THE POSITION AT PORTO RICO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 17

THE POSITION AT PORTO RICO.

Mr C. D Ajevado, who was for 12 years a mideiit of Sao Juan, Porto R<co, gave the following information to the Associated Press on Jucr 5 :—: — " A United States expedition can land where it pleases iv Porto Rico, except in the neighbcurhood of San Juan. The best harbour in Porto Rico is Gu&nic&, west of Ponce and south of San Juan, from which latter place it is distant eight hours' carriage ride. The roads everywhere in Porfco Rico are excellent, and troops with supplies could be moved about the island readily, but I would not expose the men to the tropical sun oq long marches. This in spite of the fact that tho climate of Porlo Rico is the healthiest in the world. The rainy season does nofc begin unti August, *nd is of short duration. Yellow fever is almost unknowu. Our men, Lowever, are not used to the hot weather, and will Boelb under it. San Juan is where fchs fcroopfl ehould land. The American fleet should finish the work that .Admiral Sampson started last month, and batter down Morro and Fort San Carlos. The forts are not at all impregnable ; we can destroy them at some expense, but,

judging from the previcu? bombardment, with- j out loss of life. Then the troops can be landed to (let' at the Spaush soldiers and take pesofsioa of the city. r lhe occupation of San Juan would end the war in Poito Rico, for the Spauiardß c..uld not make a stand anywhere else. "After the fleet bas silenced tie Forts the harbour may be countermined and cleared of obstructions, transports taken iv and Iro'p3 landed. As the inh&'-itanlj of Porto Rico are thoroagWy diesffuted, Aimriean tva< ps would j not be lcquired to subdue the country ; the | people generally wou'd welcome cur soldier?. Porto Rico taa not Le?n ravaged by war. Hots s, cattle, and all food supplies are abundant, and aUhou£U there is no railroad sjetpm the firFt-dasscarrißga roads render corpmuuicatiou with all parts ot' the bland easy. It would be a pity to destroy San Juan, whiuh is a fine town with nicely paved streets wider than those , of old Havana. Steps were recently takon to j bring iv good w^ter by an aqueduct syfiieii;.''

The mohl valuable contribution the Americans ha\e made to aaval progiesb is their new hospital ship the Solace, which, by all ac counts, is completely successful, and marks a ro~\ oluliosiavy step in the oc-.ro ot the wounded and the rescue ot the di owning. The Solace was formerly a I'ugo iirtl-cla'o steel coast- wl&e passenger ship ; she is now in cornmisbion with Admiral Hampton's flee!, with orders lo fly the Geneva Cross whenever Mie Bights another -\essel, to cairy no anna or weapons of any port, and no contraband goods except coal. On her main deck is an operating room, liked in the Idlest and most scientific manner. Steam laiinchc-s bring the wounded to her from the other ships, and they aic lifted to the main dock of the Solace by steam tackle. After passing through the operating room they are lovoiod to the hospital wards on lifts especially deigned to carry not only the man but the lualtrcs or stretcher on which he has been testing. Them are wards foi the officers and wards for the bluejackets ; one large room is a pharmacy, and another contains the apparatus for charging the atmotsphoie of the phip with disinfectants. She carries ice-inaking machinery, a reiding room and library, a large stuff of surgeons and trained nur^c-s. She carries an extra number of launches, Leeause one of her chilies is to rescue the crews of ships sunk in. action. Some people appear to be surprised that the Spanish "destroyers" have effected so little against tho squadron blockading Santiago ; this surprise will not be shared (says the Pall Mall Gazette) by any one familiar with work on these destroyers, than which no class of waifhip re-ruires such highly-tiained crews. Even to keep them in fair working order a staff of specialists are needed, and tlie&e experts mu&t be men who have received constant training in these vessels in every condition of weather. The Spaniards cannot; supply men fulfilling these condition?, and wo should not bo in the least surprised to hear that these "destroyers" are now practically use-le=-R owing to a host of minor defects which their owners are quite unable lo remedy.