The news & observer., 1898-06-11
TAKING NO CHANCES
THE GOVERNMENT FEELS
STRONG IN PRESENT POSI-
TION.
GUANTANAMO ENGAGEMENT BULLE1INED
No Truth in the Statement that ii was the Gov
ernments Purpose to Seize Spanish
Ladrone Islands Govern
naniic Pnlicu Silence
ment's Policy Silence.

Washington, June 10.-Out of the
maze of doubt and contradiction as to
the dispatch of the first army of invasion
to Cuba, one thing stands out clearly,
namely that the government is feeling
strong in its present position and plan,
is moving cautiously and with the de
success unattended with disasters With
this main purpose in view, the army ana
navy are cooperating toward the dis
patch of the troops. some $4,000 in num-
ber under escort of strong fleet of ma
val conveys. made mp of sixteen war
ships. headed by the battleship Indiana
Unattended by this strong fleet. the
troops might have left last Friday, when
one strong naval convoy was ready for
this service. Since then, however, re-
ports have come as 10 the presence of
Spanish ships in the North Atlantic.
Realizing that nothing was TO be gained
by haste, and that the war was pro-
crossing steadily toward success, it was
determined not to take one small chance
of having our troop transports menaced
by some scouting ship of the enemy. AS
"a result the troop transports did not
proceed to Cuba, either yesterday or
the day before, as has been repeatedly
asserted They are in readiness to 60,
btH will not move until the naval con
yoy is ready to accompany them, aSsnr-
ing safe conduct from Florida to the
point OF destination. Whether that viii
be to-day or tomorrow. the War De
partment positively declines TO say.
The administration feels that the
time has come when it is of the utmost
Importance that the movements of the
invading fleets should not be published
in this country, and thus heralded TO
the enemy.
The completeness with which the trans
port of troops has been planned is
shown in the official list of transport
vessels given ont at the War Depart
ment to-day. OF this list "a large
steamships varying from 400 tons
down to 600 tons, are at Florida ports
ready to carry our troops to the point of
invasion. There are some ID other
crafts, including vessels suitable for car
rying fresh water, stores, etc, and for
lightering the troops and stores from the
ships to the beach when the debarkation
begins. The entire transport feet of
about 30 steamships, augmented by the
fleet Of naval conveys, 16 in number,
will make n formidable marine process
sion exceeding in magnitude the notable
spectacle Of the naval review during the
Worlds Fair year.
The first official confirmation of the
engagement at Guantanamo last Tues
day, came to the Navy Department to-
day. and was made the subject of bull
letin.
The terms in which Admiral Sampson
described the affair tended strongly to
take away the chance that had been
given it in the unofficial dispatches
There was notable failure on the part
of the admiral to mention anything like
a landing. although the statement that
the Marblehead now holds the lower
bay, by implication may carry with il
the idea that her marines are ashore
Elderly naval officers who have been in
Guantanamo bay, describe it as ad-
mirably suited for the reception Of
transports. with plenty of water for the
biggest of the transports and enough
for the smaller class Of warShips that
might be used to convoy them. The
locality is one that would have II good
base for operations against Santiago
itself, should it be decided to attack the
latter town by troops from the rear in
stead Of by the warships.
The statement coming from San Fran
cisco that the real object of the Charles
tons voyage was the seizure of the
Spanish Ladrone islands, as a base of
supplies. has 10 truth i'm il.
1t was not deemed practicable to tow
the big lroncladS the four thousand miles
of the voyage that would have to be
traversed by them without coal so il be-
came necessary to find places in the Pa
cihc. where they could replenish their
bunkers A study of the charts showed
that there were several groups Of islands
lying between Hawaii and the philip-
pines, which might afford a harbor in
which the cOllierS could lay alongside the
monitors and fill mp their coal bunkers
The officials do not deem it prudent to
name the particular islands chosen for
the purpose. but it is obvious that being
barred by neutrality laws from the pos
sessions Of neutral countries, the first
recourse of the Nevy Department would
he to some Of the Spanish islands, such
as the LadrOneS or the CarolineS. There
fore. it is assumed that if the Charles.
ton really goes 10 one of the former is.
lands. it will be with the purpose of So
curing in advance n suitable harbor f0l
the monitors.
A very substantial evidence o
self sacrifice for the sake o.