The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-14
the War Department.

Washington, June 12-Under COM
mand of Major General Shafter, the
first division of the United States army
will sail tonight from Key West for
Santiago de Cuba TO besiege and cap
ture that town. The army transports,
thirty in number, left Port Tampa yes
terday and are at Key West. The con-
voying warships, believed to number
between sixteen and nineteen. viii be
ready for the voyage by nightfall, and
with this powerful force there is no
longer reason for apprehension that the
transports can be attacked successful
ly by any Spanish warships. even If
such should have escaped the vigilant
search of the naval commanders at
Key West and off Havana.
1t is believed here that the sally out
Of Havana of the three Spanish gun
boats was intended to create the i'm
preston that they We're prepard TO go
out to attack the transports. If so the
plan miScarried for the craft were de-
tected Immediately by Commodore
Watson's cruisers and driven back
pellmell into Havana harbor under the
pIclctLlOn Oh the guns on tne SnOre pat
teries. Even if these boats had escap-
ed they could have done no damage
for the size Of the convoy furnished for
the trOOpShips is sufficient to. warrant
belief that they would have been speed
lily destroyed should they have had the
courage to make an attack upon the
fleet Of American ships. The Spanish
gunboats are not of formidable charac-
ter, not one of them being the equal in
.aft tI,a L,f
cruisers, or even of such gunboats as
the little Bancroft, which may be used
as General Skaters flagship.
Every precaution has been taken by
the government to ensure the safety of
the troops en- route to Cuba. The naval
war board was in session today, making
the final preparations for the DISPOSE
tion of the guardships.
The transports will be kept as close
1y together as safe navigation will per-
NIT and the Warships will be disposed
ahead, astern and on either flank.
The fieetest scoutin vessels will be
thrown far out in advance of the
transports and in order to ensure
against an attack from the rear some
of these vessels, such as the st. Louis,
perhaps, will linger far astern ready
to signal the heavy armed cruisers at
the first sign of an approaching foe.
The stately battleship Indiana, it is eX-
pected, will lead the procession Of ships,
which Will .be the most numerous gath
cred in American waters since the civil
war. The troops should arrive off San
tiagO by Wednesday night, supposing
the fleet proceeds at eight knots speed,
and landing operations should begin by
Thursday, for General Shafter will not
keep his men cOOped on shipboard a
moment longer than necessary. 1t is
rot believed that they will he landed
at Caimanera, the point on Guantana-
mo bay where the American flag now
flies over the heads of Simpsons ma
Tines, as the place, while well adapted
to serve as naval base and as a har-
Dor of refuge for the American war
ships, is not particularly we'll suited for
the beginning Of military operations.
THE PORTO RICAN EXPEDITION.
In ten days time, unless unforeseen
obs tacles are encountered, the move
ment upon Porto Rico will begin. The
war department has been in close COM
munication by telegraph with General
Miles at Tampa and all of the necessary
instructions have been given to the
commanding general for the campaign.
General Miles in turn has been con-
sulting Generals Coppinger and Lee at
Jacksonville, giving the necessary de-
tailed instructions, and all is so near
ready that were some essential supplies
on hand the expedition could start
within twenty four hours. The navy
department. has been advised Of the
purpose Of the army and the war board
today was making arrangements to
supply the conveying fleet. This will
be of a more formidable character than
that which goes with the Santiago ex-
pedition, for the plans contemplate a
joint attack upon the San Juan fortifi-
cations by the army and navy and
these fortifications are so powerful that
heavily armOred ships only can be
sent against them. at the beginning.
it is believed that SampsOn's
battleships Will head this feet.
Now that Sampson has taken up a
position ashore in Guantanamo bay. II
is expected at the navy department that
he will soon be in direct communica-
ton with the department, which will
greatly facilitate the combined opera
tions Of the navy and army. The cable
which he cut just before landing the
marines was buoyed and as soon as !
cable operators and instruments can be ,
gotten over from Hayu the cable VIII
be opened again.
THE TROOPS WHICH LEFT TAMPA
Tampa, Fla. June 12.-The expedition
that sailed from here TO Key West |
prior to goin 10 Santiago was made up
of nearly twenty regiments of regular
infantry of from 500 10 $50 men each,
including besides the regiments Of the
Fifth army corps, four regiments Of in
fantry that have been in camp at Mo
bile and which formed part Of Major
General Coppinger's command at that
rendezvous. The total force Of regular
infantry was about II coo men. There