Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1898 — GLAD TO SEE THEM. [ARTICLE]

GLAD TO SEE THEM.

’• " . . . ■ ■£ ■' Inhabitants of Puerto Rico Rejoice at Arrival of Our Troops. THOUSANDS VOLUNTEER SERVICES. Interesting Dlapntch from Gen. Mile* —Operations Have Not Ceased Pending the Negotiation* for Peace. Washington, Aug. 1. —Gen. Miles, Ibb. command of the Puerto Kican expedition, sent the following dispatch to Secretary Alger, which was matte public at the war department at ten* o’clock Sunday night: "Ponce, Puerto Rico, July 31.—Secretaryof War, Washington, D. C.: Volunteers# are surrendering themselves with arms and. ammunition. Four-fifths of the people are» overjoyed at the arrival of the army. Two thousand from one place have volunteered! to serve with it. They are bringing Im transportation, beef cattle and other needed supplies. The custom house has already yielded 114,000. As soon as ail th® troops are disembarked they will be lot readiness to move. Please send any national colors that can be spared to b® given to the different municipalities. I request that the question of the tariff rat® to be charged in the parts of Puerto Rico occupied by our forces be submitted to th® president tor his action, the previously existing tariff remaining meanwhile in force. As to the government and military occupation. I have already given instruction* based upon the Instructions issued by th® president in the case of the Philippine islands and similar to those issued at Santiago de Cuba. MILES, "Major General Commanding.” Alt Depends on bpain. Washington, Aug. 1. —The progress made in the negotiations has given, rise in some quarters to an expectation that hostilities are to be suspended very soon. This will depend entirely upon the attitude of the Spanish government and the nature of its answer to our demands. It has been made clear to the French ambassador that hostilities will not be suspended except upon the assurance of a full acceptahce of our conditions, and that he has undoubtedly informed the Spanish cabinet that it depends upon Spain, when the war shall cease. Meanwhile, as an earnest that our government has not interrupted the execution of its campaigns, an order was issued from the war department Sunday for the dispatch of an entire army division to reenforce Gens. Miles and Brooke in Puerto Rico. This will be known as the provisional division and will be commanded by Maj. Gen. Wade, at present in command atCampv Thomas, Chickamauga. Hfe is ordered: to turn over that command to Maj.Gen. Breckinridge, inspector general of the army, and to report to Secretary Alger in Washington for instructions before departing for Puerto Rico, bringing with him his adjutant general and his aids.

Troopa Still nt Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico, July 29, via St. Thomas. D. W. 1., Aug. 1. —No forward movement of the army is expected for several days. The transport* with Gen. Brooke’s army corps and the remainder of the first corps are arriving slowly. Our troops will probably remain here quietly until the bulk of the army has disembarked. Gen. Miles will retain his headquarters at the custom house at the port of Ponce, while Gen. Wilson will be in immediate command of the troops in the city. Capt. Allison has been appointed provost marshal and with the aid of the local conl stabulary has preserved excellent or- | def, although almost the entire population of the city remained in the streets celebrating the arrival of their American liberators until long after , midnight Friday. Business in the city ■ has enjoyed a great boom since the arrival of the Americans. ’ The news that Spain had consented to sue for peace was received here and was at once taken to Gen. Miles. The general wrinkled his grave brow when he read it ami said he did not know what effect it would have on his expedition, but he purposed to push on ahead and take San .Juan pending orders from the president. A dispatch boat carried information out to the fleet and there was a celebration at the first indication of weakening on Spain’s part. Outside of the typhoid fever on the transports and in Guanica. th£ general health of the army continues excellent, and there has been no trace of yellow fever thus far. MurvltiiM Bombarded. Key West, Fla., Aug. 1. —Report* have reached here that Nuevitas, on the nortii coast of the province of Puerto Principe, Cuba, have been bombarded by the ships of the blockading squadron, evacuated by the Spanish and subsequently burned. No uetails are known.