The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-13

WASHINGTON, June 12-Under COM
mand of Major General Shafter the First
Division of the United States. army sailed
tonight from Key West for Santiago de
Cuba to besiege and capture that town.
The army Transports thirty in number left
Port Tampa yesterday and arrived at Key
West to-day. The conveying war ships, be-
teen. were ready for the voyage by night
fall. With this powerful force there was no
longer reason for any apprehension that the
transports could be attacked successfully
by any Spanish war ships, 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 impression
that they were prepared to go out to attack
the transports. If so, the plan miscarried,
for the craft were detected Immediately by
Commodore Watson's cruisers and driven
back pel nell into Havana harbor under
the protection of the guns of the shore bat
teries. Even if these boats had escaped
they could have done no damage, for the
size of the convoy furnished for the troops
is sufficient to warrant the belief that they
would have been speedily destroyed should
they have had the courage to make an at
tack on the fleet Of American ships. The
Spanish gunboats are not of formidable
character not one of them being the equal
cruisers, or even of such gunboats as the
little Bancroft, which may be used as Gen.
Skaters flagship.
Every precaution has been taken by the
government to insure the safety of the
troops en- route to Cuba. The naval war
board was in session to-day making the
final preparations for the disposition of the
guard ships. The transports will be kept
as closely together as safe navigation will
permit, and the war ships will be disposed
ahead, astern and on either flank. The fleet
est scouting vessels will be thrown out far
in advance of the transports, and in order
to insure against attack from the rear,
some Of the vessels, such as the st. Louis,
perhaps, will linger far astern ready to
signal the heavily armed cruisers at the
first sign of an approaching foe. The state
ly battle ship Indiana, it is expected, will
the most numerous gathered in Americans
waters since the civil war. The troops
should be off Santiago by Wednesday night.
General Shafter will not keep his men
cooped up on shipboard a moment longer
than necessary. 1t is not believed they
will be landed at Caimanera. the point
Guantanamo bay where the American flag
now flies over the heads of Simpsons ma
rines, as that place, while well adapted to
serve as naval base and as a harbor of
refuge for the American war ships, is not
particularly well suited for the beginning
of military operations.
In tea days time unless unforeseen OBJ
stacles are encountered, the movement on
Porto Rico will begin. The War Depart
ment has been in close communication by
telegraph with General Miles at Tampa
and all of the necessary Instructions have
been given to the commanding general for
the preparation Of the military forces to be
used in this part of the campaign. General
Miles, in turn, has been consulting Cen
erals Coppinger and Lee at Jacksonville,
giving the necessary detailed 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
to-day was making arrangements for the
of a more formidable character than that
which goes with the Santiago expedition,
for the plans contemplate a joint attack
upon the San Juan fortihcations by the
army and navy and the Notifications are
so powerful that heavily armored ships only
can be sent against them at the beginning.
Therefore it IS believed that Simpsons
battle ships will head this fleet
Now that Sampson has taken up posi-
tiou ashore in Guantanamo bay. it is ex-
pected at the Navy Department that he
will be soon in direct cable communication
with the department which viii greatly