The record-union., 1898-06-19
The Campaign Is to Be Pushed With
vigor.
When Santiago Is Captured the Regulars
viii Be Sent on From
There to Porto
Rico.

inal plans Of the campaign for the con-
duet of the war against Spain Wi.l pc
adhered to, and will be pushed with
yigor. That decision was reached at
a war council to-day at which were
present President Mckinley, Secretaries
Alger and Long, General Miles, Assist
ant Secretary Meiklejohn, Admlral
Sicard and Captain Mahan.
OF course there will be some slight
notifications, made necessary by the
changes that have occurred since the
beginning of hostilities, but these, after
all, will not affect the general plan OF
operations. General Miles returned
from Florida with store of inforna-
ton respecting the condition of the
troops, difficulties to be expected IN
the progress of the campaign, and the
matter of transportation and terminal
facilities will be freely availed Of to
correct the defects in the present sys-
tenn.
The General was present during the
war council The only reason the
commanding General did not visit the
White House yesterday was because
of a desire on the part of the President
that his war councillors should nave
the benefit of General Miles recital OF
his observations at first hand.
The stories that there has been fric-
ton between General Miles and United
States official superiors are pronounced
to be absurd, and to-day his proceed
ings gave ample evidence of the fact
that the utmost harmony characterized
the relations between the Chief EX-
ecutive and the military branch of the
Government. There were, of course,
some differences of opinion among the
persons present at the war council but
there has been no disposition in any
quarter TO resist for an instant any
conclusion which has secured the ap-
proval of the President.
The official declaration that the cam
paign is to be pushed with vigor does
not necessarily mean an immediate at
tack upon Havana, although such ad-
vice has been rendered 1t does mean,
however, that the very best efforts are
dition where it can be used with over
whelming effect at any point at almost
moments notice To this end the
troops now in camp are TO be thor
oughIy trained and hardened. With
such an army at command, numbering
no less than 100000. the fate of Ha-
vana cannot long remain in doubt
when the army is once hurled upon 1t.
Meanwhile the smaller expeditionary
movements are to go forward. uninter-
ruptedly. When Santiago is captured
the trained regulars who do the work
there will be pushed on TO Porto Rico.
If all or most of them are needed for
this expedition, then the provisional!
forces referred to by General Shafter
in his orders probably will be dis
patched Immediately from the United
States to garrison the towns OF Santi
ago and to equip the regulars. Prob
ably knowledge of some such intention
has led TO the rumor which found cur
rency to-day to the fleet that 1000
men from General Graham's camp had
been expected to proceed Immediately
to reinforce Shafter. As a matter of
fact, Secretary Alger said to-day he
had as yet given no orders for the
sending of troops away from Camp Al
ger. nor had he ordered any extensive
movements elsewhere.
The rooms of Secretary Alger We're
thronged to-day by friends of the many
candidates for appointment from civil
life as Second Lieutenants in the army.
There are to be 200 of these appoint
ments. and it was announced this after
noon they will be made public Il. the
newspapers Monday morning.
Word came to the Navy Department
that the Spanish Cadiz fleet was still
headed eastward to-day. The basis OF
the report is not known, but it is
probably from the skipper of some mer-
chant vessel which has passed tn:
squadron. for the ships of course have
long since escaped the range of OBJ
servation of the lookout at Gibraltar.
All the reports relative to the move
ments of this mysterious squadron are
received by the naval officials subject
taught them that the Spanish are free