The herald., 1898-12-03
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
preparation be made for the construction OF
the Lake Union-W Washington ship canal.
SOME FINANCIAL ITEMS

June 3Oth last were 1862, ,534, ,7S4, and the esti-
mates for the next fiscal year, beginning
July !, l800 are $lS5, 250,377. OF this great
estimate the sum OF $55, 100000 is charged to
pay OF the army. The estimate of extraordi-
nary appropriations required for the six
months ending June 80, 1890, is sec, III $50,
and the estimates for thut period, combined
with those for the next fiscal year, reach a
total of 1925 427,9l7.
GEN. NILES REPORT
At this point the secretary includes reports
Of Gen. Miles and all the other generals who
participated in active operations. lie then
takes up the teegraphic and other corre-
spondence relating to the war. and that mat
ter occupies more than fourth of the Sec
retary's whole report. This part of the
official story begins with the statement that
early in May movement upon Havana was
contemplated, and it was believed that the
city could be assaulted and captured before
the rainy season set in, but the plan was sub
sequenty abandoned on account of the re-
ported movement of the enemy's fleet. II
was proposed to send another part OF it to
Key West on account of the close proximity
of the latter to NIariel, Cuba. The secretary
quotes one of the dispatches at this point,
as follows:
Headquarters Of the Army, Washington,
May 0.--The major general commanding di-
rects that the following orders be sent by
telegraph to Gen. Wade at Tampa:
direct Major Shafter to move his COM
mand, under protection of the navy, and
seize and hold Mariel or most important
point on north coast of Cuba, where terri
l.. 4 4 lt.l
low up his command with all the forces sent
you. Troops will be sent you as rapidly as
possible from Chickamagua and other points.
-. G. GILMORE,
assistant, Adjutant General"
This order was forwarded by Adjt. Gen.
Corbin to Gen. Wade, who was further in
structed to have The troops fully equipped
with go days rations, to be followed by four
months supplies Numbers of kilograms are
included to show that difficulty was expert
enced in getting water at Key West for the
expedition.
A PLAN PROPOSED
The next dispatch is from Gen. Miles, out
lining the plan of campaign. 1t reads as
follows:
Headquarters of the Army, Washington,
Is. C., May 27-Thc Honorable the Secre-
tary of War--Sir: Referring to my letter of
yesterday and to onr consultation since,
desire to submit the following:
Gas we are now about to inauguratc ac-
tive military operations in conjunction with
the navy, l think it would be advisable to
load the transports at Tampa, with strong
force of infantry and artillery, move them
to Key West, and thence along the northern
coast of Cuba; where they would have the
full protection of Admiral Simpsons fleet
until they reach Admiral Sclaey's fleet at
Santiago de Cuba, and then, by combined
effort of the army and navy, capture the
harbor, garrison and possibly the Spanish
fleet at that point.
"If, before reaching Admiral Schley's fleet,
it shall be found that he has already accom-
plished the above object, or that the Spanish
fleet shall have escaped, then urge the i'm
portance of combined attack of the army
and navy upon Porto Rico. We will be
able to land superior force, and believe
that combined effort will result in cap
turing the island with its garrison, provided
it is done before it can be reinforced from
Spain. The distance from Key West to
Porto Rico is l440 miles, and from Cadz,
Spain, to Porto Rico it is about 1000 miles.
The possession of Porto Rico would be of
very great advantage to the military as it
would cripple the forces of Spain, giving us
several thousand prisoners. 1t could be
well fortified, the harbor mined, and would
be most excellent port for our navy, which
could be speedily relieved from any respon-
siblity in the charge of that port, as we
could leave a sufficient garrison to hold it
hat lo
it.
"Then we should commence. in my judg-
ment, a movement towards the west by cap
turing the ports along the northern coast of
Cuba, at the eastern end, supplying the in
surgents with abundance of arms and mum
tions of war, and as speedily as possible land
our cavalry and sufficient light artillery to
enable them to move from the harbor OF
Porto de Neuvitas along the line of railroad
to Puerto Principe. From that base our
cavalry and light artillery, in conjunction
with the forces of Lieutenant General Gar
ella and General Gomez, should move west to
near Santa Clara. These movements, in
my judgment, can be accomplished during
the rainy season, through country compara-
lively free from yellow fever, well stocked
with cattle and having grass sufficient for
our animals. While this is being accom-
plished our volunteer army will be prepared
to land in the vicinity Of Marel, IIakna, OF
Matanzas, in sufficient force uponthe island
of Cuba. The advantage of this movement
will be that the army and navy will act in
concert and close unison, that it does not
divide our navy, and that it will utilize our
most available military force in the best way
during the time of the night while the mill
tary movements are most difficult
Il believe the entrance to the port of
Cienfucgos can be obstructed or blockaded
by one or two monitors to better advantage
than to send the army there, where it would
have to meet strong garrison, which is al
ready there, and all of the forces that can
be quickly sent there by rail directly from
Havana and Matanzas
'If the above plan is approved, troops
could be ordered to embark on the transports
Immediately, and the purpose would be the
occupation of Spanish territory first by mov-
ing our troops as speedily as possible to San
tiago de Cuba and Porto Rico, o,.and later to
the south coast of Cuba, and especially our
cavalry. This military occupation to con-
tinue until hostilties cease.
"Very respectfully,
NELSON A. MILES,
Major General Commanding"
CONDITIONS EXPLAINED
Without indicating what disposition was
made of the suggestions contained in his dis
patch, Secretary Alger goes on to briefly ex-