New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-29
INVASION OF CUBA NEAR.
GENERAL sHAFTER SELECTED TO COM
MAND THE EXPEDITION.
THE PRESENT PLAN Is TO LAND 10000 MEN
UNDER COVER OF ADMIRAL sAMPsoN's GUNS
AND CO o-oPERATE WITH A FORCE OF
5000 CTJBANs ARMY OFFICERS
EXPECT THE MOVEMENT TO
RDGIN WITHIN A WEEK.

BDGIN WITHIN WEEK.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
Washington. April 2S-Preparations for the
immediate invasion Of Cuba are making rapid
progress at the War Department. Tampa has
been finally selected the base OF operations.
and orders went forward to-day to establish
there immense supply depot In charge OF
Assistant QuartermasterG General d. d. Wheeler
Preliminary arrangements were also made to
take possession Of railway lines between Chcka-
mauga and Tampa. and to conduct them as MILL
tary systems. Huge temporary buildings are to
be erected at Tampa for the storage Of food
and equipments and the port is TO be protected
by heavy guns which will be mounted In the
next two weeks.
GENERAL SHAFTER TO COMMAND.
The project for the prompt occupation OF
Cuban port as base Of land operations received
an impetus to day through the arrival Of Briga-
der General Shafter He has been selected to
command the pioneer landing division. and
was called to Washington from New-Or-
leans for q final conference with the authorities
to arrange the details OF definite programme
During the day he spent some time with
the members OF the Naval Strategy Board dis
cuss.ng with them the co operation OF the naval
forces In the adventure he is TO undertake Cen
era Shafter reticen,. even TO fellow-of'icers.
as to what he thought Of the ultimate success
OF the enterprise. General Miles is understood 20
have criticised the project severely at the out
SET. and TO have said that IN his opinion It
would be better To take the FIVE thousand men
whom It Is proposed 70 send TO Cuba. put them
a transport and send them TO Cadiz with a
polite request TO the Spanish Government to
take good Of them until the cruel war is
over. The fact that Matanzas which is the
point selected for the landing. is comparatively
short distance from Havana. where eighty thou
sand Spanish soldiers are understood 10 he con-
centrated. was in Itself thought to be sufficient
reason for not rsking so small force as Ave
thousand men ashore.
INsURGENT COOPERATION PROMISED.
Tonight proposition Is under consideration
to Increase General Shafter's command TO
10000 and to cover his establishment of tho
base by Admiral SIMPSONS squadron. with
this suggestion IS also couplcd the assurance
that the Insurgents Will within the next week
concentrate 5000 men near Matarzas. cut the
railway TO HAVANA. and be ready TO effect a
union with the American forces General
Gomez according 70 the guarantees given by
the Cuban representatives. In Washington. VIII
lay siege to Havana II he Is provided with
arms ammunition and food General Fitzhugh
Lee who was summoned from Richmond in
order
ready stated most emphatically that all the
Spanish troops would quickly take refuge in
Havana the moment any American assistance
OF a practical sort was given TO the Insurgents
It was the opinion tonight In Army circles
that Matnnzas would be seized IN another week.
and III. destruction Of the battery intended 10
guard that harbor by Admiral Simpsons feet
Yesterday is taken as an assurance that the
Presidents determination FOR an aggressive cam
paien is not 20 be altered
WHY MATANZAs WAS BOMBARDED
II appears that the reconnaissance OF Matan-
zas made by one Of his officers demonstrated 10
Admiral Sampson that II would be dangerous TO
let the Spaniards perfcc, the battery which was
in course OF erection. anc that he had requested
permission from the Navy Department to de
mosh it assuring the authorities that his ar
mored vessels would run no risk Of damage IN
tho attack. After two DAYS consideration. and
upon the urgent recommendation OF the strategy
Board the desired permission was granted. re-
sulting in the bombardment Of yesterday. in
which the works were practically destroyed In
eighteen minutes.
It is proposed that under the protection Of the
heavy guns OF the double -turretcd monitor Purf-
tan. the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius shall coun-
terr1ine the entrance Of Matanzas before the
end Of this week by exploding charges OF dyna-
mite I'm an parts OF the harbor. making II safe
for transports TO enter. II any fire Is drawn
from shore during ,s operation the New-York
and the Puritan WI; shell the shore line. and
within n day or two following these operations
General Shafter's division of ten thousand men
will make n landing.
The establishment Of reconcentrado relief by
the Red Cross expedition on the State Of Texas
Is expected TO occur next Su lday. and Will he
.oscth.. independent Of the Army programme.
QpENEQ EQR LEE