Evening star., 1898-05-16
ABSENCE OF COOPERATION.
Capt Dor>t Failed to Land Arms ani
AmmunitiDn

dispatch from Key West Yesterday
says: The steamer Gussie, which left
Tampa. Fla. May TO- with two companies
OF the Ist Infantry On board, in charge
of seven thousand rifles and two hundred
thousand bounds of ammunition, intended
for the insurgents in the province of Pinar
del Rio. remained off the coast of Cuba
Thursday. Friday and Saturday convoyed
by the auxiliary gunbcat Manning. in a
vain attempt to land her cargo. Capt J.
H DOrst, of the staff of General Miles.
and formerly United States military at
tache at Vienna headed the expedition
"n-Ch returned here this morning. Her
commander, who appeared to be much
cres;iallen, having failed TO accomplish
the mission .ntrusted TO him, refused to
discuss the matter beyond admitting the
failure, and saying the Gussie will return
to Tampa. Fla.
Previous to leaving Cuban waters, the
Dorst exDedit1Onary force had ii skirmish
with Spanish cavalry near Cabanas fifteen
miles west of Havana, where an attempt
was made to land part of the cargo On
Friday morning Capt. Dorst abandoned the
attempt at that point and steamed east
ward to MdtdnZaS, where an ARRANGEMENT
had been made with the insurgents to send
supplies ashore at Point Maya, a mile or
so east % the entrance of the harbor.
The GusSie and her convoy yesterday
morning steamed urtil about two miles off
considerable force of Spanish soldiers con-
cealed behind underbrUsh ashore warned
them that they would receive lively well
come II they landed The Spanish troops
seemed to have been furnished with infor-
nation of the contemplated landing at 10th
Joints
After this second failure. Capt. DORIS, de-
cided to abandon the attempt to land The
arms and ammunition, and returned to
Key West, where, as already cabled he
arrived this morning.
more disgusted looking lot of troopers
than those aboard the Guss!e this morning
IL would be hard TO find. They had re-
ceiyed orders not to speak OF their trip.
and su!lenly lined the rail of the Gussie as
the Associated Press launch ran alongside
Of her But grunts were the only answers
which could be obtained to the questions
asked
Soon after the arrival Of the Gussie
Capt Dorst was rowed ashore and report
ed the failure of his expedition by cable to
the War Department.
Naval officers here say that il Capt
Dorst had secured the corporation of
some Of the ships of the blockading SQUAD
zen at the point selected for the landing
the Spanish troops ashore could have been
shelled and a way would have been cleared
for the landing of the soldiers and the car
go they had in charge, but no instructions
were given to the ships to cooperate with
Capt Doists expedition, and the Gussie
was several times compelled to hcave to-
while cruising up and down the coast by
the blockade vessels. whose commanders
were under the apprehension that she was
trying TO run the blockade.
The United States ,yunboat Machias.
which was lying off Matanzas on Friday
night, reported that signal lights were
seen ashore east Of Point Sabilla, and
some Of her officers say they believe the
insurgents. having ascertained that the
rendezvous at Point Maya had been dis
covered by the epemy. desired a landing
to be made at another point but Capt.
h 4 -
the Spanish troops awaiting him. He did
not return empty-handed, however. Off
Matanzas the Gussie sighted small Span
iish fishing smack and gave chase. When
the boat was overhauled her occupants
surrendered to Capt. Dorst. and the prize
was brought into Key West.