TO Cuba, 10000 TO start at once and the
remainder just as soon as they can be
made ready for departure. Then there
was an estimate for establishing cleo
trical communications in connection
with the army lin Cuba, Puerto Rico
and the Philippines" showing for the
first time officially an implied intention
on the part of the government to land
troops in Puerto Rico. OF course all
these movements have been anticipated
by the press, but nevertheless a strong
element of doubt existed, and therefore
an official statement of the govern
ment's purposes, made even in this In
direct fashion, created profound SEN
sation here. The three are TO go to-
gether-Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Phil
lppines-and pass into the military oc-
cupation of the United States troops.
The naval officials have been consid-
erably mystified by the reports Of an
engagement off Santiago. At the out
set there was complete skepticism and
a disposition 70 treat the reported ac-
ton as myth. Gradually as the day
\ advanced the corroborative evidence
IL In, In
I the official announcements from Ha-
vana and Madrid, led the officials 10
/ concede that some engagement had
taken place, although they did not re-
gard II is serious one. No bulletins
were issued by the department during
the day, and at the close of office hours
II was stated that no dispatches from
4 Commodore Schley had been received
/ during the day.
There is reason to believe, however,
I that the department received indirect
advices through the state department,
possibly not bearing out the detailed
press dispatches, but sufficient 10 indi-
cate that an engagement Of some kind
had occurred at Santiago. The impress
sion obtained during the AFTERNOON that
in execution Of the general instructions
TO all United States naval commanders
on the Cuban coast TO prevent the con-
struction or strengthening Of batteries
by the Spaniards Commodore Schley,
observing work OF this kind going on
at MORO castle, had drawn his feet up
close enough to stop II. 1t is not be-
lieved for an instant that he made any
real attempt TO enter the harbor, al
though 1t is entirely conceivable that
while engaged in the task Of Smelling
the shore batteries. finding the Cristo-
bal Colon In range, he could not resist
the temptation 20 try few shots at
her.
The statement from Madrid, in what
seemed TO be almost semi-official form,
OF the acuteness OF the financial strin-
gency there, and the plain intimat ton
that the Bank OF Spain, and consequent
ly Spain, were nearing the end OF their
financial resources was regarded at the
state department as Of more real sig
nificance than many OF the stories of
battles on land and sea that have been
coming over the cables for the past few
weeks. The effect Of this notice may be
TO hasten the operations against Puerto
Rico, lest the prize slip from our grasp
through sudden and unexpected ter
mination of the war.
An additional evidence that the actual
forward movement OF the army and
navy has begun was given in the ac-
ton Of the foreign naval and
military observers. They have been
sojourniug leisurely In Washing
ton for some time but within the last
week all OF them have started for Flor
ida. The British naval and military at
taches were the first 10 leave, and now
they have been followed by the German,
Austrian, Russian. Swedish. Norwegian
and japanese observers. The govern
ment OF Norway and Sweden has no
less than six military and naval experts
20 observe various branches OF the war
J fare. They include Commanders An
: derson, Dahlgren and Gade and Lieut..
Gechnuyden, of the navy, and Capts.
! Wester and Stang, OF the army.
Adit. Gen. Corbin has completed ar.
ranRements for the recruitment OF u.s..
600 additional troops under the second
call for volunteers. II has been decided
however. 10 withhold the apportionmen'
OF the different states and territories
: from publication for the present for the
reason that such publications at this
: time would tend TO embarrass and de
: lay the officials OF the department in the
I organization Of the new regiments.
: According TO the plans already form
: United, $4,000 troops will be required tc
recruit the regiments Of the existing
organizations up to their maximum
strength, leaving only $4,000 troops tc
. be mustered in for the organization OF
entirely new regiments.
Several OF the states and territories
have already furnished troops under
the first call in excess Of their quota,
under both calls and Adjt. Gen. Corbir
. is authority for the statement that non,
, OF them will nt this time be called upor
TO furnish any additional troops. The
, District of Columbia and the following
a H.